• 1. Be proactive. Get a copy of your interrogation report. Study it. Learn what your settings are and what they mean.
• 2. Go back and ask for changes. Very simple changes like raising or lowering the base rate can make a huge difference to how you feel, as can a change in the response rate. Put your requests for change in the form of a question, e.g. “Do you think if we try raising my base rate from 60 to 65 I might feel more energetic?”
• 3. If they truly don’t seem willing or able to address your issues, go somewhere else. I found out that if they can’t or don’t help me in a few visits, continuing to go back won’t help either them or me and will only cause frustration for both of us. If you have few choices in electrophysiologists (the kind of cardiologist you should be seeing), go to a major medical teaching hospital, even if you have to travel. It’s your life. Don’t settle for feeling rotten.

Sex after a pacemaker:

Q: I had my pacemaker surgery done recently. He has been wonderful and so understanding, and I have always wanted to ask my doctor, but just can’t seem to bring up the subject. Does anyone have the answer?

• There is no reason you can’t have a normal sex life after a pacemaker. Relax, it is absolutely fine! And it’s so important! I have had a PM for 20 years and had several battery changes. It never interfered with sex. You just need to wait two months to heal.
• The stock answer is if you are able to walk up a flight of stairs, you can have sex. Also, you can take things nice and easy.
• I can tell you it was a lot safer for me to enjoy sex after the implant than before! I only waited a few weeks. I did not use my left arm a lot for anything and followed the instructions about not raising my arm above my head. It was not a problem keeping my arm at the recommended height or below. It was a bit weird at first as my husband touched the incision area…. didn’t hurt, it was just a new part of me.
• After I got my pacemaker/defibrillator, I found I was much more comfortable having sex with my husband. I felt more confident that he wouldn’t have to call 911 for me so I’m able to relax and enjoy myself!
• We were supposed to WAIT. ?? If this is your first pacemaker, don’t swing on any trapezes and you should be fine. The pacemaker won’t make any difference at all. Have a great time!

Waking up in the middle of the night:

Q: I have just had LoveVoodoo my pacemaker surgery a few weeks ago, age 39. I’ve been waking up at night very alert, and not sure why. Before my surgery, I was told that my heart was stopping for as long as 14 seconds in my sleep. Why is this happening?

• At your first follow-up appointment, they will check that your pacemaker is working okay, and may adjust settings. You should tell them about feeling alert at night. if you feel tired during the day, or find that you are short of breath at any time, they need to know this and may adjust settings.
• It may be just because your heart is now working better. There are several things they can adjust: from the minimum number of beats per minute (BPM) or the time delay between when the device triggers one chamber of the heart after the other. Think of it as fine tuning.