EMI interference shield?

Actually you don't have to worry

by Theknotguy - 2017-11-24 13:49:33

Yeah, I got the same warnings when I got my PM.  Over the past four years I've only had three things bother my pacemaker.  First was running a saws-all saw, second was riding on a bus in England, third was the dog.  After that no problems.

My pacemaker has an accellerometer.  So when I grabbed the saws-all and bore down using my left arm, the vibration went up my arm and set of the pacemaker.  i.e. it just raised my heart rate.  Second was the bus where sitting in one seat on the bus put vibration into my pacemaker and raised my heart rate. Third was the dog.  I was playing tug with the dog, Dog shook my arm, set off the accelerometer and raised my hear rate.  Each time I could feel it but no problems otherwise.  

I volunteer at a charity woodshop.  Run all the power tools at the wood shop with no problems. Got into a situation where we were drilling Kreg Jig pocket screw holes.  After about a hundred holes I got tired and started leaning on the drill to make the holes.  After about another hundred holes I suddenly realized I was leaning on the drill and my pacemaker was right on top of the running drill.  "Guess I shouldn't be doing that!?", I said.  But no problems.  

Local State Fair has one of those walk through things to detect weapons.  The local hospital where I volunteer has one of them too.  Walk through the metal detectors all the time - the hospital one I go through three to four times a day - no problems.  Also walk past the rooms where they have the MRI machines.  No problems.   

MIG,TIG, and Arc welding.  A couple of guys on the forum have said they've been abe to do welding with no problems.  I don't weld so I don't know.  Medtronics won't give the OK for someone to work as a welder.  

Oh, my son was having problems with an electric circuit in his house.  Said he'd turned off the circuit breaker.  He hadn't and I grabbed a live 110 volt line.  Got a good shock.  No problems  with the pacemaker.  

Past discussions with people on the forum have been that some pacemakers have been bothered.  Won't argue that.  But I've never been able to get a difinitive answer as to what bothers the pacemakers.  So the discussions have boiled down to they have a problem but I haven't been able to find out what.  If you walk though a store security device and supposedly the pacemaker sets off the alarm, that indicates the pacemaker set off the alarm. It doesn't mean the pacemaker was affected by the security device.  

From my personal experience I don't see  a need for the shield you describe as I haven't had any problems in four years.  Between working in the woodshop running power equipment and volunteering in the hospital I feel I've been exposed to more EMI than most and if I haven't been bothered, I don't feel you will be.  This is assuming your pacemaker has been implanted within the last four years.  Older pacemakers may have been bothered but I don't feel the new ones will have a problem.  

Hope everything else goes well for you.

Thanks

by halmc - 2017-11-24 18:04:43

Couldn't have asked for a more complete and thoughtful answer.  Thanks very much.  My PM was made well within the last four years and implanted w/in the last four days.

Once again, much thanks.  You've contributed much to my peace of mind.