Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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Chilblains and edema

I have had a pm for just under two years and will be having a check up later this week. I am 70 and the pm was inserted because I had SSS. My pace is set at around 56, which is where I have been for the better part of my life. However while my blood pressure is fine, I do suffer from poor circulation manifested by chilblains and mild edema in one foot.
I am wondering if increasing my heart rate might help address these issue. Is it worth even exploring this with the cardiologist?
a...

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Self Test

I had my PM fitted on 14 October 2013. Since my first checkup my first checkup I have felt my PM do its Self Test at 10:08 every day. In the last 4 days I have been experiencing increased PVC episodes and have not felt the Self Test. My doctor says that PVC is nothing to worry about but I am more concerned that my PM is not working because the Self Test appears to have stopped. Is it normal for the Self Test not to happen or for me to stop having it?

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Annual MOT yesterday!

Just quickly reporting that 6 years pacing, all is well. Test went great, hardly any af episodes, my heart seems to be stronger and isn't using the pm anywhere near as much as in the early years. Had a great tech who showed me how it all worked and explained everything, about 6.5 years left on battery life. Sooooooo I'm going out tonight and gonna dance the night away! Might have a few cheeky glasses of red as my daughter is driving! Benefits of having a pregnant daughter, we don't have to d...

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ATP (Antitachycardia Pacing)

Does anyone have a good understanding of this feature ATP, not APP (Atrial Preference Pacing) ?
I have a Medtronic Revo MRI RVD01. Today, my EP asked me if I want this ATP feature to be turned ON after interrogation because she mumbles that I have a bunch of tachy episodes in the past 6 months. I said obviously "Yes" and shouldn't it be "On" at the first place? Why did she NOT turn it on at the first place and now ask me a stupid question like that and let me suffer for past 6 months?

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Raised voltage

not sure why my pacemaker voltage was raised?

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Will Merlin tell on me?

Hey guys. I've been having a hell of a time the last 2 weeks. My fatigue is so bad, I'm having a hard time functioning. My EP pulled back on my beta thinking that might help but it doesn't seem to have made a difference.

I almost feel as exhausted as I did before I had my pm. My brother is in federal prison and we went to see him in early Jan. We called beforehand to make sure all of their security measures were pacemaker safe. They assured us they were, and then when I was there, th...

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Dual Chamber PM

Hey! I had a dual chamber PM implanted a month ago today. Tomorrow I'm scheduled to have the first interrogation. Is there much to this? And also when did y'all start relaxing on restrictions, such as; lifting arm above head etc... I've seen so may different recommendations that says from 1 week to 6 weeks. I guess I've been a little paranoid...

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CRT-D success

This is Texas54 checking in with fantastic news. I had an ejection percentage of 30 prior to having a St. Jude CRT-D implanted a year ago, January 31st. I have a left Bundleblock, enlarged heart and the Cardiomyopathy that goes along with that. I am participating in a research study for St Jude. They pick up my heart activity at night and I go for 6 month adjustments. Today was my first Echo since the surgery. I had an ejection percentage of 65!!! Normal results. The cardiologist said he h...

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Pacemaker set at 85 is 114 ok with a fever of 101

Pacemaker set at 85 reading 114 with a fever of 100.3 with pulse 120/74 any thing to be concerned about??Anna

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4 months later and still presyncope but no syncope

Hello
I am a 34 year old healthy, active male. I received an emergency PM installation while visiting the hospital after approximately 15 episode of presyncope and syncope over a 5 month period. No pattern as to why or when, my episodes are random. While in the hospital the monitor registered 8-10 second pauses and the doctor recommended a PM. Since implantation I am still having episodes of presyncope, the feeling of nausea and lightheadedness but not fainting. I am wondering if this...

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First checkup tweaking questions

Hi Everyone
My first post on this site. Already appreciative of previous contributions - great just to know what others have gone through and the questions / concerns they have had.

