Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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panic

woke myself through night trying to put arm up in my sleep first time this has happend since inplant 13 days ago my arm didnt quiet make it all way up as pain stopped me please tell me my leads will still be safe mine were screwed in iv been paranoid about my leads looking after my arm and using it very limited. anyone else had an arm stray in there sleep???

kimbo

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My Picture

I have posted a new picture. I'm about 60 lbs. lighter than I was in the last one I posted and I was afraid those of you I see on the street sometimes wouldn't recognize me.

Smitty

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29 with a 2 month old pacemaker

I'm brand new here! I am 29 years old and had a dual chamber PM put in on January 4th of this year. This was to treat Bradycardia. I had been experiencing a pulse that would drop into the 30s and low 40s during the day and who knows how low at night. They monitored and found it was low 30s at one point. I would also pass out upon standing at times and always felt completely exhausted. We tried medication and that wouldn't help.
I did have weight loss surgery in September of 2010. (...

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Blue

Hi Everyone,
Just thought you would all like to know that Blue, (Billie) from Tasmania Australia, has suddenly become quite ill. She had emergency surgery, then developed pneumonia, then they found a suspicious nodule on her lung which has to be investigated.
She and her husband have had to put off their trip around Australia. She is somewhat devastated by this. (She was to visit me too.)
I am sure everyone would like to wish her well for a speedy recovery.
Alma Annie

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Just curious...

Does anyone have any thoughts on EM pulses? Solar flares etc??? These are things that knock out all electrical type devices...I'm just wondering how these PMs would hold up....thoughts? Do we need Farady (sp?)Cages to jump into? lol

Roger

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ear ringing!!!

Has anyone else had ear ringing post op i noticed it in the cath lab only slight but its still there now.

kimbo

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healing

Hello,
i just have a quick question. how long does it usually take for the wound to heal fully?

I had my pm changed in october last year, and half the wound has healed fully but the other half is still tender to touch.

It wont be anything to do with stiches, as I wasn't stiched, I was glued.

Katherine

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Green day coming ,so....

Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died.

He quickly phoned his friend Finney.

"Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!"

"Yes" said Finney......"Where are you calling from?"

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Pulse "stuck" at 70 after one year with PM

HI folks, I'm writing this on behalf of my father who had his PM installed about 12 months ago. It's a St Jude's PM2210. According to my Dad, the PM was set for a range of 60 to 130 and he was feeling grand for the year that followed.

Some time in the past month, my Dad started feeling bad (low energy, shortness of breath with mild exercise, etc.) and realized that his pulse never varied from 70 bpm. A local doc had him do some brisk exercise (jogging in place) and after several m...

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strap pads

Just noticed an ad for bar strap and seat belt padding to prevent chafing, etc. Any reccommendations?

Varmit

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return to work

I have some questions on recovery time and how long everyone was off work after the procedure. Also how long before you were about to drive again. I am scheduled to have my pacemaker implanted on Thursday, April 4th and had in my mind that I would return to work the next Monday or Tuesday. I have read some that were off work for a few weeks and am sure some of it depends on the type of work a person does. I am a Human Resource Mgr and work at a computer in an office most of the time. Are my...

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life longevity

I have not been on the site for quite some time and now I realize I missed you folks and your kind and honest thoughts. So I am back and intend to keep coming back as long as there is breath in me.

Does the time line of longevity for your life become less simply because of having the need to have a pacemaker no matter what age? eg would be a young man lets say of 40 who would normally have a life expectancy of lets say 75. Well now that he or she has had the need for a pacemaker,...

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I am back online with new email

How is everyone doing?

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base rate??

Hi everyone hope everyone is ticking along nicely, iv been reading posts on this site really trying to understand how this pm works and how other people cope with day to day worries and issues which i find very helpful and reassuring. Im new to a pm only on day 10 but feeling so much better now than prevous days site still slightly sore and shoulder and neck area stiffish and has bouts of been painful and had pm check and its paceing me correctly get another pm check in 5 weeks hopfully with a g...

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You are normal

I couldn't help but be touched by your post. My granddaughter had congenital heart block and was also paced at 3 days old and has had two replacements since then. She also has a comewhat enlarged left ventricle and has been on meds since 5 days old. The first two years were the hardest for my daughter and she also had Ptsd. She was so afraid of everything, checked on the baby 5 times a night, and we were all worried about her too. Aletheia (my granddaughter) is now 8 and a half - and she i...

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fast and slow rhythm control

Hi everyone, Have had a fast HR day and in researching online (rather than having a breakdown) many sites say that the rate responsive program will speed up or slow down the heart rate and make sure ventricles contract normally if atria are quivering as in atrial fib. If this is all true, then is it possible when I meet with my EPdoctor who did the implant, he might be able to make me able to function as before. Please God, let it be so. If not, please warn me ahead of time so I won't go on a cr...

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My baby boy born with congenital heart block

During our 22 week check up to see if my baby was a boy or girl the doctor walked in with the worst news anybody could ever have given me my son had congenital heart block. Another shock he laid on me was the reason he had congenital heart block is because I have lupus. My life was changed instantly. The first 24 hours I cried my eyes out, but then I realized I have to be strong and not put added stress on the baby. The rest of the pregnancy I was on steroids and plaquenil ( lupus medicine), I w...

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To Smitty -- HR, Sotalol, PM Settings

Smitty, like ElectricFrank, DonR, Tracy, along with others. has been a real help to those of us who are new to the PMC. I've had a private messaging with him that me -- during those communications I sent him the following message. It is being posted (with slight changes) with the idea that it may benefit others. We learn from other peoples experiences.

"Hi Smitty -

Thank you for your quick response. Glad to see that you are still at it. You are a vital part of the in...

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Anxiety vs. Trip to ER

Hi Folks,
A brief history of my situation: June 2012 told I have an Aortic Root Aneurysm. Dec 3rd 2012 had open heart surgery and a bunch of complications. 1. Died twice 2. Had to be opened up again to stop bleeding from my right coronary artery 3. Had my phrenic nerve severed so now can't breath very well. 4. Woke up with a PM wondering what the heck happened. Apparently complete heart block or BBB? All this in the course of two days. I went from very healthy and active to a total mess. I...

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Slingless!

Thanks to all of the good advice that I received.... I have ditched my sling and I am becoming very good at using my left arm, but not above my shoulder. No future frozen shoulder for me! The site is still only slightly sore and there is just a little swelling and no warm spots so I guess my infection question has been answered thanks to all of you! Every day I feel so much better....when did you all start driving again?

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