Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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Trying to uderstand

Thanks for your comments. Cipro caused the destruction of the bottom chamber of my heart because I got c-Difficile from taking the heavy duty antibiotic. C-Difficile destroys all the good bacteria in your stomach. This then caused a rapid drop in my potassium level which caused a 3rd degree heart block with tousardes de points and my heart stopped and as I was in the hospital I was lucky enough to survive because of rapid intervention. I was externally paced for 4 hours then had a temporary pac...

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Heart Disease and Pacemaker

Hello, I am 17 years old, and was born with AV canal defect with a single ventricle. Now my doctor is planning on putting in a pacemaker, but he's worried about getting through the already existing scar tissue. Does anyone have any advice or has gone through a similar situation that could give me some advice with coping?

Thank you so much.
Tris

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thanks for the many responses

Hi

I just recently joined and posted to this pm club. I have had such wondeful responses from so many of you. Had the pm about 2 weeks ago. I;m still pretty scared and confused, but the support here is a tremendous help. I'm still trying to find my way around this website, as well as find my way into the world of people with pacemakers. I'm still afraid to do just about anything for fear of just about everything at this point. I'm worried about something happening while I'm asl...

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Jigsaw puzzle

One for the weekend.
A little silver haired old lady calls her neighbour and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started".
Her neighbour asks, "What is it supposed to be when it is finished"?
The little silver haired old lady says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a cockerel."
Her neighbour decides to go over and help with the puzzle.
She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle sp...

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Fishing

I went fishing this morning but after a short time I ran out of worms. Then I saw a cottonmouth with a frog in his mouth. Frogs are good bass bait.

Knowing the snake couldn't bite me with the frog in his mouth I grabbed him right behind the head, took the frog, and put it in my bait bucket.

Now the dilemma was how to release the snake without getting bit. So, I grabbed my bottle of Jack Daniels and poured a little whiskey in its mouth. After a few minutes, his eyes rolled...

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Got this in my email!

Two men waiting at the Pearly Gates strike up a conversation. "How'd you die?" the first man asks the second.
"I froze to death," says the second.
"That's awful," says the first man. "How does it feel to freeze to death?"
"It's very uncomfortable at first", says the second man. "You get the shakes, and you get pains in all your fingers and toes. But eventually, it's a very calm way to go. You get numb and you kind of drift off, as if you're sleeping. How about you, how did you die...

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need to understand this

Hi, just joined because I don't understand my pacemaker at all. The lower chamber of my heart was destroyed by taking cipro. The lower chambers are controlled 100% by the pacemaker. But with any exercise my heart rate jumps to 110 or above and I get seriously out of breath. This seriously limits my ability to do much. My Dr. Says that this is normal and OK. I don't think so. I also get shock like pains that stop me in my tracks but my dr says that my pacemaker cannot shock me . I would like to f...

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pacemaker a-fib and related drugs

Hi...

I recently had a pacemaker installed, due to an episode of a-fib. I am 68 yrs old, have never had any problems prior to this...I am a very healthy active man, but am now very concerned and pretty scared of all that I'm going thru. My cardiologist has me on meds that are calcium channel blockers
and sodium channel blockers to try to stop the irregular a-fib. I'm concerned with taking these meds...how does blocking calcium and sodium affect my heart? seems that if my hea...

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bike/run

Great day today. Biked on the trainer for 35k and then hit the tread mil for a 10k. Feels great. HR up to 138, too nervous to get it much higher (my PM is set for 170) Ok where will the next race be? I do love running in the States. Everyone is so friendly and supportive. Any suggestions?

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My day is finally here

I am all set to check into the hospital tomorrow for my CRT-D. I will Post when I get home and feel up to it and let you know how it went.
Thank you to all that have responded to my questions. You have prepared me well for what is in store for me.

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FYI

Good afternoon friends,

I just came across this wonderful website for folks who live in the USA.

It's shows how safe your hospital is.

Hope you finds this helpful.

hospitalsafetyscore.org

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1 day post op

Hello

I am 26 and had a pacemaker fitted yesterday. It was not an urgent operation but I needed it as a had a very slow and irregular heartbeat.

I am now feeling very emotional and in quite a bit of pain. I was amazed that I was just told to take painkillers so I phoned the Hospital today and they told me to see my GP to get something stronger!

They said lots of young people have pacemakers but I don't know of anyone. I just feel really down and I am dreading se...

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wow been forever!

Hey Guys!! Gosh, it's been forever since I've posted. The reason why I ventured on here is because the time has come for me to get a new pacemaker. Originally, they were going to just change the battery but now they've decided since my pacemaker is so old to just put a new one in. I'm not gonna lie, I'm scared. The thought of surgery freaks me out. I've notice on here a few people have been having problems PO. Is there anything I should know now that has changed from 7 years ago? I meet with my...

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Baby Steps for TM

So,..my first run with the Club in two months. I set myself a really do-able task ...half an hour flat jog at 10 / 11 min mile pace. Three laps of well lit Newark..a slow wind up, really steady, finishing off at 175 bpm and feeling good..walked back to club ..10 mins down to 120 bpm. After a two month lay off and 12 days after my new (second ) PM, I felt this was a really good little test. Importantly...no serious coughing and gagging..so I'm looking closely at the Rate Response issue...it's...

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Hey Texas

I think I like saying that...LOL. Just wanted to wish you well tomorrow on your ICD implant. I know you've been concerned (who isn't when it's their turn). It will be over before you know it and you will do fine.

Keep us posted,

Grateful Heart

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Driving ... when ???

My doctor said the morning after I received my pacemaker (first) that it would be a month before I can drive. I have a mid size SUV. Have hardly driven it at all as we got it just before I went to hospital. Also, some information says I can raise my left arm above shoulder height after 3 weeks, some say 6 weeks. Also with the ongoing bra comments. What is this about underwire bras with a pacemaker? The unit is on my shoulder, not where the wire is?????? Questions, questions, questions.
...

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mammogram

Is it safe to have to have a mammogram done with a pacer. Never thought about it till I got a reminder.

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Left Atrial Appendage

I'm one of those folks who are very intolerant of blood thinners. Just had a run to the ER with the last one. All is ok for now but my EP is suggesting that I have a Left Atrial Appendage excision. Also a neighbor who knows I'm in permanent afib with my PM brought over and article from the Peoria, IL Journal Star about a Lariat procedure which appears to be a different method for the same thing.

The purpose I'm told is to reduce clot formation by separating off the part of the atriu...

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Thumping in my chest

I am 38 years old active mother of 3 that went into complete heart block July 2012 after a viral infection. I got my pacemaker and I felt much better except being able to feel my pulse in between my breast. It feels like I am being flicked from the inside, which is very annoying. My doctor doesn't seem to think much of it? Had anyone else felt this?

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Everything you wanted to know

about ICDs - well almost.

I came across a book: ‘Understanding Your Pacemaker and Defibrillator ‘ by David Hayes MD, Rebecca Fallon MS and Matthew Noble BS. Hayes is a Cardiac Consultant at the Mayo Clinic, Fallon is a Psychologist working for a device maker and Noble has had a pm since he was 17 and is a tech for a device maker.

Published in the US in 2012 and designed for patients and their families, it’s well written and not too technical. It explains heart function and...

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.