Phone

Hi, 

I accidentally put my phone next to my pacemaker, i mean I actually touched my skin with my phone on the pacemaker incision and Im getting very anxious because I did it once again, does anything happen to us or the pacemaker or our heart when our phone is that close??? 
 

thank you 


4 Comments

If it’s a pacemaker only then answer is not likely.

by PacedNRunning - 2021-11-29 03:48:56

I've put my phone very close to my PM and nothing happpened. It could trigger it to go in safe mode which tells the PM to ignore anything outside and pace you had one steady rate. So it actually makes you safer for that moment. Once the phone is moved away, it will stop safe pacing and go back to normal function.  The magnet in phones could trigger this mode as any strong enough magnet. I have yet to have anything happen and ive held my phone close to see if something would happen. As long as you don't lay it there long and keep it 6" away you will be fine. If it's an ICD then it can withhold shock therapy if at the same time you needed a shock while it was over your ICD. ICD' make a loud noise when a magnet is close by.   Companies have worked hard to make our devices safe in today's environment. Very little can interact with us. Arc welding comes to mind or leaning over a running engine.  

it's fine

by Tracey_E - 2021-11-29 09:12:57

If a magnet that is strong enough gets close enough, it can potentially switch modes like it does when they interrogate. You've felt that before, it goes away as soon as the magnet is moved away. It's unlikely a phone has a magnet strong enough to switch the mode. I sometimes run with my phone tucked in my bra, directly over my pacer. I'm dependent and pace every beat so I would know immediately if it caused a switch. Live your life and don't worry about it! There is virtually nothing outside of an idustrial setting that will affect the pacer. 

helpful for me

by Alexander - 2021-11-29 13:35:00

Hey,

I recently had an ICD implanted and there has been a Youtube channel administered by Doug Rachac (ICD recipient, former employee of a medical device company) who does extensive testing on the effects of an iPhone / smartphone on an implanted ICD, pacemaker or CRT device. It's minimal and really nothing to worry about. His other videos are also very helpful when it comes to device related anxiety or stress.

https://www.youtube.com/c/DouglasRachac

 

 

No problem

by AgentX86 - 2021-11-29 14:00:46

You're still living so nothing bad happened.  This proscription is very conservative and has nothing to do with the phone, rather the rare earth magnets in the speaker.  Even if it did attect your pacemaker, it would have gone back to normal opration after you removed the phone.

It's a good idea to wear it somewhere other than your left (assuming left PM) breast pocket but it's highly unlikely that something bad will happen.

You know you're wired when...

You have a shocking personality.

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