Pacemaker replacement

[Belle2003]

Dear Ranaj and Arimon18:

Thank you for your posts. My mom does not have a pacemaker yet. She has atrial fibrilation and heart failure and takes Tenormin, Coumadin and Lovastatin. The doctor has said that if the Tenormin does not help then she will need a pacemaker.

She does not want one because of negative things that she has heard about when it is time to get your pacemaker replaced.

If and when she does get a pacemaker, Kaiser Permanente will put it in.

There is only my Dad and myself to talk to her and she is very stubborn. She says that if she gets a pacemaker now, then ten years from now when it is time for a replacement she will have problems. I told her that without the pacemaker you may never live those ten years. I am very frank and to the point in hopes that it will sink in.

Her heart problem started a year ago. Before that she was active and now she moves so slow, is always tired, her legs were extremely swollen. Not to mention the pain.

What I don't understand is if the pacemaker eliminates atrial fibrilation then why must you be on the coumadin still?

Ranaj are you on coumadin too?

[arlmon18]

Belle, my Mom is on the coumadin to prevent strokes. She was taking it long before she had the pacemaker implant. I guess everyone's health issues are different. I will ask her cardiologist about the pacemaker/coumadin when we go in September. You mentioned that your Mom has swelling. Does she take Lasix? My Mom also takes Coreg - a good med for heart failure patients. I'm sure you've been talking to your Mom until you're "blue in the face". Don't give up - no one likes to have any type of surgery, I'm sure she's scared. But hopefully it will give her a better quality of life.

[sumana]

Originally Posted by Belle2003

Hi!

My mom is 76 and needs a pacemaker due to atrial fibrilation and heart failure. She is presently on blood thinners and this horrible medicine that makes her body ache so bad she cannot sleep.

The doctors have suggested a pacemaker, but in the senior facility she resides in two men there have poisoned her mind with how lousy their pacemaker replacements are. They say that their second pacemaker has caused them problems and ruined their health.

My mother's quality of life is very diminished due to the side effects of her medication.

So my question is to those who know, how has it been for you with your pacemaker replacement? Have you had problems?

Thank you!

[sumana]

Hi, I am 52 on blood thinners and also have had irregular heart rate since open heart surgery. Last year I had a medtronic pacemaker installed which supplied life saving relief. Now there are some medications which can cause great stress or side effects and that consulting with an electrophyisologist could provide the care you need, Best of luck Sum

[lanahoop]

Belle,
I am a nurse who works in an EP lab wher pacemakers and defibrillators are put in. The inital pacemaker is more detailed because of the need to place leads into the heart. Usually, pts spend the night with us and go home the next day. We do a chest xray after and the next am to look at lead placement (usually if a lead is going to dislodge it will do it within 12 hours or so of implant) and also to look to make sure there was no hole put in the lung. Pacemakers generally last 3 to 5 years. When the time comes for a replacement, most drs use the same incision (scar) to open the pectoral pocket and then check the leads to make sure they are properly working. Once all of that checks out, the new generator is placed and out patients go home the same day! Just because your mom has a pacemaker doesn't mean she can stop her Coumadin. The biggest risk of afib is a stroke! She may need to stop her Coumadin a few days before her implant for bleeding reasons, but she will still need her blood thinner as long as her md is telling her. Good luck!