Hi Nadine,
I got a St. Jude pacemaker about 3 years ago. Other than the surgeon messing up the installation and having to go back the next day to have it pulled and reinsterted, no issues. Pacemaker is pacing the bottom about 90% of the time and 5-10% on top.
Insurance sent me a phone checker which i think is standard procedure anymore. Basically a small box with 2 wires and a cradle. I get a call from Phillips Cardiac monthly, I put 2 sticky contacts on my chest attach the leads and set the phone on the cradle and they can check the unit remotely. If they need or want to make a change to the unit you have to go in (usually to your cardiologist) and one of the reps from Medtronics in your case can use a laptop type system they have to change the inputs...its pretty slick. It also keeps track of BPM, etc.
Interesting story, I didnt know that it was keeping track of all the data and went in for my 1st check at 3 months. Erica (funny i know the St. Jude reps name) ask's what I was doing on Dec, 19. I had to think about it and remembered I was filling dirt around the house. I asked her why she was asking and she said "I see an elevated heart rate for about an hour and a half." I told her what I had been doing and said the 20 and 21st should be the same because I did it 3 days in a row. She checked and said "yep I see it." Then me being...well me, I told her if she saw any elevated heart rates in the late evening she shouldn't ask. She smirked back at me and said "I wasn't going to, besides they are for short durations anyway." Heh, I told her that wasn't funny.
With regard to the Defib, I've heard from others reiterating what Nancy said. When the defib goes off you know it but I have no personal experience with that.
Not sure what the difference is power consumption between a pacer and a defib but last visit to the rep I was told I still had about 8 years battery life on mine. Was told to expect 6-10 years before the battery had to be change (in and out surgery same day) and the leads get replaced about every 10-15 years but that is just an estimate.
Post op I had my arm in a sling for 3 or 5 days (cant remember) because they dont want you moving your arm about and was not supposed to raise my arm over my head for 90 days (it might have been not to lift my arm over my head for 30 day and no weight lifting at the gym for 90 days, I can't remember...its been a while). They said this is to give your body time to build scar tissue up around the leads to minimize the chance of them disconnecting.
Microwaves are not an issue for pacers anymore but no more MRI's and now everyone will stare at David when you go through airport security because he's not allowed to go through the metal detectors. He'll need to tell security he has a pacer and they will pat him down. Magnetic fields interfere with/disable the pacer while you are in them which is the reason for the pat down, not because it will set the alarm off (no wand detectors either). I know it won't set off the alarm because...err...well, I dont tell security anymore and just go through. I had missed a few flights over the years and about 15 months ago it was late friday afternoon, last flight from Mcallen, TX to DFW and I got hung up on the border and was running behind. I took a shot, didnt tell security and got through with setting off the alarm. Next Cardiologist appointment, I asked about it and he didnt say it was okay but didn't really have a huge issue with it since I dont use mine all the time but said its not recommended amd if I was gonna do it to get through it quckly. Still haven't set off an alarm , domestically or internationally.
Thats all I can think of. If you have any questions let me know.
Matt
