Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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Brick roads

Anyone else have problems feeling themselves pace after going over brick or bumpy roads?

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Please Complete Member Profiles

Hello Fellow "Clubbers"!

Just a post to encourage our members to complete their profiles. So often, I try to look up more information on a member related to their question(s). When it's blank, or nearly blank, it can put responders at a disadvantage.

We're all understandably paranoid about hackers and cyber security breaches but I really doubt there are criminals looking to crack the Pacemaker Club members' code! No need to share your social security number or banking in...

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Why am I having Atrial Fibrillation?

Hi Everyone,
I have had an episode of atrial fibrillation last week. It lasted 3 hours. I went in to see my Electrophysiologist and he did an interrogation. He told me that I had 30 events over the last month and they were usually less than a minute long. He wants me to begin taking 40 mg of Sotalol and .25 of Digoxin daily. I really don't want to start all these meds but he is very firm about it. It seems as though he doesn't want to discuss any options with me.

I have h...

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First trip with Pacemaker

Just in case anyone else is worried about flying with a new pacemaker I wanted to let you know that last week I made my first trip out of Canada with my pacemaker and have to say it was the easiest thing.

I was nervous about going through security but I just said I have a pacemaker; had my card in my hand but they never asked to see it, and they brought me through to the big machine on the Canadian end (this is safe to go in) and I was on my merry way. On the way back from Mexico I...

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Why are my questions not answered here

I posted yesterday about living a normal life with icd and haven't gotten any feedback. I stopped posting here for a while because I don't get answers .
Lisa

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2 years

2 years today for me : ),,

Not posted in awhile which is a good thing I guess. Not much new Going on.

I am going for an MRI this Friday my second, first one about 1 1/2 years ago, another running injury. oh well life goes on !!!!

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Pacemaker post surgery discomfort

I am a 60 year old woman. I had lot of mental stress last year and started feeling breathless and dizzy. Went to a cardiologist who ordered a pacemaker surgery immediately. I am still in doubt if I need that as they never put a hollister to check. Post surgery I was given blood pressure medicines to have for life, is that applicable? Second, it's been one year post surgery but Instill have some pain near the wound, while raising arms and feel dizzy in public places. Is that normal? Also will the...

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Specific EMI numbers

Has anyone actually received from device manufacturer the actual upper limit of EMF that you need to avoid. All of the documents I can find say that you are "Probably" or "Should" be ok within some proximity of the machinery. That is really not good enough for me. I work for a university in maintenance and have the opportunity to come near all sorts of circuits and equipment that may otherwise not be good for me to be around. I have called my manufacturer and researched online for the data but c...

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Big Magnet Panic

Monday I performed an errand for our MD Daughter - I delivered her big ol' honking Bernina sewing machine to the dealer for a service visit. (It's a long way from her Grandmother's old Singer w/ the foot treadle for power!)

So I struggle through the front door, obviously not enjoying the struggle, & an anorexic-looking woman about 5 ft tall came over to relieve me of my burden, carries it across the large room & hoists it up onto the counter. Meanwhile, I'm still only half way there...

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Pacemaker Card

Hello. I had a Guidant Pacemaker insert in 2006. I was sent a Medical Device ID card, which listed their contact website as "www.guidant.com."

Anyway, my card is so old that I can't read any of the information on the back of the card, such as model/serial number. I want to contact them to ask for a replacement card. However, their website does not show up. I think Boston Scientific owns them or perhaps owned them.

My question: Does anyone know how to get a replaceme...

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Light headed and fatigued

Hello all,
I have had my pacemaker for nearly 2 years with no problems. I am 100% paced, since having a 3rd degree block followed by a torsade des points. After all that, I went happily on my way grateful to be alive. Recently I have felt exhausted and light headed a lot of the time, so I went for an impromptu pacer check. I found out that my heart was skipping beats, speeding up, and slowing down at random times.

I will see my cardiologist in 2 days, but I honestly don't k...

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ICD

Is it legal to ride a motorcycle with an ICD? How long must I wait to drive a car? Do I have to report the ICD to the Arkansas DMV?

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Bone Marrow Aspiration & Biopsy

Am nervous about undergoing this test for abnormal white and red blood cell counts. Been putting it off for some years, but fear I will have to.go through with it.

The procedure is done with one lying on the side or on stomach. If on stomach, I've never laid flat out on my pacemaker and fear it will be painful in addition to the painful procedure.

Any feedback from those having this test and lying on stomach would be appreciated. Thanks.

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some discomfort

Hi,
I received my PM March 2015. Sometimes still I experience some discomfort just below where the PM is inserted. I experience discomfort under the left breast and in the back by my left shoulder blade. Has this happened to anyone experienced this? When this happens it upsets me so much I usually take a Xanax to try to relax.
Emotionally having the PM is very upsetting to me even though knowing my father had one for years and never had any problems.
I was told after a few mont...

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Hi 😊 newbie here!

Hi all 😊 im 33, from queensland Australia. Married with 3 kids. I had a pacemaker put in 2 days ago for Sick Sinus Syndrome with a Tachycardia-Bradycardia component, i apparently also have a right bundle branch block. Holy hell im sore! I wasnt expecting it to hurt this much!

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Changing position

I am thin and my recently placed pacemaker really sticks out of my chest. I am inclined to change its position so it does not show as much. Has anyone had their pacemaker moved below the chest muscle? Does it feel differently? Is it more painful? Will I be able to exercise my chest area, swim, etc.as if it was in the original position closer to the surface of the skin?
Hoping for some feedback,
Art

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confused

It sounds like my medtronic addrli pm can shock if I need it to.Is that for real?

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New PM Patient - Idiopathic Paroxysmal AV Block

Hi everyone! I am new to this group. For 15 yrs I have lived with near-syncopal episodes. It was only less than 2 weeks ago, that I had a loop recorder implant. The very next day, the recorder caught a 6 sec pause in my heart. This changed my entire life. I was quickly diagnosed with Idiopathic Paroxysmal AV heart block (rare and still under research). I have a structurally normal heart and normal ejection fraction (>65%). An EP study was done (normal conduction system). My cardiologist and EP d...

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New Blood Test...


Here ,in the UK, the British Heart Foundation has , today, published the news that it has developed, what appears to be a straightforward blood test that can identify 174 genes that are indicators of Inherited Heart Conditions. This will be of great benefiet to some 500,000 patients a year.

My understanding is that ,as new genes are identified they can be 'bolted-on' to the existing test.

All the info is freely available on line so I need not ramble on too much here.<...

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a few words of encouragement

Usually do not post about my interrogations/office visits, but I am this time in hopes it will give someone facing that jolt of why, I can't do this and nobody understands strength to try. My story began December, 2004 with a sneaky heart virus. My heart would stop, but I was home with my family for Christmas with something I had never even heard of tucked neatly in my chest. I was home, but not there, my family around me, but feeling very apart. I knew my prognosis, so it was much more for me...

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You know you're wired when...

You can hear your heartbeat in your cell phone.

Member Quotes

I am an avid scuba diver.