Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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Cell Phon

I had a ,kick, (first one) when I inadvertently used a new cell phone
Implant inserted late November 1923.
I am worried - should I do anything - I never feel on top oftheworld anyway
Thanks and glad to have found you
Jan UK

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BATTERY LOW

I had an appointment at my local hospital for a usual check up. This was given to me 6 weeks later than it should have. At the previous check up they said as the battery was running down they would be calling me in every 12 weeks. In the event it was 18 weeks. For the first time at that appointment the magic "wand" they put over the site refused to recognise that there was a pacemaker in situ to detect. Another technician was called and between them the manually forced the computer to talk to it...

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SVT's related to stress?

Hi,
I had my pacemaker on the 3rd Feb 2014 for SSS with sinus pauses and bradycardia. I had the routine check at 5 weeks which was fine. I've felt ok until this last week.
I moved several hundereds of miles to a new home, new job, different type of job I had'nt done for years plus, on call approx 7 weeks post implant. I'm also apart from my husband due to having to sell the house etc. I'm not sleeping well so am tired plus the stress of the new job. I had been doing well up until this...

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To those with CLS switched on...

Hi!

I was wondering, if you have the same problem as I do, namely that after every pacemaker interrogation the rate response seems to forget everything it has learned so far, and just starts from zero again? That means that for the first couple of days after a check-up, the CLS reacts very sensitively, making my heart race up to the max. sensor rate whenever I just walk a bit. Auto optimization does work, but it only adjusts every 24h, so it takes a few days to get the heart rate back...

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Pacemaker induced tachycardia

I went back for my one month check up. The nurse pacemaker expert in the office said he thought I was having pacemaker induced tachycardia. I was finding that when I pushed myself hard on an elliptical trainer my heart rate would spike up to 225 or more. They reprogrammed it and I no longer have that problem. Hooray!

Unfortunately I still can have an abrupt drop in heart rate. When my heart rate gets up to about 130 it can abruptly drop to 70. I'm going to have a stress test to see if...

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3% in 1 week bad?

23 year old female I had a pacemaker put in on april 11th 2014, when I went into the emergency room they gave me atropine because my heart rate was below 40 and within 20 minutes went right back down after being brought up to the cardiac care unit while I slept my heart rate went down to 20bpm my heart stopped and than paused for 4 seconds and while talking to the.doctor my nurse came in and told him I was having vtach for the last 5 seconds. Not to sure what that is if someone could please exp...

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Pacemakers Owner's Manual

Just learned about the pacemakers owner's manual.

Question: will it explain how to read a pacemaker interrogation report? Things like "atrial sense amplitude," and "ventricular capture test," and other arcane things? The description of the book on Amazon doesn't say.

Even if I don't understand all the implications, I'd like to know enough about what the report says to ask good questions.

I am learning that cardiologists and their minions will volunteer nothing,...

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PM printout wrong diagnosis

Hi all, still looking for info, have to go back to see the cardiologist tomorrow. Dr wants to do an "echo" because he is short of breath all the time. She doesnt think it's a settings issue, but he was not having this issue before they put in the PM, (Dec 2013) he simply passed out and without much warning.

A couple things concern me, the first is that he suffers from Syncope and his pacemaker printout has him with Bradycardia. Is this anything to worry about? (His old PM read "Syn...

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Which parameters need to be checked?

Which parameters need to be checked when you are implanted a PM?
And how often do I see doctor to check my pacemaker's situation?

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Normal reactions to checks...what are they?

1. After getting a routine PM check this am and being assured that no changes were made to the settings, why do I feel a little odd still, four hours later...a little fluttery? Normal?

2. Does anyone else feel fluttery after donating blood? Is this in my head? I took a while to recover and had never had that experience before the PM (have had the PM for 14 months)

3.With my PM doing 30% of my atrium and 98% of my ventricle pacing, what is my life expectancy? I have the idea...

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From old Biotronik to new, something wrong?

