Me and My PaceMaker

[GCParris]

Hi all, it's been a while since I last posted so I thought I'd post an update.

Since finishing the excellant Adv. Nitrox and Deco procs course a few months ago with Mark Powell I've been out of the water due to an asymptomatic heart condition that was discovered.

I've now had a pacemaker fitted (some 2 weeks ago), and its healing up nicely. I had it positioned toward the centre of my chest so that it wouldn't get in the way of my harness (I actually took my harness into hospital so they could mark where it sat!).

I've also done a fair bit of research on pacemakers over the past few months , contacting the manufacturers etc and the resulting information led me to request that I was fitted with a "St. Jude Medical" pace maker over any others due to the fact that they are pressure tested to 8 ATM so as not to limit my diving. (Just for the record I was going to be fitted with a Medtronic but they are only rated to 10-15m due to being gas filled).

I've got my 4 week check up at the start of October and then for my own peace of mind (and also DiveMaster Insurance's peace of mind) I'm seeing Dr. King for a full diving medical a week later.

All being well, I'll be diving Cyprus and Gozo the end of October and back to some decent UK deco diving in November!

Just for the record, its worth getting a full medical with an ECG at some point if you can. I'm only 35, if I hadn't had an ECG, chances are I would never have known about and who knows what would have happened. Having a PaceMaker like mine (a resync'ing type, not a life supporting defibrator type) isn't at all as bad as you think it is going to be and short of not playing football or rugby and not being able to practise jui-jitsu anymore it doesn't really restrict my life in any way.

Cheers,
Gareth.

[PeeBee]

Wonderful news, really glad that your recovery is going well and that with a bit of good fortune another month should see you getting wet again. The very best of luck for your full recovery.

I am curious though, at your age what prompted you to have an ECG?

[GCParris]

I had a HSE medical back in 2003 for my PADI DiveMaster course, that included my ECG. It threw up some anomalies then and I wasn't allowed to dive for a bit whilst they checked me out (I had a Electro-phyiscal survey, Echo-Cardiogram, Holter-monitor done via the NHS over a 6 month period). They concluded nothing was wrong.

At the start of this year I noticed a few things that I wasn't happy about in myself and I convinced myself it was my heart. To set the record straight my wife told me to get a 2nd opinion. Luckily now we had BUPA and within a matter of weeks, doing the same tests, they found the anomalies and decided to do another Electro-physical survey. The results allowed them to make the decision about the pacemaker.

Gareth.

[Ant P]

Nice one matey. Look forward to seeing you in the water again.

Cheers, Ant

[GCParris]

Indeed, although this weekend I will be sitting sadly on the boat in Plymouth watching you all dive without me (again), unless Dave has found someone to take my place that is...

However, I am planning on getting drunk in the usual post-dive lager-top/shandy type way with you all!

Not that we ever drink or get drunk when diving responsibly.