Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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Low Blood Pressure

I check my blood pressure a couple of times per day. I noticed that since I got my pacemaker my blood pressure has been significantly lower. Its not unusual for it to be 94/61 or in the low 100's systolic. My blood pressure used to run pretty high but I was taken off blood pressure medicine over a month ago, when the doctor found my low heart rate. I know to have a small salty snack or a bit of caffeine when it gets this low.

Has anyone else seen a significant drop in blood pressure...

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Sharp needle like pain in the center of chest

Hi Guys, 

I have my pacemaker since 3 years ago, last month i had my what the call "interrogation" it's a yearly checkup with a machine. now after that i noticed a sharp stabbing / needle like pain in the center of my chest and sometimes at my heart. my schedule at work is 6:00am - 3:00pm is it because of my schedule? i wake up early and sometimes i still feel sleepy at the office. do you think im going to need to adjust my schedule? i'm out of breath so...

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New Member

Greetings! 

I just received my first pacemaker. I have suffered from afib and some block since 2007 when I was 39. I received a St. Jude mechanical mitral valve in 2007 as well. 

It's nice having a heart rate above 50! Being back in the 70's still feels strange after one week with my new toy. 

Thanks! 

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Air Travel

The ins and outs of air travel, whenever the topic comes up, it is inevitably about the risks of going through airport security screening, especially for those of us with medical appliances like pacemakers and defibrillators.

Did I ever tell you guys the story of my trip to Chicago a few years back? The story while dated, is pertinent to today, but if you've heard it raise your hands...Okay, I don't see any hands so I'll forge ahead.

A few years back, I took a trip to...

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Best Mfg pacemaker. St Jude vs Meditonic

Nervous about choosing the best quality pacemaker. With concern of recent news, is Meditonic higher quality than St. Jude 

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Just need to vent!

I have had my PM for 6 months and today I get notice that my Dr. will no longer be in network with my insurance as of Oct 5th. I don't know how I will pay the bills, but I am not going to change doctors. I was just getting my anxiety under control and now this.
I just needed to vent, and I know many of you will understand my feeling of not wanting to change doctors.

Thank you for all of the great support.

Kays

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Intl travel

I had a St. Jude pacemaker implanted a couple of weeks ago and am wondering if anybody has traveled outside the U. S.? Any problems with security, completely out-of-spec metal detectors, refusal/inability to read a pacemaker ID?
They sent me home with a Merln box. Do I need to take this along? Since it seems to need a local cell tower, what happens in an area without cell towers?

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Nine Months With PM

I got my pacemaker about 9 months ago. Things were tough at first. There was the normal post-op pain plus I had difficulty sleeping, waking up every night and couldn't sleep on my left side. The doctors kept telling me I'd get used to it. I really got sick of hearing that as things didn't seem to be getting any better.

Well things are now going very well. I barely know that I have a PM. I've been sleeping well and  feeling great.

So anyone...

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Heartbeat drops back down to 60

My rate response was turned off the other day because I complained about the yucky feeling going over bumpy road I have to go over every day! Now that is gone. I notice, my heart rate goes back really fast to my low setting heart rate of 60 really fast now. Stays around there. Yesterday , I felt like a low sugar attack after exercise. Dr raised my Metoprolol by a half a pill.twice a day. Is it normal for my heart rate to stay there and go back so quick after exercise? I know this med keeps yo...

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Pacing

Hi,

Has anyone had their pacing turned off for 3rd degree heart block and been told that they have not paced since the pacemaker was implanted. I have been ill ever since the pacemaker was implanted and worse since they said they turned the pacing off.

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Back to Dating after ICD

Got my ICD 2 years ago

Now divorcing after 25 years

Know that we are now "defective" merchandise...

Please share experiences looking for love

Thanks & Regards

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recall of St. Jude pacemaker

Anybody have any  information about this.  I just recieved a St. Jude pacemaker in Israel and read on line that there is a recall because of hacking.

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St. Nudes recall and others recall alert

I got an email this morning from a friend saying that the st. Judes pacemakers were having a recall, I don't know if it's true. But if you have one, I would call your Dr. This is terrible if true, but in this day and age very possible. It was on the internet. Posted yesterday. Sorry, I don't have the link.

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Not Feeling Well.........

I'm a 56 yr old male and has had an irregular heart beat since I was a child. Had a Biotroniks dual chamber PM installed for complete heart block 4/2015 six months after tricuspid heart valve repair. In summary, I've felt pretty rotten and was wondering if there could be some PM adjustments that might help the way I feel. I'm getting good followup reports from cardiologist but I feel like crap most of the time (out of it feeling most of the time with head pressure ie: zombie like...

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FDA Alert on some St Jude pacemakers

Just noticed an FDA Alert for certain types of St. Jude pacemakers.  It has to do with cyber security and the names of the pacemakers affected can be found by googling FDA Alerts.

I yanked my card out to see but there is no name on the card, just a model number.

Hope Im good or this will be my second FDA Alert.  lol   Kind of gets boring, you know.

 

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Increased ICD tenderness: Call the MD or am I worry wart?

Hello everyone,

I am only 22, almost 23, and I had dual chamber ICD implanted due to severe bradycardia and Brugada. On June, 27, 2017, I had my ICD replaced due to a lead fractures. For last 2 weeks or so I have had an increased tenderness and a burning sensation (it feels like chaffing/irritation) only on one side of the incision. There is no swelling, fever or any other symptoms. Also, I recently had blood work done for unrelated reason and my white blood cou...

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Brand new

Hi everyone.

I had my pacemaker implanted 2 weeks ago as of tomorrow. I think my recovery is going pretty well. 

Tomorrow I go to my cardiologist for my first follow up. I'm a little nervous, not knowing what to expect. For now I'm going to do a lot of reading and am madly trying to jot down a bunch of questions for the doc.

Linda

 

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No energy

Hello my friends, I am 9 weeks post op of having a crt-d implanted. At 6 weeks I went to my cardiologist and explained I have no energy. He reviewed my meds and decided I needed stronger meds. He got rid of all my former meds and put me on entresto 24/26 mg and metroprolol 150 mg. He said I would feel worse before I would feel better. Boy, was he right. All I want to do is lay around or sleep. Feel horrible. My pm is set at 60, from day one. He said he wanted my heart rate to be at 60 and it...

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Icd and my seadoo

Getting iCd in October can I still drive my seadoo

can I still weld as I'm a blacksmith

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Papitations/soreness

Hi.  I'm 7 weeks post-op with my first PM . I have had it "adjusted" 5 times, and I still have times where it pounds really hard for awhile, and also times where when it "kicks on" it knocks the wind out of me.  Is this normal? I guess I thought they would put this thing in me, and I would feel all better.  Does it take a long time before you feel "normal".  And when does the soreness in your shoulder and neck go away?  I have had eve...

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Just because you have a device doesn't mean you are damaged goods and can't do anything worthwhile and have to lie down and die. In fact, you're better and stronger. You're bionic!