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Breathlessness

I had a pacemaker placed on February 22. I have been having shortness of breath only when walking a good distance, but none otherwise. I had my first device check two weeks ago and the cardiologist said all was fine, but this bothers me. I feel great otherwise. What could be the problem and will I adjust?

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Symptomatic while pacing

I have now had my PM for nearly 6 months and have had a lot of difficulty getting it set right. I have had 5 adjustments going from DDR to VVI then back to DDR and with rate response turned on and then off after a severe episode of PMT. I do not know all the settings but the P-R intervsal is set to trigger at 0.225 sec (slightly long) and what what is called atrial blanking increased to full (to block the PMT) and then reduced to allow the PM to track up to 125 bpm. My initial problem was&nbs...

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Weird

I am wondering if anyone has ever felt any kind of electric sensation from your pm thru the skin.. like I have lost about 75 pounds since mine was installed so it is very noticeably protruding against my skin so that is more sensitive anyways but twice now I have accidentally pressed near my pm once when drying off after a shower and once when my hand slipped putting lotion on and it's almost like i got shocked but not my heart, more like nerves in my skin.. Does this make sense as someth...

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Abbott Avenir Atrial Leadless Pacemaker Implantation—dislodgement

Hi everyone, 

I had an Abbott Avenir Leadless pacemaker installed last week due to Sick Sinus Syndrome.  I chose that type over the leaded option due to the easier implantation and recovery time. The implantation went well--took less than 2 hours--but then became dislodged and moved to my pulmonary artery where, thank God, it was retrieved without issue.  So, I still have to get my SSS resolved but am hoping I can get more information to help determine my course of action...

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Flushing

I read somewhere that arrhythmia can cause flushing. Is this true? 

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Exercise

No one on this forum seems to have an answer regarding all over strengthening exercises after pacemaker implant. In fact no one period seems to have an answer. Everyone that is able and is exercising is participating in their own routines. 

This is a call out to some serious and factual information regarding total strenthening exercises.

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help with login to this site

Can anyone help me with login proceedures to this site? When i signed up it said i would receive a verifcation email, which i never did. I was able to post once, but then the next time i went to login it would not accept my password. i clicked the "forgot my password" button, but got an error message with computer text. I then sent emails to both the info and sales email addresses listed at the bottom of the website but got no response.

 

Today i used my w...

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Differences between QRS during procdure vs QRS post=procedure

Trudging through my operative report from recent pacemaker placement, I see that when the LBB lead was being placed they measured QRS at 125ms at the "sweet spot" where lead was implanted.  However, post-procedure ECGs measured the QRS at 152 (down from 164 pre-placement).  Can anyone shed some light regarding the differences in QRS measured during the procedure vs the QRS measured after the procedure (like 3 or 4 hours later)?  Is something like this common?  (I...

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Questions to ask

Good Day, All.

Next month I will have my 2nd annual in person PM check at the EP Lab. I have AV heart block and had fainting since a teen. Some VT pauses lead to a PM in May 2022. I have a genetic family history of sudden cardiac death (etiology unknown despite testing). I have a Biotronik Edora 8 DRT.

My question. I receive periodic device monitor reports, the last one being 42 pages long. SInce I will have the chance to speak with the EP TECH and my cardiologist,...

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Surfing after PM implant

Hi All,

I searched on these forums and found a few posts from back in 2016 about surfing after PM installation. I'm just coming up on 3 months since surgery, and am starting to think about getting back in the water. My doc advised me to wait the full 6 months after surgery before paddling/duckdiving, since the leads and device need time to become covered with scar tissue. So I've got another 3 months but I'm very curious what my limitations will be once im back surfing again...

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OK to mow the lawn 4 days after pacemaker implant?

Hello, I had a Medrtonic Azure implanted about 4 days ago.  I want to mow my lawn on a riding zero turn radius mower.  The ride is a bit bumpy, as the lawn isn't very smooth.  I've got just over an acre to mow.

Might seem like a stupid question, but is it OK to be jostled around a bit while mowing?  I know to keep my elbow below my shoulder etc... 

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Leg cramps at night got worse after pacemaker implant

I had a Metronic Azure pacemaker implanted about 4 days ago.  It is only pacing a ventricle.  My problem has been bradycardia for many years and my heart rate recently got too low.  Coincidentally, I went into afib.  It is not clear if the afib worsened the bradycardia or vice versa.

The surgeon decided to leave the atria alone and only pace the ventricle for starters because to fix the afib, an atrial ablation would be necessary and his statistics indicate it i...

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Serious Decision

I have a serious decision to make.  Because of a mistake, my pacer clinic made I had several additional tests to ensure my 100% paced heart leads were not damaged in reviving me in the ER in February 2024.  A heart scan found a large thyroid nodule that required additional testing.

Today I met with an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeon doctor who gave me the option of having my thyroid removed or monitoring it for another year.  The ENT surgeon is concerned abo...

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Up Date with New Game Plan

Just home from the hospital . The original game plan was to impant a Medtronics CRT-P but they had to change course mid-procedure becuase they could not find any vessels that would allow them access to the left ventricle lead implant location. The back-up plan called for the installation of a  2-lead, Medtronic Azure system for Conduction System Pacing which is what happened.  I hadn't researched this option quite as thoroughly as the CRT-P but it had been discuss...

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Heart Rate monitor

I got my PM three weeks ago and slowley got back on my bike. 

How do you measure heart rate?

My Sigma heart rate strap does not update

Thanks

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Over air checks & 11 years and counting.

So its been a while since i last came to the club site. I thought it was a good time to update.

ive had my latest pm for over 11 years and its still going strong. I guess i don't need it as much as i used to. For the past 2 years, ive been having my checks done 'over air'. Even after these 2 years, i still check that the reader next to my bed is still working ok. The only thing I dont like about it, is i don't get to ask questions. I just get a letter saying "e...

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The Time has Arrived....

After what felt like much drama and waiting 6 lifetimes, I am due to get my CRT-P tomorrow.  I'm ready, excited,  hesitant  and very aware that my life is about to take a huuge step in what should be a good direction.  I'll meet my new Medtronic buddy tomorrow around mid-day and spend the night for observation. Lucky me get's two incisions: one in the chest for the device itseslf, and another in the groin which they'll use during the procedure to...

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Artifact... fracture?

Hi. So I'm having some slight anxiety over my pacer and the noise picked up at my last visit, and this place seems to calm some worries at times so....

My yearly pacer check, they found noise, so artifact on the output. I am on my 2nd pacer, implanted.2022, I have 8.9 years left on the battery. The cardiologist said the noise could be tissue build up or a lead fracture possibly. The leads are original, so placed 12 years ago, and he told me the average life span of a lead is roughly...

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Outsourcing of Pacemaker Monitoring to Third Parties

I received a letter today informing me that my physican requested some "rhythm management" company "assist with the on-going management of your implanted cardiac device by using remote monitoring. ... If you have an automatic monitor, data received from your implanted cardiac device will automatically be sent to us on a routine basis."   

This is not the pacemaker clinic, nor my EP, nor even the manufacturer of my device and monitor.  Evidently, it is...

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Recurrent pericarditis

Does anyone here have experience with the biologic, Arcalyst, used to treat recurrent pericarditis? We are in the process of getting this approved by my insurance. My EP wasn't sure if I would have to have treatment or atleast consultation with an infectious disease doctor before starting it because I have latent TB (positive skin test but clear chest x-ray). His nurse called and said that the Arcalyst rep said that I was cleared to start the process because of this. I'm still a littl...

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You know you're wired when...

You have rhythm.

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My ICD/pacer is not a burden. I still play tennis and golf.