Rebekah's Posts

I had a pacemaker installed about 2 weeks after OHS (double valve replacement). In about 3% of cases the heart doesn't regain its electrical capacity especially when several valves in different parts of the heart are worked on. I had no idea this might happen and remember being quite upset when I had to have the pacemaker installed (although the surgery was easy, I didn't want any more!). Because I'm very skinny the pacemaker bulges out from my body. It really doesn't bother me at all and I don't feel it but I hate to look at it. On most patients who are not so skinny it shows up a lot less. I see the rythmologist about once a year but don't think about the pacemaker otherwise. I think the batteries last about 15 yrs or so and then have to be replaced.