Last week I had a 2 lead Biotronik Evia DR-T put in - bradiocardia and AV block. Itching to get back exercising (running, cycling, weights) but doctor says the first 2-6 weeks is critical to getting leads embedded well so plan to take it easy.

Would be keen to know what things I should be...

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First Checkup

I am husband of joyzam and on Christmas eve I got a new St Judes 5820, like the one Joyce got in September.
I just had a 30 day readout and they gave me a copy, as they did with hers.
So I have been working to understand it. First, my AS-VP was pacing at 78% but AP-VP was at 21%. So he made some adjustments that the cardio agreed with to even out the bottom half being overly dependent on the pacer. I am not sure where this adjustment shows as there was only a few adjustments showing i...

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QUESTIONS and GUIDENCE ON ST. JUDE PACEMAKER

I had my St. Jude Pacemaker put in on 10/22/2013. I had heartburn symptoms, dizzyness and that was it--taken to the ER and diagnosed with 3rd degree heart block and had the pacemaker put in.

I am still experiencing fogginess and lack of focus--Does anyone know what this pacemaker should be set at or could be set at to relieve these feelings?

At my last pacemaker check they told me it was set at 50 beats per minute and it would not go lower(when I was rushed to the ER I wa...

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Pm replacement

I have an echo yearly, one 7/2013. Did not see cardiologist even tho I had an app. Nurse told me to go home, that if anything amiss dr would call. He did not. Near the end of 2013 his asst. called and set up an appt for 1/17/2014 at which time doctor tells me my ef has dropped from 45 to 38. He says I need a new two lead pm vs 1 lead. He sent me for a short echo on 1/2014 in prep for the new pm. Have heard nothing from him. I am feeling insecure with this doc even though he is supposed t...

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Information

Hi,

I've just joined.

Have had a pacemaker since 2005, replaced battery Nov. 2012. Since getting it my life has been downhill all the way. I can no longer ride my bike without pain and discomfort.

The reason for the pacemaker was total heart block, no connection between atrium and ventricle. Basically not a serious problem as heart problems go. I have friends with triple and quadruple heart bye-pass operations who are capable of riding bikes with pleasure and...

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New member question

On December 10th, I got a 2 lead pacemaker. My heart is healthy, it just didn't pump right. I'm 55, healthy, female.

On the 11th, before checking out, I went for a walk down the hospital hallway. Within 10 minutes I got a horrible pain. I ended up in surgery the next day. The doctor decided not to do the surgery, but have me tested to see if I was allergic to metal, as I do have allergies.

The cardiologist the hospital had me go to, didn't listen. He has had me on two...

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VF TRIGGER RATE

My husband's icd is programmed with vf trigger rate of 220 what exactly does this mean?he previously had 15 vt episodes before his icd gave him a shock and his hr had reached 170.how does cardiologist determine what to set trigger rate at?tks

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what questions should I be asking

Hi I have a duel chamber pacemaker and I am getting ready to have it interogated. What questions should I be asking other than recorded episodes? Thank you all so much for the support over the years!

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Medtronics a-fib settings

This was on a previous post on this site. Another member posted the web address of the announcement from Medtronics. Can't find the post. I didn't make this up.

Took the corresponding printout to my cardiologist in December 2013. He said not FDA approved. Gone through first set of trials but not second. If he's wrong, would like to know it.

It's AdaptivCRT on the Medtronics site.

http://newsroom.medtronic.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251324&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1856...

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Medtronic CRT does not like hills.

Hi to all,
I had a medtronic Consulta CRT-P and AV node ablation 10 Dec, 2013, for heart failure, afib & cardiomyopathy. I was cans at last minute and rescheduled to Dec. Surgery went well went home the next day and recovered well except that my exercise tolerance dropped considerably especially on hills and stairs. Thankfully The RN at Pacemaker clinic, checked with manufacturer and it turns out the Implant Detection had not been turned off! After that I had better rate response.
O...

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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!