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question

I have had a pacemaker since December 2021. Four times within four days of a remote or in-office transmission, I have had an "episode" which may affect me for about 24 hours. The symptoms have included confusion, memory lapse, extreme tiredness and a desire to sleep, an "icky" feeling. Tests in urgent care or ER have revealed nothing. Can anyone comment on similar experiences?

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RF ablation of Atrial Tachycardia

 

EDIT: I added an image of the ablation sites in the gallery.

Friday was my RF ablation. When he came in I told him about an episode the night before after going upstairs and starting a bath that lasted for over ten minutes. He said he thought that sounded more like an AVNRT type of thing. While interrogating the device he says "3 ventricular high rate episodes, thats new for you!" The initial plan was to have me awake for the first half but was changed last minute...

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EF and CRT-D

Hello! It’s been awhile since I have been on here. I received my CRT-D back in 2015. My EF was 25 at the time. It went up to 50-55 within two months of pacing! The only med I was taking was a blood thinner and Coreg CR 20. Fast forward 8 years…I have 7 months left on pacer and now my EF has dropped to 35-40. I have 808 PVCs in an hour…yes…that many! Anyway my EP that implanted my pacer out me on Mexiletine twice a day. Major heartburn and headache. They tried adjust...

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Looking for a travel case for Biotronik Smart Messenger

I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a travel case which is fairly close to the size of the Biotronik Smart Messenger.  

I've seen the generic electronics travel cases on Amazon, but was looking for something smaller, to take up less space in my laptop bag.

Any case suggestions are appreciated.  All the Best.

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Fluttery feeling

I received my pacemaker on 8/9/2023.  After I had it interigated for the first time. It was only pacing atrial which I thought that was what it only was supposed to do. I have a on demand dual chamber, one lead in right atrium and another lead in the left ventricle. I started v pacing while in the hospital still and had a flutter my feeling right under my left breast. Is it normal to feel pulses from your wires?  It has done it every day around the same fine then occasionally d...

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So when is the payoff?

To recap: I'm a little over two weeks post implant. Diagnosis: 1st degree AV block, bradycardia, chronotropic incompetence. 

I was essentially asymptomatic until early June when my HR dropped to 40 while cycling and I was light headed as a result. These episodes were getting progressively worse, going from a few minutes a couple of times a day to near constant at the time I was implanted.

Look back (I keep pretty extensive records of my health) I see there were n...

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Is it working

Hi,

I had my pacemaker fitted just over a week ago August 3rd. Before the implant I was asymptomatic I had had no incidents of fainting or blackouts just an occassional dizzy spell and palpitations. After the procedure I have had some incidents of palpitations accompanied by dizziness, but basically everything is as it was. I will be having my six weekly checkup and assessment when any faults will be detected. Are there any symptoms that things are not going according to plan?

<...

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Newbie here

Hi--

I uploaded a picture to my profile. 

But it's sideways.

I don't see how to reposition it. Or delete it. 

I guess it expresses this stage of my life so soon after implantation. 

I'm sideways. LOL

Thanks, 

Rose

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Medical I D bracelets

Just wandering if most people with pacemakers wear an ID bracelet? I do carry my card in my wallet. 

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Terminalia Arjuna

Anyone have any experience with the above herb? There's lot's of positive studies for various conditions one of which is heart function. Just curious if anyone here has tried it out :)

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New recipient

I appreciate everyone that takes the time to comment. It's an adjustment physically and mentally, learning to live and feel confident with the pacemaker. I think my shoulder pain is due to not been active enough not moving around the first 2-3 weeks. I was afraid I would move my leads. The more I regain my confidence that I am ok the better I feel in walking. In addition I was in ICU for 3 days not moving when first received a temporary pacemaker the 3 days later my permanent one. I am se...

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Surgery on Sept 1 to get pacemaker for 1st time. General Pacemaker questions

Hi!

I am scheduled to get a 2 lead pacemaker on September 1.


I have some questions. I tried to ask them all at the Cardiologist but I keep forgetting half of them.

After my pacemaker is implanted can the cardiologist change my minimum heart beat rate? Or is that permanently set at implantation? I ask because each time I ask what my pulse will be the answer is 50, 60 or 72. ???? I want it set to 60, I think? It has never been 72 my entire life so that seems un...

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Recent pacemaker recipient

Received my first Boston Scientific pacemaker due to a complete heart block  7 weeks ago after collapsing while walking my dog.I am 66yrs and usually very active daily 2-3 mile walks, water aerobics 2-3 x a week. This all came as a surprise to everyone that knows me. Adjusting to this new way of living but it's been a slow progress. It's only been a few days that I can walk all around my house. Left arm/ hand has not come back to normal yet. Scar healing well. Adjusting and grate...

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New Ventricular Tachycardia

I'm a 62 year old woman who has a St. Jude dual lead pacemaker implanted February 2019. I wore a holster monitor which showed one episode of v-tach. My cardiologist back then stated he was sending me to EP and in all likelihood, I would get a defibrillator/pacemaker. The EP didn't believe I needed a defibrillator, but noticed I had sick sinus syndrome. So I received a pacemaker. I've been lucky with no issues until last fall. I moved to another state and got a new Cardiologist &am...

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60 YEARS AND COUNTING

My oh my, has this industry grown, as well as given hope and life to people with technology that didn't exist 70 years (or so) ago. Think about that! We are all here today telling our stories, and cheering others on. I am so excited to see what innovations are just around the corner.

I was hooked up to my first pacemaker on August 6, 1963. Yup! I am celebrating 60 years of life this weekend! My first generator was external, and the size of an old-time ham radio. I had open heart sur...

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"Poll" - what sensations have you had from your pacemaker pacing or running tests?

I understand why doctors woulnd't want to tell you up front that you may feel when your pacemaker does something to your heart as it may result in more people noticing, actively looking for, or otherwise convincing themselves of having these sensations even if they're not present. In a way this post also risks having the same effect here for new members.

Still, I'd err on the side of knowledge being power and would love to collect your lived experiences if you're willing...

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The pacemaker "twitch" sensation, now on ECG

Some of you may remember me posting about a "twitch" sensation in my chest that started occuring the day after I first had my pacemaker implanted. It freaked me out at first, now I'm more used to the sensation, but it's still something that I feel and notice multiple times a day.

At my pacemaker checkup earlier this week I mentioned this to my EP and the person performing the pacemaker tests (I'm not sure what their title is, are they nurses?). We played with setti...

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UK Cardiology diagnostics

03/08/2023

This might be of interest to UK NHS patients.

Here's the link to a BBC news item.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66388748

Delays in diagnostics and follow-up consultations and treatment have been getting steadily worse, not helped by Covid and a recent spate of long-term pay and condition disputes within the NHS.

Anything that the GPs can do at the primary care level is to be welcomed instead of them having to go through the forelock tugging ref...

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Wearable ECG monitoring (personal "holter monitor")

Hello friends,

I'm not sure yet whether this falls in the category of compulsive checking of your heart or personal empowerment/understanding, but regardless, does anyone have experience (good or bad) of using a consumer continuous ECG monitor?

I've come across two products, the Frontier X2 and QardioCore. The Frontier does appear to place itself much more as a "very fancy sports heart rate monitor" but does include continuous ECG for up to 24h whereas the&n...

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pacemaker movement

Hi, I have had my pacemaker a little over 2 months. Lately, if I turn onto my right side while sleeping the pacemaker rises up and can be see like a ridge.  I was told to push it back down. I did this a few times now it does not seem to go all the way down. Please help.

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I wasn't really self-conscious about it. I didn't even know I had one until around six or seven years old. I just thought I had a rock in my side.