Dos and Don'ts: Life with a Pacemaker

After getting a pacemaker installed in our body, we are puzzled and perplexed on what to do and how to go on about our daily schedule. Everything poses a question. Whether you can drive a car or not, how to pass the metal detectors at your workplace or the MP3 player at home. Everything becomes a new puzzle. Fret Not! The experts at BBC heartcare Hospital will be discussing these everyday scenarios so that a pacemaker implanted in your body doesn’t interfere with you living your life.

• Consult your doctor regularly after the pacemaker has been installed. This will ensure that battery issues and other concerns will be addressed before they arise, evading any risky complications.
• Mobile phones can be used without any issues. But for certainty, some tips should be kept in mind.
• Never hold your phone to the ear side where the pacemaker has been implanted. Instead, always use the opposite side.
• Don’t keep your phone in the chest pocket or near to the pacemaker device. Keep it in your jeans pocket or in a bag.
• Keep minimum space of at least 6 inches between your cell phone and pacemaker.
• Driving with a pacemaker is generally not recommended by the doctors for 6 months to 1 year. But after that, you can consult with your doctor and proceed accordingly.
• Strong magnetic devices like MRI scanner machine or other such devices should not be used while implanted with a pacemaker. The magnetic field of these devices can affect the programming of the pacemaker.
• Always let your physician know about your medical history, including the pacemaker. It will ensure that there are no surprises.
• While you are traveling, always inform the authorities about your pacemaker implant.
• Don’t stay in the proximity of the metal detectors and anti-theft systems for long. Although passing through them is okay.

• Don’t get scanned with hand-held metal detector. If necessary, inform about the pacemaker and ask for an alternative manual search or not to keep the scanner near the pacemaker.
• Don’t place your headphones near the pacemaker.
• Magnetic devices should not be kept near the pacemaker.
• Having a pacemaker doesn’t limit a person. You can continue with your exercises and sports but consult with your physician. Sports like football may have to be discontinued.
• Even in homes, avoid appliances which have high magnetic fields like microwave, ac equipment etc.

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