Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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Puzzled but not complaining

I'm feeling better--way better--and I don't know why.

My pacemaker was implanted August of 2012. Due to undiagnosed pacemaker syndrome, I lived with increasingly severe, sudden onset pain that could bring me to my knees, and worsening quality of life for 18 months.

More than once I questioned if a pacemaker had been good idea, since I rarely felt more than half alive.

Once the pacemaker syndrome was dealt with, I no longer had the sudden pain. Life was better, b...

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48 hours later

All is good so far. Prior to my pm, I would get lightheaded and just about hit the deck. Twice so far, I have begun to feel that way, but then almost immediately I feel O.K. Guess that's my "thumper" as my son calls it doing its job. Sleep eludes me so far as I cannot find a comfortable position and sat in a chair most of the night. Pain is eased with an ice pack. Planning on going shopping today (NO- not driving myself).. We will see how that goes.

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Chiro for the hip and back

Hello everyone !
Have not been on in awhile. Has anyone gone to a chiro for the back and hip ? I know this chiro is good because my father-in-law has been going for years. I think the chiro has even worked on pacemaker people. But, has anyone gone ?

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Concerned about holter monitor results

Just a short reminder: I narrowly avoided being shocked about 7 weeks ago due to an intense exercise class. I stopped going to the class and the Doctor said to wear a 24 hour holter monitor.

The results of the monitor revealed my lowest rate during those 24 hours was 57 and the highest was 122. My ICD is programmed at 70 for the lowest setting.

So my concern is....does this mean my device is not working properly? Or maybe a lead is not capturing again? Something ca...

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Dead' man staves off embalming when pacemaker kick

http://www.examiner.com/article/walter-williams-alive-man-wakes-up-body-bag-after-pacemaker-kicks-back-in

Walter Williams is alive today because he kicked his legs inside a body bag as morticians were getting ready to embalm him. That’s right, 78-year-old Williams was just minutes away from the embalming process with workers getting ready to unzip his body bag and put him on the table, according to the Huffington Post on Feb. 28. So what went wrong and how did this happen? How was W...

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another first

Since the 5k was so much fun, my next challenge will be an adventure race. My gym is putting one on next weekend. I was going to skip it but what the heck, right?

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PM in the Living Will?

How does my new PM fit into the medical actions taken at the end of my life?

How does the medical profession treat PMs in terminal cases?

Does my Living Will need revision to specify that the PM is to be deactivated when my medical condition is at that point beyond which I only want Comfort Care ?

My ten day old PM is working well - but I do not want it to act counter to my end-of-life interests

BTW... this club has been a big help for this newbi...

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D-day

So off I go to officially join this club... So many things keep going through my head. For the last two days the wizard of oz keeps coming to mind... I am like the tin man going to get a new heart... In some ways I guess that's true... And they ALL lived happily ever after..humor helps in very situation..

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shocks

Good Afternoon, All!
I am curious for those with ICDs how many times you have been shocked, and how frequently so. I have been delivered therapies more than once, but it is always multiple shocks. The most recent time was over 20 shocks within a 1/2 hour. The first time ever was 7 shocks within one minute. I suppose I should research more on this, and I will ask my doctor next time, but do you all know of any temporary or permanent damage done physically or mentally from the shocks? I live...

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It's official

Received my PM yesterday. All went good, feel pretty good. The doctor had me on bed rest for 24 hours, I think that was the worse. My lower back started hurting from laying in bed. Not much pain, kept ice pack on it like recommended by several on this site. That definitely helps. Looks like it is really going to bruise.
The anticipation of the surgery was the pits. Glad it is over and ready to get out and start walking and feeling better. They have it set at 50, and I have been hanging ar...

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Conservative mode

Came across this term when I was chatting with another pacer chick. She was told that her pacer could be put in "conservative mode" during the last three months of battery life which will help conserve its battery?

Has anyone ever heard of this?

Sue

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Interrogation Report today

I wonder if anyone can shine some light on the report I got today?

// Clinical Status: 10/30/13 to 05/15/14

Mode Switches: 16,101 (Percent of Time: 3.1%)

Atrial High Rate Episodes: 4,902

Episode Trigger: Mode Switch >30 sec

22:41 longest. >400 (max A). 105 (max V)

12:32 fastest >400 (max A). 101 (max V)

AS-VS 11.2%, AS-VP 0.3%, AP-VS 87.8%, AP-VP 0.8%, MVP On.

Event Counters: PVC singles 1,204, PVC runs 2...

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In 24 hours

In 24 hours I will be checking into hospital for my pm. It's going to be a long day today!! Working all day- out to dinner- and taking son to his bowling league... Trying to make the day as normal as possible. I keep reminding myself to BREATH.... One day at a time!

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A good result!

Hi All
Further to my post last night, I have had a great response from my EP today & am feeling much better about things.

Here in the UK it is not the done thing to contact your EP direct, you usually have to go through their secretary. But I was SO upset about yesterday that this morning I decided I would e-mail him directly. Fortunately I have his e-mail address.

So I sent him an e-mail & told him the lot! I said that I was so upset at the way I'd been spoken to & tr...

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BPM ??

I am now into about 4-5 weeks and everything seems to be going in the right direction. My PM is set so my heart rate does not go below 80. I feel fine and have better energy levels and I am doing tread mill 4-5 times a week for 45 minutes,here is my question,what determines the rate they are set at - ? It seems strange to have walked around with a 40 BPM AND a scary 20 found on Holter monitor,now I feel my heart is racing --

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EOL

I just read a post that had EOL (end of life) which basically means your pacemaker doesn't have much power left in it before you will need a new one. Your pacer, when in this mode (EOL), basically defaults to it's most basic settings and all the "extras" are not working any more - that is how it was explained to me.

Two weeks ago I was also advised by the Medtronic Rep that they have now changed the term EOL to EOS = End Of Service because EOL sounded kind of morbid.

So if...

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Interrogation /EP follow up

I had my 6 week follow up and interrogation today. As promised in an earlier post, I am reporting off:) this must be the day of rude techs! I recall having this miserable woman before. I believe she must hate people, or maybe the world itself; as a cow being shuffled into cattle shoots awaiting their impending death, must be happier than this woman. I had inquired about some of my settings, which I assume pissed her off even more. I asked about my lower limit being raised to 70 as a trial to se...

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Tomorrow

Well tomorrow I will become an officail member of this club. My surgery is in the morning to get my PM. I am full of emotions today, but will be glad to get it over with and start feeling better. This site has helped me alot to feel prepared and I thank all of you. Friends and Family don't understand, just keep saying "Oh it is nothing, I know someone that got one." or "don't worry you'll be fine". Well, I know all that but still. This is life changing, and scary. Just trying to keep my chin up...

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question ...

about resynchronization. if my pulse is irregular does that mean resynchronization isnt working? up till yesterday (procedure 2 weeks ago) there were no extra beats. im still a newbie at this and confused about pacing. thanks.

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Re-introducing Pookie

Hi again,

Just wanted to let you all know that I've posted a few pictures in the Gallery.

Did you know that if you want to see all photos from one particular member (instead of scrolling thru endless pages) all you have to do is type in their name at the top of the Gallery page.

Oh, and I forgot to mention --> I am one of the Moderators of this site, so if you ever have any questions, please feel free to private message me and I'll help you out whenever I can....

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You know you're wired when...

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Member Quotes

Since I got my pacemaker, I don't pass out anymore! That's a blessing in itself.