Most Recent Messages in Complications

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Pacemaker Heartrate

I had my third pacemaker installed last November. They told me it is set so that the pulse cannot go below 60. However, I have a new cuff at home, also an oxi-pulse finger device which many times record a HR of as low as 38. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Another thing is they were going to change the 2 lead wires which are now 22 years old. But last minute they decided not to, due to my age (88) and possible bleeding etc. The one wire is known to give off &quo...

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Pacemaker for Athletes

Hi everyone.

I am a 54 year old endurance cyclist, cycle guide and coach, who, 6 weeks ago, had a pacemaker implanted for 3rd degree heart block.

I have developed pain around the pacemaker in the chest, swelling in the left arm and purple bruising along the blood vessels around my left shoulder. I feared an infection or thrombosis and was checked in the local hospital and given the all clear to go home. However the pain, swelling and purple bruising still remain and it's...

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Pacemaker movement

Hi everyone,

was diagnosed with breast cancer in April of this year and as I need radiotheraphy had to have my pacemaker moved to my right hand side. When i  am 9n my side the pacemaker protrudes out of my chest and i can put my f8ngers around the side of the box. When my pacemaker was on the left side i could only vaguely feel the top. Is this normak or ok?

thank you in anticipation of advice.

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mendomike

I got my 1st PM implant in 2019 and it worked great but by 2022 at the age of 75 my heart needed a bit more help and I had a TAVR (synthetic heart valve) procedure in February of 2023. From that point on all was good. My blood pressure stayed in the 120/65 range and I was a happy camper. However at the time of my TAVR procedure an electrophysiologist noted a little irregularity in how my ventricles were working. He said it could eventually lead to problems and that eventually I should get an...

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Pacemaker issues

I got my pacemaker on July 19, 2023. From the time I got it I've had two continual issues. When I'm riding in the car, truck is worse, bumpity, bumpity, down the road, I get a strange uncomfortable feeling in my chest, an achy feeling and fluttering that makes me feel like I have a a piece of hard candy stuck in my throat. Secondly, intermittently, when lying down at night I have sharp pains at every heart beat for several seconds and then it goes away.  Has anyone ever had this...

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pacemaker and spasms

I have a chest/abdominal spasm that starts immediately following the following scenarios...

After an ECG is started, after an ultra sound wand is placed over my heart area 

After the wand of a device check machine is placed over my heart area

When a stethascope is applied to muy chest area.

Has anyone had anything similar happen ?

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Pain

Have had pain for 2 days in left collarbone.

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Leads

Hi

Has anyone had problems with a lead moving after many years?

Having on going issues one of which is intercostal packing after new device put  in. Various settings have been altered and was doing ok, just the occasional episode but slowly it's returned to occurring more frequently. 
Getting and x ray to check then possibly another look at settings. 
Jane

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ICD connection with loss of memory

My "heart story" is that of quite an interesting journey, but long story short, I had a dual ICD inserted in January of 23 along with an ablation for atrial flutter.  I continued with extreme fatigue and episodes of afib (no more a-flutter) and pvcs.  In September, the dr and ICD tech adjusted the settings on my ICD -- one of those tweaks being that they turned on Rate Response.  The tweaking didn't seem to help -- in fact, I think I have felt worse.  Then a...

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VO2 max sharp decline after getting a pacemaker

JMC43 have you found the cause of the rapid decline in your VO@ max . My VO2 max declined from 30 to 16.8 in 2 months.

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Insulation break of lead & antibacterial envelope

Hi

i Recently underwent my 5th generator change.

this one was different in so many ways:

1. My pacemaker went into battery power save mode: this is terrible! I started feeling crappy on a Friday and come Monday I got a call from the doctors that my pacemaker changed into this mode on Friday.

2. I then had an urgent generator change on Tuesday (the following day from finding out about the battery save mode being on) By urgent I showed up at 11:30am (as told too) but did...

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Dizzness and tightness feeling in heart after pacemaker implantation

Hi,

My father, implanted a dual chamber pacemaker (pm) to treat atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation 2 weeks ago, but ever since he is not feeling ok. He still feels dizzy when stands up, when walking normally in flat surfaces and of course when walking on stairs. He feels strains and tightness in the heart occasionally as well. He needs to stay for a while until his situation normalizes. During this symptoms he feels he is having arrhythmia as well. He descri...

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New pacemaker

Not too bad a complication. Before the pacemaker I never had insomnia, but now I have trouble getting to sleep roughly every other night. Wondering if anyone else is experiencing insomnia after implant. 

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Heart Failure

Has any ones pacemaker caused heart failure?  They believe my heart failure is pacemaker induced from pacing all the time. 

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Amiodroney

Hi, I have a Biotronik pacemaker/defibrillator.  I was on Sotolol for 2 years that controlled afib.  It stopped working and I have just started amiodrone which has terrible side effects.  Anybody had experience with this drug.  Also, when I am in afib my plus stays stable at 70.  One option is to just not take amiodrone and live with afib.  I am 82 with hf also.

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Atrial septal defect

Spent 2 nights in hospital with weakness and shortness of breath Dr thinking maybe light stroke and found a atrial septal defect or hole in my heart that has never been there before Could this possibly be result of pacemaker implant? I'm 63 never been short of breath until last month

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Pacemaker lead tethered to tricuspid leaflet

Hi, I haven't been on here in ages. 45yo Aussie, 100% PM dependent since my second valve replacement 18 years ago.

I'm on my 3rd generator, but the original leads are still good. Unfortunately one of the leads became tethered to a leaflet of my tricuspid valve at some point early on, and it interferes with the function of the tricuspid valve. As a result I live with heart failure, and after years of being fairly stable the right side of my heart is becoming enlarged.

I hav...

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PVCs

Has anyone out there ever had an MRI with their CRTD or Pacemaker that is not MRI approved?  I am having an MRI soon and my EP said they will take precautions to make sure sure nothing happens during the  MRI.  There will be the EP Doctor, Cardiologist, Radiologist and Metronic person to watch everything.  This is being done at a Heart hospital and this is the only MRI machine that does this for people with and without MRI compatible pacemakers.  I am having 800 PVCs...

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Concern

Hello all, I just wanted to come on here and see if anyone else has had a similar experience to mine. So I recently noticed a big change in my heart rate/rythm. In the past, I would feel a big rushing/pounding sensation everytime i got up too quickly, walked up a flight of stairs, or walked up a steep hill. The sensation was essentially my blood pressure and heart rate increasing significantly, and with that came an intense pressue in my neck and chest. It would eventually fade as my hr...

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Post surgery

I had my PM implant 4 weeks ago. To say I'm worse since surgery would be an understatement. I was doing just fine, walking around a mile each day and feeling great. I haven't walked a mile or felt great a single day since. 

First day after surgery in hospital told nurses about pain in muscles and difficulty breathing. I was told that a little pain was to be expected. Given Tylenol 3 and released from hospital. The problem was not the pain but more the failure of anyone tell...

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You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

Member Quotes

Your anxiety is normal. It takes some of us a little time to adjust to the new friend. As much as they love you, family and friends without a device just cannot understand the adjustment we go through. That is why this site is so valuable.