Fourth of July

I know this is probably a very stupid question, but I promised a friend I would ask it anyway. Since I have to avoid welding and sparks, what about sparklers and fireworks? Is there a problem with anything like that? And is it worse for us if we get hit by lightning? I asked my cardiologist if I should try to avoid something specific and he suggested I don't get tasered. He said if I'm in the process of committing a crime and get caught, I should just lie down on the ground and say "don't taser me, I have a pacemaker". So, good advice for the next time I'm robbing a bank or something. But first, I'll worry about sparklers.

3 Comments

Vulcan Mind Meld

by donr - 2013-07-01 01:07:45

Lis: Obviously, Sparrow & I were doing the mind meld while writing our comments.

Back to TASING for another comment: The TASER will pretty much have the same effect on your PM/ICD as having electrocautery during surgery (Bovie)

The Bovie uses radio frequency electric current to cauterize as it cuts. That current is sensed by your device & it inhibits itself from doing any pacing while it senses electrical activity. Same thing w/ the TASER - electric current flows from one electrode to another & the PM will sense it & do nothing while it lasts. The currents & voltages are not the same, but the principles are.

Don

Sparklers & Welders

by donr - 2013-07-01 01:07:49

Sparklers pose no threat to you - unless you poke your eye out w/ one! They are burning chemicals & have no capability of generating any electric or magnetic fields that might affect your PM.

Welders are a different issue. IF they are oxygen/Acetylene they are no problem for your PM, They are two gases that burn hot enough to melt steel, hence can weld - but there is no electric current involved, hence no effect on your PM.

Then there's electric arc & MIG & TIG welding. All threee of these use an electric current to strike an arc & the Arc gets hot enough to melt steel, so it can be used for welding. But welders come in all sorts of sizes from itty-bitty welders that can sit on your desk up to the humongous welding machines used to join the sections of submarine hulls. If you stay a couple feet away from the small ones, you are safe. Don't even think about getting a job as a welder in a shipyard. Those devices can generate currents well beyond 100 Amps & that is enough to put our PM into its own La La Land.

MIG & TIG welders use inert gases to surround the arc & the arc is very large, currents in excess of 100 amps. Again, those will definitely affect your PM, so stay away from those kind of machines.

Forget about lightning. Result is the same whether you have a PM or not. You get fried; you get died! The PM will nor improve your chances of being hit by a bolt, either.

Uh - I think your cardio should look at some research before giving that advice again. I would not voluntarily take a TASER shot to the chest, but there is no experimental evidence even suggesting that the Taser will affect a PM or ICD adversely long term. It will definitely inhibit the PM from doing any pacing while the TASER is zapping the victim, but this only lasts about 5 seconds.

Enjoy the sparkler in your dish of ice cream on the 4th.

Don

taser and lightening

by Tracey_E - 2013-07-01 08:07:16

No one should get hit by lightening, it won't kill us any faster than someone without a pm

Sparks aren't a problem unless it's coming from an arc welder

My husband took a taser class given by a manufacturer. They said it's no different if we have a pm/icd or not, but it's still best not to get tasered.

Rule of thumb for anything we shouldn't be near, keep it 6" from our device.

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for being a couch potato.

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I’m healthy as a horse because of the pacemaker.