Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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New Pacemaker install

In June, on a trip, I was hospitalized with AFib for first time. Since I had an cardioversion with one week good result, several episodes, more medication, then falls from low heart rate in 40s and 50s. So they thought a pacemaker was needed to correct low heart rate.

I had Pacemaker surgery last Friday. Pacer is fine but they seemed to dose me too much and had a very hard time getting awake. So they kept me and then did a lot of tests, like St. Judes pacer lady checking wire placem...

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6 month check-up

I have only been a member since mid-March 2013. I have a Boston Scientific CRT-D. I had a virus that attacked my heart and I was being treated for severe asthma for about 6 months prior. After taking myself to the ER and demanding someone to find out what was going on because it was not asthma. Many test later, 3 doctors and an echo-cardiogram I had 2 blockages AND an EF of 11. Over the next 9 months that my insurance required before they would approve the CRT-D, I had to work and my heart was...

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SUSPENDERS

Can you wear suspenders when you have a pacemaker?

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Sports pace maker

Doe's any one have a suggestion as to which pm is the best for athletes?
I have a medtronics for a little over a year now and when I'm pushing hard on my bicycle my heart rate wont go above 150 and I just hit a wall. I have talked to my Dr. and the medtronics tech and they say my pm can not be set any higher. So now I'm considering changing to a pm that is more sports orientated but don't know which might be the best. Amy info would be appreciated.
Jack Coul

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Arrythmia after major bleed

Has anyone in the club experienced arrythmias as a result of a major bleed?
Chet

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AVD... ?

Forgot to ask in earlier post - what is the AVD setting? Thanks!
Minnesota

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Pacemaker soon

I am moving on to getting the pacemaker and AV Node ablation in 2 weeks. I am 40 and have been fighting a-fib for the last 5 years after aortic valve replacement. Have tried sotaolol, flecanide, tykosyn, and amio going about a month at the longest between cardio conversions. Getting the st. Jude 2 lead pacer. Then a month later doing the av node. Any advice or recommendations? I have read up a lot on this site and appreciate all the good info. Any further info would be greatly appreciated. Th...

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Newby

Hi all just found this site so joined up. Had my p/maker fitted in June which was quite a shock i must admit ( im 58). I am back at work as an engineer but not letting me do my normal duties until they have a report back from my clinic stating its okay to work on the equipment there. So far its taken three weeks. Has anyone else experienced this. Thanks Jim

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Lightheadedness

Boston scientific PM works fine and I am comfortable with its assistance. However, I am in trouble as a runner or worker as I am next to passing out several times each day. I am weaker than I was only a short interval ago and am undergoing all sorts of tests. Most recently a Tilt Table Test was performed and I passed out at 24 minutes after hqving the blood pressure drop steadly. The cardio Doc has me wearing hip high compression stockings and drinking water constantly. Just now he added Midodr...

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Holter Monitor Again!

Finally got another holter monitor for 24 hrs. hopefully they will finally figure out if it's the meds or my heart that's making me lightheaded more often than not! I'm getting so annoyed by this and I want to start feeling better once again. Both meds i'm on (Propafenone and Pradaxa) have side effects including lightheadedness but I was like that before when I went into A-flutter PSVT so who knows. The ablation I had in May worked great until I went into A-flutter again only 2 months later in...

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Resons for a PM questioned

Hi everyone, this is my first posting and the questions I am asking will be discussed with my cardiologist when I see him but just wanted to know if anyone had similiar questions.

I was told I needed a PM because when I would self-convert out of atrial fibrillation, (the heart stops and resets itself) I would get dizzy but not to the point of passsing out, before returning to a normal sinus rhythm. The PM keeps the heart from stopping preventing the possiblity of passing out. My first...

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Pacemaker is limiting me.

I recently had a 'full heart block' back in April of this year, which led to me being implanted with a pacemaker. I am a plater/welder in the UK, the job that I had was a life saver, it was my first permanent job since redundancies a few years back. At first my work managers were very supportive, they told me that I should take all the time time off I needed. They also required various letters from my cardiologist and doctor to confirm that my pacemaker would not be any hazard in the work place...

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pacemaker battery replacement

Dear Sirs,
I am curious as to whether or not someone like myself can obtain business venture with a rep replacing batteries in pacemakers? Please advise.

Best regards,
William Briggs

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Going in tomorrow for my ICD

Hi all,
I am going in tomorrow for my ICD. A little nervous, but I think I have a good Doctor. Going to Spokane's Sacred Heart hospital. So I should be in good hands. But still nervous.

Taking 2 weeks off work. I am a massage therapist and I don't do lite massages. So thought I had better take an extra week off and then come back lightly. I tested my pounds per square inch and my light touch is still 25 psi. My heavy stuff on the back runs from 50-75psi. So what do you think, i...

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Hi !

Just got back from my 12mth cardio' check up & all is well.
I was a little worried because at my last echo they mentioned l had tricuspid valve regurge' which l thought may be to do with the fact l have already had my mitral valve replaced (yonks ago) & thought maybe l just had "rubbish valves". But according to my cardio it is caused by the lead of my PM going through it???
Not heard of this before but then l do tend to concentrate on the really important things on this site like Gold...

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Follow-up from last weeks EKG

Hi peeps,

Just wanted to follow up with my story regarding "Inverted T Waves", went for a echo cardiogram this morning and the test revealed that I have what is called Apical Variant Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It's a thickening in the upper left corner of my ventricles.

I asked my cardio, if this could be a consequence from my active lifestyle, I do a lot of jogging and swim at the local YMCA for over 25 years. She really didn't say much.

I've heard of athl...

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Cardiac nuclear stress test

Hi Gang,
I go in for a nuclear stress test and scans, to see if I have free flowing heart arteries. From what I understand, the first day of a two day test, I will be getting a radioactive tracer and a scan at rest. Then the next day more tracer and exercise test and another scan, to see if blood is flowing well to all the important areas of my heart and lungs.
I have a bit of anxiety with this, due to my rheumatoid arthritis and the pain of trying to ride a exercise bike or treadmill....

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Questions about settings.

Hello all. I'm almost 4 weeks po with second pm (first one removed after about 10 weeks due to pocket infection) and notice different data on device reports.
Does anyone know what "Accelerometer" means? On my first pm device report is said "on" and on my second device it says "on passive".
The atrial lead sensitivity on first pm was .25mV and second pm is .75mV.
How about the Max tracking and max sensor rate? Set at 140 first pm and 130 second pm.
I don't understand h...

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My Goldfish Behaves Differently Now !

I have a pet goldfish and , since having a PM . it just stares at me. It is quite scary ; I may mention it to my cardiologist. I think it has been talking to patma's cat. I will be grateful for any advice because it is stressing me out !

Ian

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Mammogram okay w/ PM?

I had a DC Medtronic Sensia implanted on June 12, 2013. I am wondering if it is okay to have a normal mammogram done or is that not advisable? I'm so afraid it will make one of the leads come loose. But there is so much breast cancer in my family that I want to keep up with the mammograms if possible. I would appreciate any advice.

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You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

Member Quotes

Today I explained everything to my doctor, he set my lower rate back to 80 and I felt an immediate improvement.