Most Recent Messages in General Posting

Surgery and pacemaker

I am having surgery ( not heart related) Friday, May 20.
I have dysautonomia and my pacer paces 80 percent due to bradycardia.
My dysautonmia specialist recommended increased fluids for surgery. Now my local cardiologist ( who is not well versed in dysautonomia) said my pacer should be put in safe mode during surgery with a magnet. The BIOTRONIK reacts to bp too; so if my bp drops hr will increase.
Waiting to here back from out-of-state cardiologist.
Anyone have experience...

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Strange, bubbling sensation. Normal?

Hi. I got my pacemaker a little over a month ago. It was inserted on a Tuesday. 1 week later, I was diagnosed with pneumonia and put into an induced coma for 16 days, so I am not sure if this has been going on all along, or just started.
I have been feeling a strange bubbling, or fizzy feeling where the pacemaker is, followed by a couple of minutes of rapid, pounding heartbeat. Is this normal?

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PM types?

Hello. I am a 58 year old female who had always been physically active and was always told I had an Athlete's Heart with a RP of 30-40. In the last two years I became symptomatic (dizziness, shortness of breath) and was just told by 2 cardiologists that I need a pm. Does it matter that neither of these cardiologists checked on the sinus function? Or, are all pms the same for treating all causes of extreme bradycardia? Thank you very much.

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Cardiac Arrythmia Institute

http://caifl.com/cardiac-devices/pacemakers/

Great information resource.

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Low bpm

My pacemaker is set for 60 bpm. I have noticed this past week (on my heart rate monitor) its a lot lower - in the 50's. This morning I was getting in the 30's and 40's (after laying in bed all morning). Its where it should be now, but it worries me. I don't know whether I need to make the hour drive to the ER or not. Anyone else seen this before?

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Just home

Hi everyone,
I am just home from my pacemaker fitting. I'm very pleased to see that there's a helpful community of people going through the same issues, happy and willing to give advice and to support each other. Looking forward to a trouble free and productive future.
Best wishes to all ...

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SCA

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160510124506.htm

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Pace Alert Meter

Can anyone tell me if the Pace Alert Meters are any good or knows anything about them. In my work I am around resistance welding and it produces a magnetic field.

Thanks

Smoke

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3 Years later -new issues

I've had my PM 3 yrs. (see my profile for the weirdness). I began to feel a bit toward "normal" last fall, but this spring, not so much. The past month I've been more tired than usual and last night, after a day of extreme fatigue and then chest pain, I went to the ER. My PM was doing ALL the work - every beat. Can't see the EP for 3 weeks.
Has anyone had this sort of thing? What is it? And what do I do for 3 weeks when all I feel up to is SLEEPING?

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Waiting for my PM

Hi there
Just thought I'd introduce myself.Im 46 mum of 5 kids living in Ireland and waiting for my PM. I have always been fit having done numerous marathons and half marathons but I'm now at a stage where I struggle to walk the kids to school so anything that helps me get back to normal and I'll be delighted.
It has been a shock finding out I need a PM as I only went to the doctor last week thinking it was my thyroid I was so tired.
I know I will have lots of questions so I joine...

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Haemochromatosis

Hi fellow pacers. I've had my pm for some 8 years now and am doing fine. My brother has been diagnosed with the above condition (it is iron loading) and is genetic. Apparently if left unchecked it can cause diabetes, heart conditions and eventually liver cancer amongst other things. I'm waiting to have my genetic test to see if I have it. Has anyone else heard of this condition or got it? The hospital have said that my fathers premature death age 35 from an undiagnosed heart condition (195...

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Pondering Pacemaker installation

May 2016: female aged 46. Persistent and complicated a-fib/flutter for past 2 years. Various meds tried including Tikosyn, metoprolol, Flecainide, digoxin, cardizem etc etc etc. Have had Mini-maze procedure, ablation, and 17 electrical cardioversions. Most recent 12/8/15, 3/9/16, 5/8/16 and out of rhythm again. EP wants to implant PM and do AV Node Ablation. Very concerned. This doesn't "cure" a-fib and it sounds like people don't "always" feel better afterwards. I am torn and seeking advice. Th...

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heart disease

in a sort time now my brother will have passed from this life. we both have pacemakers. we both had rheumatic fever as small children. me being a girl i may have been stronger. we both had heart murmurs but his was a bit more than that. he was born with birth defects and it was during the second world war. he is 72 me i am 74. he had a second pacemaker during christmas but had difficulty and he is in end stage heart disease. he can only whisper and is only eating a bit. i will miss him. even th...

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FEELS SHOCKING AT TIMES

Hi, I've only had my PM since January, but quite often I feel like I feel a little shock. It even makes me jump on occasion. Is this normal?? It's also pretty tender still, and I'm not sure if that's OK either. It's not like I can't stand the pain. I'd call it more "uncomfortable". Thank you for any input you can give me.

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Cause of Heart Block

I developed complete heart block with no family history of any heart conditions. Nobody seems to be able to tell me where it came from...good news is my pacemaker is working wonderfully and I feel great.

We were just informed at work that there are toxins in our building - bad ones - lead, asbestos, benzene, and numerous others. I have read that toxins can cause heart block. Do any of you all know anything about this or have any of you heard about this?

Thanks.

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New to pacemaker

Hi all I have just been advised I need a pacemaker in the next few weeks and forgive me for my ignorance but apart from reading the booklet they gave me a few days ago I don't really know what to expect and how this will effect me , thanks for reading I appreciate any advise !

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disability info

My husband had his second pacemaker replaced December 2015. He is 100% p/m dependent. His p/m has 3 leads and must work all the time. Both of his bundle branches are dead. He has changed job professions several times. He get extremely tired after just an hour or so of physical labor. He was in construction and was a welder. Next job was working on heavy equipment. When he could no longer do that job, he was fortunate to be able to take a job as an inspector with an oil company. He had to do no p...

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Box change

Hi all. New to the group. 1st implant in 1994 due to total heart block. 3 days ago I had my 4th box implanted, still with original leads. Traumatic removal due to tissue being 'rock'like after 9 years. 2 incisions needed, 1 for removal and 1 for insertion. Pain today is heavy, headache and some neuralgia. However, I have now had 24 years more life than I would have had if these devices were not around. So, if you ever need one look on it as a necessary evil with a gift of life. Not a nice experi...

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MRI Compatible Devices

In a few months I need to replace the generator/battery on my St. Jude Medical bi-ventricular CRT device, which was implanted almost 5 years ago.

Should I and can I ask that I get new MRI-compatible hardware?

Is it available for a bi-V from St. Jude Medical (Endurity model, I think). Does anyone know?

More info available here:

http://investors.sjm.com/investors/financial-news/news-release-details/2015/St-Jude-Medical-Expands-Portfolio-of-MRI-Compatibl...

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Airport Security

At the end of last year I had a Pacemaker fitted and now later this year I am planning a holiday where it will involve a flight to Europe. How will I manage with airport security

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