11 replies to this topic

[Kpeaches]

As the title says I just joined the forum and my fiance is a C5 incomplete. He was in a car rollover accident July 27, 2011. He was in SICU for 3 weeks and has been in a rehabilitation center since. He is going to be released soon. He is a quad, he has feelings through out his whole body but can only move his arms to a certain point at the moment. He always says that he has so much feeling in his legs that he knows he will walk again. He is way behind in his rehab because he says that he hurts too much to do anything. A week ago he started having the problem of his pulse dropping when he would get out of bed. They monitored his heart for 2 days and today they decided he needs a pacemaker. I was pretty confident about everything like his recovery and his motivation in himself until we found this out. He doesn't seem to mind it but I am pretty worried because I don't know much about pacemakers. He had a friend that was a C6 complete so we knew how to take care of him but we figured since my fiance is incomplete, hopefully one day he would walk again. He doesn't want me to tell anyone about him having to have a paceemaker because he doesn't think its a big deal but I need someone to talk to about it. I was looking online about different information about spinal cord injurys and pacemakers and came across this forum so decided this was going to be my venting and information source. So if anyone knows how pacemakers affect people with spinal cord injurys could help that would be cool! Thanks

[LeviM]

Hi there, welcome to the forums, I'm glad you found us. I don't know much about pacemakers but I know a lot of quads have trouble with heart rate and blood pressure dropping when getting up. I hope your fiance continues to gain sensation and movement, but don't get too down if he doesn't gain much more. Life will be different but doable. I wish you both the best.

[Tetracyclone]

I do not know people specifically with SCI and pacemakers, but others i have known with them do great. He certainly needs every advantage to get used to being up and about. It is so important at this stage to regain strength.

having feeling in his legs does not presage movement, but his conviction that he will gain movement is a good sign.


best of luck and visit us often.

[goose]

Hey Kpeaches...welcome!!!

Good job finding this forum. You will find it very useful in solving all the little things that seem to pop up along the way. The first two years will be the hardest but you'll also still see improvement during this time. Encourage him to try his hardest during this time for max. return and function. He would also benefit from joining by seeing others who have been there done that. It would also let him know he's not alone.

I know from experience[I'm the same level] that low blood pressure is common. It took me a few months to quit seeing 'stars' when I would atempt to sit upright. It was also easier to breathe at a reclined position however they frowned alot when I would do that. I was lucky to escape the vent but had a hard time breathing on my own for awhile. Practice helped alot.

The pacemaker...never known a quad to have to have one. I do know people who have them and they were not a very big deal. My mom has one and it has really helped regulate her heart beat. Did he have issues with his heart before? I'm just not aware of how SCI would affect getting a pacemaker but I don't think it should cause a problem. It might slow down therapy for a short time but usually they won't let you by with much.

[GFW]

I'm a c5 complete. I just returned home from my last hospital stay with the same issue. For the last six months or so I've been having weak/fainting spells. I've been to the hospital via ambulance six times, and talked to different doctors and medical staff each time. No one seemed to know what or why. My spinal cord injury Dr. put me on a supine hypertension medication to bring my blood pressure up while in an upright position, but all that did was trigger my autonomic dysrefexia to the pounding headache stage. This last stay the word pacemaker was thrown around and suggested a few times. The heart specialist brought in a pharmacist on consult and she suggested that it was caused by one of the medications I was on. Tizanidine. If you don't take it with food, and at the correct time each day, the levels in your body fluctuate significantly.

[qbounce]

Yes, medication could be a factor, including blood thinners. I was on them even after being released from the hospital. But I stopped soon after and it helped raise my BP.

Also, does he wear an abdominal binder, or TED hoes? I was also wrapping my legs thigh high with ace bandages. All these help the blood circulation, which in turn raises the blood pressure. I wore all these while up in the chair for about 4-5 months, then slowly weened myself off them by wrapping everything looser for awhile, until I couldn't notice a difference anymore.

I still get light headed after eating a meal once in awhile, or being on the commode chair to long, but it's still more manageable than when I was first injured. It takes time, but his body should eventually acclimate itself.

[isobar]

Sending you a welcome .

[Lovleysons]

welcome. my brother had a pacemaker ...scary a little at first...but has saved his life a few times during his initial injury .....be sure to have it checked as per manufactors suggestions ...ummm...every little thing helps...this pacemaker is just part of your rollercoaster life....

[Denna]

Welcome. Sorry this has happened. Dont know much about pacemaker but it took me a couple weeks to be able to sit up without passing out. But the more I would sit up the less it happened. Practice makes perfect. But I'm not a doctor. Good luck.

[Ted 303]

Hi, Welcome.
Like the others dont know much about the pacemakers, but that drop on blood pressure does happen it happened me more at the start it took a while to be able to sit up proper straight & also in a standing frame would tend to get disy. Try not to worry so much be greatful he is alive & able to communicate & anything after will be a bonus loadz of great people & help on here.
Take it ez ted.

[DrNismo420]

it took me a good year to gain my full range of motion in my arms, i have yet to regain control of my fingers... as time goes on things seem to get better... im also c-5, its been a little over 2.5 years for me..

[25femalepara]

I would be lying if I said it going to be easy . Please make him feel wanted and desired . Touch even if he cant feel it.