Pacemaker removal

[tracie4444]

I was wondering what percentage of people can actually have their pacemaker removed if it is determined that the patient no longer needs it.  Can a pacemaker ever be removed?  

[VCJohnson]

If you are anywhere near The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland OH, consider asking Dr. Bruce Wilkoff about removing yours.  He has done many removals, including lead extraction when necessary.

[wegobeach2]

Skecjean, my EP cardiologist plans to remove my ICD and all the leads. He told me yesterday that he does it all the time. I decided not to have it anymore. I too needed MRIs but for other reasons as well. He told me they do MRIs all the time at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston even with these devices already implanted in the patient. The MRI machine is set a certain way so that they can do it safely. I would check around. Call other cardiologists and major hospitals. Both the removal and the MRI with these devices remaining in place are being done. Good luck with it.

[sonyafly]

I want my pacemaker and leads removed!  I have been very ill since it was implanted in 2012. My heart is healthy. I NEVER use the pacemaker. Less than 1% of the time. I believe perhaps the titanium in the leads may be making me so weak and sick. I was doing well until the day this thing was put in. Ok only 40. I want my life back. Please tell me who your Dr is. I'm desperate. I'll fly wherever.

[shs03001]

I want to remove mine too

[wilmajoyce]

SAME HERE   ITS AN IMMUNE RESPONSE.   NOT SUICIDAL BUT PRAY TO DIE   SKIN PEELS OFF...JOINT PAIN EVERYWHERE PLUS IN LIMBS TOO...SLEEP 20 SOME DAYS  BACK PAIN NOW SO BAD CANT STAND MORE THAN 10 MINUTES AT A TIME.   DEVELOPED LESIONS AROUND SPINE ON BACK HIPS AND NECK.  FEET ALWAYS SWOLLEN AND PURPLE NOW   SUGAR SPIKES AND ER.   TRIPS   THEN SPECIALIST SAYS NO SUGAR PROBLEMS   SAW YOUR COMMENT   I TOO WANT MY LIFE BACK   AND WISHED I HAD A DOLLAR FOR EVERYTIME A HEART DR SAID HEART SCANNS FINE   AND DONT KNOW WHY THIS AFIB HAPPENS BUT ABLATIONS WERE WORKING.  I BEGGED HIM NOT TO IMPLANT THIS THINF  LIFE HELL  N 8654554679

[SRaj1]

Dear Wilma Joyce, I can feel your discomfort and angst. I had gone to Emory Johns Creek Atlanta for heart pain. They did a great job with the angio and showed my minor block. But they left a small blade thin half button size seal in my artery in my groin. I feel it every time I move my leg. I am so mad at them. They never mentioned it or asked my permission.

I pray you find a way to remove it. This forum is so informative.

In HIM
SRaj

[wegobeach2]

This is the surgeon who removed my defibrillator. He said he does this all the time. Mine came out easily and I am glad I had that done. The first night recovery was painful but after that things got better real fast. This is the man who took it out in Boston at Beth Israel Hospital. I hope this helps someone. Peter J. Zimetbaum, M.D., director of clinical electrophysiology at the Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, oversees this service.  Dr. Zimetbaum is a distinguished clinician, researcher and educator in the fields of EP, atrial fibrillation, cardiac intensive care and treatment of arrhythmias.  He was recently appointed Chief of Clinical Cardiology at BIDMC.

[Skecjean]

I can see this post has been written over 3 years ago or so and I was wondering if you ever had your pacemaker removed. I've have had mine in now for almost 2 years. I remember thinking like you did when I first had mine. I didn't think I needed it anymore. And when they would integrate it, it seemed like the percentage of its usage was not very high, and I thought, it was not worth having it in. I think at one point my PM was only working at 3% of the time. To me that didn't warrant having it in. When I first received mine. I was dizzy all the time. My heartrate was beating at 20 BPM. So very low and my heart doctor felt it was necessary to have it put in. Since then, I feel better. I just hate the fact that now my back is hurting so bad, that I can't have an MRI to see what is wrong. So, I want my PM unit taken out just so I can have an MRI. Leaving the leads in .. but wonder if leaving the leads in would mean I couldn't have an MRI done anyway.. and since they can't be removed it seems.. I am so frustrated to think my back pain will never be diagnosed correctly ...leaving me in the most horrible pain ever..

[wilmajoyce]

SAME HERE  HORRIFIC BACK PAIN   HEART READ FINE BUT AFIB   NO ONE KNEW WHY  ABLATIONS WERE WORKING  HAVE IMPLANT  MONTH LATER INSTANT ARITHTIS  PLAQUE PSORISIS   SKIN PEELING OFF  HAIR FALLS OUT.   JOINTS ACKE EVERYWHERE   MAJOR PAIN IN 72 HOURS   CVOULDNT GET UP OR WALK....HIRED CAREGIVER 6 MONTHS PLUS.  THEN A LITTLE IMPROVMENT.   SUGAR SPIKES AND ER,   SLEEP 20 HOURS A DAY.   ITS AN IMMUNE RESPONSE THO CARDIOLOGIST WONT ADMIT ITMY LIFE IS ONGOING HELL.  NOT SUICIDAL BUT PRAY TO DIE.  WANT THING OUT.  GOD HELP ME   8654554679   NO ONE WILL REMOVE IT THO IM ONE PAYING IN PAIN  FEET HAVE NEVER GONE DOWN AND STAY PURPLE ALL TIME.  ALL SINCE IMPLANT.  I AVOID SALT   DONT LIKE IT.  BUT BEFORE FEET STAYED UNSWOLLEN MOST OF TIME.  NOT NOW

[DeltaDawn23]

I was in the hospital with afib and my ep of 10 years was out of town.  The doctor assigned to me insisted I needed an av node ablation and a permanent pacemaker.  It had never been mentioned to me before and was not on the table with my ep.  I refused it and still they were getting ready to do it.  I went to another larger university hospital and they said, 10 years ago that's all thy could offer, but I have a 85 percent chance of getting rid of the afib with a catheter ablation and they would not recommend a pacemaker for me.  I would get another opinion.  Good luck to you.  Stick to your guns!  You should be the one making the decision -- you will be living with it, paying for it and it's up to you, not someone else, doctor or not.

[gingerdog2]

Hi-I'm a 65 year old woman, have never fainted and they want to give me a pacemaker. I feel fine and this is totally out of the blue. The doctor is a specialist at a major hospital here in Chicago but I'm reading too many stories like yours. Did things ever get resolved for you? Thanks so much

[mariop]

In jan 2008 I had my ICD removed.  The Cleveland Clinic has a Doctor (Wilkoff I think is the name) that specializes in removal of PM/ICDs.  At that time Highmark covered everything.  The ICD was pulsing my phrenic nerve.  The local doctors told me it was in my head and not in my chest.  At Clev Clinic they said the problem was the ICD device.  My suggestion to you is to go to another doctor outside of the area where you are.