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Interrogation

Hello everyone! I have an appointment on Friday with an EP tech to have my PM checked, which I had implanted Sept 2010. (This may seem like a dumb question to most of you). I read many posts on this site about PM checks and PM interrogations. Are these two different types of PM checks or is it just a matter of wording? If there is a difference, could someone explain it to me? As always, thanks for your support and knowledge.

Cathy

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Appointment

I had my first appointment after my PM placement. The appoinment went well. I went to the PM clinic first and they tweeked me up or down, whichever it is. They took me out of the 80’s and put me into the 70’s. Told me the leads did not come loose.

Then it was over to the doctor’s appointment.  He told me I did well. He’s taking me off  coumadin and giving me that new drug Pradaxa. He will see me in 6 months. I will get tweeked again in 2 or...

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Anybody actually speak up to their doctor??

It's been a couple of months since I was last on this site. I didn't find too many answers to my questions or comfort for my fears. I guess I just needed to come to terms with how my life had suddenly been changed overnight. Of course, I told my doctor a couple of weeks ago that "My pacemaker and I have not become friends yet." My friend suggested I should take it out for a stiff drink, talk to it and get to know it better.

I had my 3 month check-up a couple of weeks ago and I had...

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Confused

Recently had PM re-set (Medtronic SEDR01) Then felt great, more energy, less shortness of breath, BUT I am concerned about unexplainable rapid pulse, i.e. 84 just walking across the room, lightheaded at times.

So much energy that I overdo things and then have joint problems.

How is the proper setting determined?

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low heart beat

I had a pacemaker/defib installed in October of 2010.  They set it at 60 for the low.  I take a reading every day and it was at 60 in the am and would go up to 61-64 during the day.  This was every day since October.  All of a sudden I start getting readings as low as 55 - is this thing out of adjustment or broke?  I don’t need to get cut again to replace it, also the insurance company won’t be happy, I’m 60 yrs old, I...

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breast x-ray... a funny story

Ok, so this is what happened today,

I have a "mass" in my left breast and for the last 3 months it has been being monitored. I didn't know if I had a serious problem or not. I just had to wait to find out if it had grown. I am fine. I still have the mass but we are waiting again. Oh well, I don't care... No worries! I am fine.

Now this is the funny part. This is what happened during the mammogram today.... The room was a bit tense. Very serious, especially me. I was actua...

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Interrogations causing a-fib?

I got a Medtronic pacemaker put in a month ago for sick sinus syndrome. Still suffer with a-fib, but Multaq (after first two weeks) brought it down to 2.5%. Question: after interrogation yesterday (and how they mess around with your heart rate, I am guessing) I have been in a-fib probably 50% or so. I seem to be sensitive to being paced and having them speed me up and slow me down, and it may be anxiety/adenaline after the fact? (Another time I went into a-fib for 14 hours post-interrogatio...

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Dr. appt.

I go for my 2 week f/u tomarrow. Does anyone know what I'm to expect? When they check my pm do they set it for how many beats? What the normal range?

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Landlines for called in PM checks

We do not have a telephone landline to our house. Whenever I have to call in a routine pacemaker check, I have to find a landline to use which is a pain especially while traveling. In the hope that there might be a better way coming soon I contacted the manufacture of the modem box that my doctor has me use and I got the following response:


Thank you for your inquiry and question regarding TZ Medical's products. It is interesting that you mention the issue of having to use a l...

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Irregular heartbeat.

When I got my PM I had a follow up appointment in a week and they started fine tuning it. Then an appointment in one month. After that ,every 6 months. I have had no problems since. It does take time for it to settle in to a regular pattern.

Lois

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Pacemaker history

Does anyone know specifically what history your PM keeps?

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PM makes my HR go up when I'm just relaxing.

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has ever had a problem with your PM like I'm having, even my Doctor doesn't really now why it's doing this and what to do aout it. Therefore, I'll be getting a second opinion on the 21st.:-).

It all started in the beginning of Dec., I was shoveling snow- it was very light. And I passed out after some palpatations and dizziness, went to the ER and my Doc. and everything is OK, except that I'm short of breath, and any excertion at all I see stars...

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Percent pacing

Can anyone explain what it means when my pacemaker is pacing 60% and later will be 100%.  Is that because the heart is getting bad or the heart is adjusting to the pacemaker? Thanks

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Programming effect on battery

Since I have a dual lead PM, my checkups are every six months. During those checkups the programmer technician exercices my heart through the PM. She says, "now you are going to feel something". And I feel some thumping in my heart. I understand that this cannot be done over the phone and requires the programmer to be present (in case of difficulties). They place the programming head right over the PM site to do this. Also they do an ECG and download the episode history, impedance, voltage, hist...

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More Dependent

Happy New Year to Everyone!

I found in a recent check up that I am pacing more. I have a dual lead Medtronic PM. I am at 58% in the atrium and 100% in the ventricle. In 2009 I was at 40% last Mar 60% and now 100%......
Getting a bit of anxiety about this. How have others handled the increasing dependency and those too that are totally 100%?
I still find after 3 years that I am having a hard time wrapping my head around being PM dependent. Probably sounds dumb, huh?

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checkups

Thank you for the info re: my checkups and the land line phones. I found it very difficult to purchase a corded wall phone. For my checkups I set the transtelephonic transmitter
on the kitchen table and use the corded wall phone.
It has a lot of static, and they suggested I get a new phone.
Just can't find a corded wall phone. There are very few with
cords and they are desk phones.

Also, my pacemaker has been in since July 2005, so apparentl...

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Phone Checks

I have my pacer checked by phone every month now.

They say I need a phone with a cord, however, I have lots
of cordless phones.

Can I have my reading checked with a cordless phone.? It is a land line not a cell phone.

Thanks Rose Chukusky

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migraines with pacemaker rate increase

Hi,
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!! Hope all is well and everyone is having a great and relaxing day.

I was just wondering if anyone got migraines when they had the rate on their pacemakers increased?  My rate was increased from 80 to 90. I feel that 90 is pretty fast for a regular daytime heart rate, so I’m seeing a new EP/Card. doctor this week, but I always like to hear what everyone on here has experienced, since we are living it.

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checkup

Had my 6 month check-up. All was well. I can now go walking without feeling like I’m trying to go though knee deep snow. Seems my drugs to keep my heart rate down weren’t  allowing my heart to adjust to my activity level and the activity thingy wasn’t on in my PM.  Now it is on and is so much better and I’m not going crazy thinking I am. Thanks for all the information that allowed me to ask the right questions this trip. Have a very Merry Christmas eve...

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chest/back pain after rate increase

Hi Everyone,
I was wondering if anyone has had anything like this happen to them.
I was having a lot of problems last week starting with blacking out, then having palpataions, dizzines, breathlessness,etc., and everyone was so helpful with all of their comments, so hoping to get some help here with this.
When I went to see my EP he figured out it was my pacer from all of my symptoms, so he couldn't see anything, but knowing my history and Junctional rhythms that I was experiencing...

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You know you're wired when...

You have a 25 year mortgage on your device.

Member Quotes

It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.