Samsung Tablets and ICD: warning

I had my ICD implanted March 20, 2018. I also purchased a new Samsung Galaxy Tab A just before the surgery

While reading in bed I noticed a slight change in my heart rythm but did not think much about it.
Today I placed the tablet on a steel table to charge it and discovered that it was sticking to the table.

Guess what.

It has quite a strong magnet in the case and I immediately stopped using it.
I will go back to the clinic to see if there have been any changes to the settings of the ICD and will let you know.

 


7 Comments

Samsung Tablets and ICD: warning

by justice - 2018-04-01 13:52:53

My previous Samsung tablet, 3 years old is not a magnmet. Just the New tablet, the Galaxy Tab A

OI will let ypou know what the Dr. says

 

magnets

by Tracey_E - 2018-04-02 09:27:18

I took my ipad with magnetic case along to an appointment to test it out, it didn't have any effect on the pacer. Do you have a home monitor? If you do, you can send a download and they'll be able to tell if it's doing anything.  Something like that would show up in the report.

It won't be able to do anything to the settings, the worst it can do is put it in test mode while you've got it close. As soon as you move it away, it will go back to full function. The puck they use to interrogate is a magnet,so it's the same thing. 

Test

by The real Patch - 2018-04-02 11:40:31

Until you get scientific confirmation that something is true, don't jump to conclusions it limits life. You can simply get a read out of your device and it will show if/when there was interference. 

Magnets by TraceyE

by Flo - 2018-04-03 19:24:06

The puck they use to interrogate is a magnet,...

Well that explains it!  I usually feel bad after a PM interrogation.  I removed my Ipad case with magnet months ago.

The real Patch.

by justice - 2018-04-03 22:17:32

I don't need scientific confirmation to tell me when something has been altered respecting operational parameters.
The magnetic field is strong enough to alter the preformance.

Many people, myself included, read or watch videos on the tablet  to fall asleep and if and when the tablet falls on the implant site it has the potential to alter the parameters.

I stated that I will post when I have medical confirmation.

Samsung Tablets and ICD: warning

by justice - 2018-04-04 10:30:28

Hello All.

Medtronics has confirmed that tablets must be kept minimum 6" from the ICD as the magnetic field generated could effect the device.

The ICD has a switch that is operated through magnetic signals and the tablet could cause the switch to alter the pacing of the device which is what happenned in my case.

Use caution as I read before going to sleep and the tablet ended up resting over the implant site altering the pacing that was set at my clinic.

 


 

battery mode

by dwelch - 2018-04-09 01:20:30

The magnet puts the pacer in a battery test mode, seems kind of evil perhaps if you think about it, your beats per minute is then driven by the pacer to indicate battery voltage.  

For those of any that have the older phone test box, where they call you, you have wrist straps to this box put your phone on the box it makes modem like noises...It is doing a crude ekg so that the other side can see your rate.  you put the magnet on, supplied with the box, this changes your rate.  you take the magnet off they want to listen again (confirming the magnet didnt stick the relay).

So absolutely the "magnet rate" is a forced rate when a magnet closes the relay in the device.  if you are needing 120 BPM at that time and it forces you to 73, you are going to feel it.  Or vice versa.

Very possibe and I would hope likely that this also allows the interrgation to communicate with the device, although these days some/most have this by the bed thing that can do this from a distance.  Certainly when at the docs, the wand/mouse looking thing has a magnet but the laptop looking thing can override the magnet rate and let you run normal through the testing.

A combination of anxiety, and them messing with you during the office visit interrogation can make you feel strange, highly unlikely they didnt put you back and left you in a test mode.  

Ask for your copy of the printout, depending on brand it should show the before and after, and/or show the changes.  that should be the first thing to help with the anxiety.

These tablets and e-readers, have a similar situation with a relay that detects a magnet for your convenience.  When you close the cover over the tablet the magnet can be used to hold on as well as be used to tell the device to go to sleep, so you dont have to push any buttons.  

If you think about it though, going back decades like some of us, pre-internet, before much of the tech we enjoy today.  Having a magnet rate tell the doc about battery health, when they already have an EKG machine that is not specific to pacer patients but used for everyone.  Makes for a quick interrogation tool.  And with the take home box that can be used over a phone (analog landline back then) they dont have to bring you in a number of times per year to check the battery.  then as now though insurance plans to some extent dictate the equipment and frequency of visits.

 

You know you're wired when...

You can shop longer than the Energizer Bunny.

Member Quotes

I am just now 40 but have had these blackouts all my life. I am thrilled with the pacer and would do it all over again.