Old PM: Actros DR
New PM Evia DR-T
So my hubby is experiencing severe shortness of breath and dizzyness with minor exertion, especially getting up from sitting/lying or bending over.
None of this was a problem with his old pacemaker, so I started comparing settings.
Starting with the diagnosis (Symptom)
Old: B1 Syncope. this is his correct diagnosis along with B2 fibrosis of the conduction system and normal sinus rhythm and can happen at any time not just resting a...

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So I get a call today,

From my EP's PA, who is a wonderful and very helpful woman. This was out of the blue to me. She asked me how I was feeling on Saturday night. I told her, okay, tired, since we were in the last evening of the musical at my school and I was conducting the pit orchestra.

She told me that when I transmitted that night (I'm fully wireless since I'm the proud host of a St. Jude 2210) they flagged a very fast rhythm of over 200. She said it was fairly short duration, about 15 minutes, an...

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new doctor? not this one!

Thursday I went 45 minutes away to see a new cardio. She (I liked the fact it was a woman) was also a DO. These are medical folks who tend to treat the whole person, not just the diseased part. So I was very excited and hopeful. Well, this woman comes in, does not sit down (present cardio always sits) gives me ten minutes of her time (did I mention this was my FIRST visit?) and asks me hardly any questions. I was still trying to tell her more as she walked out of the room. She also decided I nee...

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For those with Medtronic devices

Hi!

Medtronic has a website where all their device features are explained, just thought this might be interesting for some of you:
http://www.medtronicfeatures.com/browse-features/all/index.htm

If you go back to:
http://www.medtronicfeatures.com/
you can also browse by type or model.

Inga

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Increase resting HR, reduce PVCs?

A few months ago surfing the net, on some forum (maybe this one?) I read about a man who convinced his cardio to increase the base PM setting to reduce the number of PVC's.

I can't remember whether the intention was to reduce the absolute number of PVCs, or to reduce the affects--such as exhaustion, sleepiness, unplanned napping and gray-outs.

Does anyone know anything about reducing PVCs or their effects by increasing the PM base rate?

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MRI during dox change

hi

does any one know if it possible to have a mri during a procedure to do a box change. My pacemaker is over 11 years old and it approaching time to change the box. I desperately need a MRI scan to confirm if I have MS which I have been told by my doctor is 95% sure with the test and symptoms I have. I had a test done on my pacemaker today and was told by the technician that the leads are MRI safe. I was wondering if anyone has had this done.

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Confused about PM report differences

I have had my Medtronics PM for just over 3 years. I was diagnosed with SSS and Chronotropic Incompetence. I have a history of AFib with an ablation in June 2010. My pm settings are: 45bpm during the day, 40bpm from 10pm to 6am. The Rate Responsive setting is on. I was only able to find my last 4 reports to compare my numbers. 9/5/12 I had 1 high rate ventricular episode, the threshold is set at 200 and my rate was 202. I had AS-VS 50.9%, AS-VP .1%, AP-VS 48.6%, and AP-VP .3%. I had 419...

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Don't know what to call it

In October of 2013, due to pacemaker syndrome, the ventricle lead of my dual lead pacemaker had to be turned off.

Now, between 30 and 50 times a day, my pulse rate, measured by a forefinger pulse-oximeter, drops to 33, stays there for 3-4 seconds and climbs to the preset rate of 65 over a period of 10-15 seconds. The pulse-ox falls too, but only after the HR drops.

The feeling I get is sudden, overwhelming exhaustion, lightheadedness, and difficulty paying attention. My lit...

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magicjack

will my remote monitor (merlin @ home transmitter) from St. Jude work with magicjack telephone?

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Clues to finding the right doctor

Note to cardiologist:
Minimizing my symptoms doesn't reassure me it only convinces me of your inability to hear me and ultimately demonstrates your incompetence

I don't just measure medical competence by technical skill but also by a providers ability to hear what you are saying and respond appropriately. If I wasn't concerned about the ongoing severe dizziness I wouldn't keep bringing it up. The cardiologists response "don't worry you aren't in danger of dying" and then he...

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You know you're wired when...

You can feel your fingers and toes again.

Member Quotes

My cardiologist is brilliant and after lots of trial and error got me running. I finished this years London Marathon in 3hrs 38 minutes.