Powerlines

Hi all, just wondering if anyone else feels sick around high voltage power lines? I had a pacermaker put in 5 weeks ago and live under powerlines. When I go upstairs I feel worse. Just wondering if I'm worrying myself sick or if it's something I should talk to my cardiologist about

5 Comments

New Pacemaker

by SMITTY - 2011-03-15 10:03:02

Hello Tori,
It is possible you are just worrying your self sick, but talk the doctor about it if that will make feel better.

Now something else, it is possible, although very unlikely, for the electromagnetic field from a power line to affect your pacemaker. Before you see the Dr, you might go to that point upstairs that you have felt the most discomfort. That discomfort will be in the form of an irregular heart beat, no queasy feeling or feeling sick, and if it happens go to outside away from the power line and your heart rate should be back to normal.

Having that first pacemaker can do strange things to the way we think and can be very disconcerting for some. But remember that pacemaker is affected by few things we encounter. If it is affected it will probably be as I mentioned above (irregular heart beat). Even if you encounter something that does throw your pacemaker into a real tizzy and it quits, your heart function will be the same as it was before you got the pacemaker. So if you got it for a slow heart beat, that slow heart beat will return and you get to call your Dr again.

If I may add one other thing, since you are new to the pacemaker world I would like to remind you that pacemaker is only a helper for your heart and is not keeping you alive. It make you feel better, but you will continue to live without it.

Good luck to you,

Smitty

Power lines

by ElectricFrank - 2011-03-16 02:03:07

How close to the power lines are you. I have large 4800 volt transmission line in front of my home. Just today I was doing yard work right under them with no problems. I also been under the very high voltage lines in the desert again with no problems, although I don't particularly like listening them over my head sizzling.

It's not likely to be much help to ask your doctor about them. Most docs have little or no electronic expertise and will just give you some standard answer. The best source of information is to call the information number on the ID card you should have received with your pacer. I've found Medtronic to be very helpful with questions like this, and I would expect the other manufacturers would be the same. This way you get info from the people who designed the pacers.

By the way if you decide to call them I also suggest calling your power company and ask what the voltage of your over head power lines is. In residential areas it can run from 4800 to as much as 48,000 volts. Tell this to the pacemaker support folks. It would help them give you a more informed answer.

hope this helps,

frank

frank

Power lines and sensitivities

by Emmy - 2011-03-17 05:03:22

Hello Lori,

I find that some people are more sensitive to their own body functions than others. When I first got my pacemaker, I was told I should be able to go back to work the same day. I was told by the doctor that I should be able to go back to work the same day or the next day. I was unable to return to work for over a month. I was SICK, not only because I was "trying to get used to it", I was so disoriented and it felt like my body was hyped on electricity all the time. However, I had not thought about the EMF situation as much, until recently. My bedroom is under a main power line, conducting power for about 12 houses in a row. The power line is directly over my bed. When I lay in my bed, my pacemaker sometimes will go haywire, my pacemaker is set low at 60 and high at about 145. When I lay on my bed under the power line, my pacemaker will go from 53 to 197. My doctor thought it was nuts for anyone to be able to tell when their pacemaker "kicks in" and tested by making changes to my pacemaker and for me to tell him when. I was correct each time. He said he's never seen someone as sensitive to their own body as me. I KNOW how much a difference it makes when I am directly under the EMF from the power lines. Yet... logic would tell one to move the bed. There is no where to move it. I own my own home and it is paid for, so moving is somewhat out of the option. I wish I knew the best way to handle this problem. I try to go to another room and sleep and it seems much better. Maybe I should switch rooms with one of my kids, however, if it effects me this way, what would it be doing to my kids who have no pacemakers?
I wish you the best of luck with solving your sensitivities and power line issues!

Easements & power lines

by donr - 2011-03-17 09:03:30

Emmy: A side issue - but how the Heck did you wind up w/ a major distribution line over your house? I THINK those are usually 13,000 Volt (Roughly) lines & should be over a utility easement on your property that does not permit construction on it.

Don

Powerlines

by Pookie - 2011-03-19 12:03:28

I remember when I received my pacemaker, I was told to stay away from them....and I do:)

Pookie

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