Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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No allergic reaction

Hi everyone:
Just wanted to let you know that with my third interrogation, I told them that I had an allergic reaction from the gel and sticky pads which developed into huge welts and itched and lasted quite some time before they faded away. This time they used pediatric sticky pads with bunnies on them LOL and the same gel but told me to wash the areas with water right after I got up from the interrogation. It worked well and no reaction. So just wanted to let you know that.
I'm 100%...

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got the "go ahead"!

Well, went to mm cardo today. Met the vendor/rep from St. Jude Medical and we went over my "nums. With my settings at 60-140 and RR, my upper chamber was tracking 25% and my lower chamber was @ 1%. In talking with the rep, I asked that since my "normal" HR while sleeping was between 50-60, is it probable that the 25% is mostly from my PM working a lot during this time period. He sez, probably yes. This is good news for me. I also asked for a definition of RR. Got it, and now I understand i...

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Landline phone

I am being fitted with a PM on 9/23. My question at this point is can a VOP phone system be used for PM checks instead of a regular land line? I'm assuming a cell phone cannot be used since you are supposed to make sure you use it on the opposite side where the PM was fitted.

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Time to "fine tune"

I will be going in to se my Cardo tomorrow for a 45 day "fine tune" My St. Jude 2210 dual lead seems to be working fine, but I have a couple of Q's:

1. for those of you who jog, run, or bike: I did a lot of running (5k/10k) B4 the implant and have not done any since last week of July (doctors orders). I want to start again. I am thinking my settings (60-140) should be set to 50-155 to cover the spread. any thoughts?
2. since the implant, I seem to get "light headed" more often...

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does anyone know what this means?

Had my pm checked today and tech told me my threshold was up to 1.4 in venticular lead asked her but all I got was that it was something to keep an eye on . Does anyone know what the norm is and if this is a bad thing? Tech also mentioned that I had a few episodes of V tach up to 190 is this all related?

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How often do you Merlin?

I'm curious about how frequently your cardio group monitors your pm via Merlin.

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tach or fib

help pls. pacemaker 2 yrs. kept having what i call tachycardia. wore monitor for 3 weeks and sent to hospital to start sotalol and predaxa because, as i understand it, v tach and a fib. 6 week out having longer episodes of what i call tach. i typically have pulse of 60. suddenly without cause my pulse will jump to 100 - 120 and last for several minutes. the sensation really takes me aback. went for pacemaker check today and nothing detected, at least tech told me no signs of v tach in pa...

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sleep loss

I got my pm in 2003, I have not been able to sleep over 6 hours since.My pm doctor told me he would lower the setting to 40bpm instead of 50 but he lied to me and never changed it.
I hate my pacemaker and after 8 years I still think they made a snap decision to put this thing in me. When I ask for the proof in the test they did, they say trust us you need it.BS

They say I have 2nd degree heartblock. I say OK show me how you know that. They can't or don't want to.

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Minimum/Maximum temperature

Just out of curiosity:
do the PM's have a minimum / maximum operating temperature? I go the the mountains (near freezing) or out to the desert (110 degrees) often and I didn't want to "freak out" my new found friend. Also, regarding ARC welding: I can see the concern with 220 volts machines, but what about MIG welders with standard 110 volts? same concerns? or not?

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Stress Test, confused..

I had a nuclear stress test today. I have been experiencing fatigue, mild swelling in my feet, sob, and recently for the last several days long periods of intermittent chest pain. I had posted a week or so about my low hr while walking. I went to my EP on Friday and he turned my RR on in an effort to improve my hr during exercise and told me to continue taking the flecainide and the toporol which he put me on over a month ago. He ordered a stress test for today...

When we started...

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re: PVCs

Frank - sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. Been very busy. Just wanted you to know that last bit of info you gave me on "extra beats" was BINGO! You were absolutely correct. When I talked to the doctor about it he explained that the PM sounts 428.xxx miliseconds and if my heart doesn't beat, it fires. Well it seems I must have been fighting the PM casue my atrial works 100% on its own. Anyway - NO PVCs.
Had the PM upper level reset to 140 - no brakes - no extra beats but I...

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Is this normal?

Hello, I'm new here and have joined because of concerns about my Dad, who has a 3 wire defib pacemaker. He got it 1 1/2 yrs. ago and just now got a meditron monitor to send readings. We watched the video, which said to call in a first reading to the clinic. Clinic (in a nearby city) said no, don't call it in, we'll send a transmission letter which will come in a couple of weeks and you can make an appointment to come in. I am concerned about the time lapses here, and in the meantime, dad is gett...

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Hitting a WALL

Hi there all my PM friends! Recently I feel like while I'm exercising I am hitting a wall. Anyone ever feel like that? My rate response is set at 60 for the low and 160 for the high. I've noticed while I'm exercising that when my hr gets into the high 150's I feel like someone is sitting on my chest. Its hard to get a breath. I've been so proud of myself the past 4 months. I joined a gym and have lost about 8 pounds so far. I am 58 and the weight has been slowly creeping up. I weigh about...

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jolts

my mum sometimes gets jolts through her whole body they only last about a second but is this normal,she also recently got a new tv and when shes near it,it turns itself to another channel ? she also sometimes feels her heart flutter does every1 else feel this way ?

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Settings?

In an effort to start getting in shape again and try out my new settings and meds, I have started walking/running at night. Tonight was the first night I used my HR monitor and have a concern.

My settings are 60-135, RR off, sleep mode 50 which starts at 9:00 pm. Tonight I look a late walk 9:30 pm. When I first started my walk I was in the 60's and felt fine. I noticed as I started to run my HR would not reach above 75. Ok, dealing with that. I knew with my new settings and meds...

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Why 80 and why pauses?

Thanks Heidi, Inga, and Frank. I understand a lot better what my tech was trying to tell me.
I am so glad I found this site.
Mike (mam6818)

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Why 80 and why pauses?

This is my first post. I am 68.
I had a biventricular pacemaker (CRT-P) implanted last month because of persistent a-fibs. I would not risk a conventional ablation because I have two mechanical valves that could be compromised in the ablation process. So, I had a complete ablation of my AV node and now have no conductivity from that node. I am totally dependent on the device. Fine. No more symptoms and I feel great.
Just two question. How does the PM decide to keep me at 80? And why?...

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first check

I’ve just been sent a date for my first check and wondered what to expect, as it tells me to take suitable foot wear, am I likely to have an exercise ecg during the check?

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re: PVCs

Frank - I just came back from my check up with the St. Jude tech - very, very disappointing!
Fact 1. I have bipolar mode.
Fact 2 - Before Jan 2011 the sensor is off because I don't need it. Settings were 60-130. No problems. - EVER!
Fact 3. January 2011 tech decided on her own to set my upper level to 150 because of my activity level. Problems started immediately. PVCs? Little "stings" sproadically.
Fact 4. To see if problems would go away, level set back down...

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re:pvcs

Frank - thanks for the info on unipolar and bipolar modes. I never heard of this so I will question the tech tomorrow when I have the PM checkup. Very interesting info. I called St. Jude Medical and talked to a tech named Annie - she didn't seem to know much so I will call again and ask for a tech with more experience. Surely someone else has had these "jumps". I don't know if they are flutters, palpatations or what. Could it possibly be a loose connection into the PM itself? Strange it o...

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You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

Member Quotes

I have a well tuned pacer. I hardly know I have it. I am 76 year old, hike and camp alone in the desert. I have more energy than I have had in a long time. The only problem is my wife wants to have a knob installed so she can turn the pacer down.