Things to avoid ??

outdated list

by Tracey_E - 2024-01-17 21:00:16

Modern pacers and icd's are well shielded and none of those things are going to affect it. 

The only possible exception is a newer iphone directly over the device. If a magnet is strong enough and close enough it can put it into test mode, same as the puck when they interrogate. 

These things won't make the device fire. It has to detect a dangerous rhythm for that to happen. 

Things to "try" to avoid

by Gemita - 2024-01-18 06:21:34

Pacer2019, in view of your earlier recent posts on anxiety, I would say things to avoid are most definitely:

- anxiety and fear (in fact all stresses)

- lifestyle habits like perhaps drinking too much caffeine, alcohol, smoking cigarettes or vaping, fast foods

- pushing too hard exercise wise 

and things like this are more likely to trigger a shock and cause "rhythm disturbances" rather than a shock being caused by home devices

Interferences

by piglet22 - 2024-01-18 07:56:50

"Avoid devices that interfere with pacemakers"

Ought to be "could" or "might possibly"

Have you tried to get information directly from the device manufacturer or the pacing specialists?

Of course you need to be careful with what you expose your device to, but don't let it get in the way of normal activities.

There are a few things that are well known like strong magnets that can temporarily interfere with device function. That's the way it's designed.

Would I try it out alone at home? Of course not.

It would be interesting to see a study of proven interferences of non-industrial equipment on implanted devices.

piglet/study

by Tracey_E - 2024-01-18 08:22:59

There is an informal study group of one. Me lol.  If we encounter interference, it will show up on the next interrogation. In case you hadn't notice yet, I"ve been known to push a limit or two. My doctor has always been amused/curious and has never told me to stop.

When ipads first came out and had the big magnetic cases, I took one to an appointment and we tried to see if we could get it to interfere. We could not.

If I do something questionable-nlike the day I toured the generator room at the power plant, ran the generator after a hurricane, went for a run with my phone tucked in my bra right over the pacer, rode a coaster with magnetic brakes -  I always ask if it showed up. In 29 years, I have never once been able to cause a mode switch on my own, and each device has been better insulated than the one before. 

An aside, when I toured the plant, they had a sign in the break room warning pacemaker users about the microwave. Made me laugh that they warned about the microwave (30 year outdated info) but not the generator room (legit questionable).

In case you think I'm totally crazy, I was with a friend who is an MD and we discussed it before I went in. We were both curious, and I knew she could get me out if it was an issue.

No worries

by Lavender - 2024-01-18 10:12:11

Most things don't bother us. When in doubt, check your pacemaker manufacturer website. 

?

by Pacer2019 - 2024-01-18 12:08:10

If you go to an event and the are wanding people do you let them ?

what about at the airport ? Full body scan ? 

wanding

by new to pace.... - 2024-01-18 12:44:51

Yes of course you shoudl let them know if they are using a wand.  At the airport it not so much a problem anymore.

new to pace

Medtronic EMI-RFI Interference

by ANDREW75 - 2024-01-18 13:23:18

This shows Green, Amber, and Red levels of electronics interference characteristics.

Medtronic Cardiac Devices EMI-RFI, EMC interference guide.

https://www.medtronic.com/ca-en/your-health/electromagnetic-guide.html

This link was last updated Dec 2016, you may need to get an update from Medtronic.

Ref: EMI- Electromagnetic Interference

Ref: RFI- Radio Frequency Interference

Ref: EMC- Electro Magnet Compatibility

Good Luck

Andrew

Wanding

by Tracey_E - 2024-01-18 22:19:41

3d scanners at the airport are xray so perfectly safe 

metal detectors at airport are also safe, just don't linger. They don't interfere with the pacer and the pacer won't set it off. No need to say anything, just walk on through with everyone else 

if you do tell them at the airport they' will do a pat down , not wand. They are well trained and know better. 
 

places like concerts and amusement parks are less well trained and may try to wand. Below the waist is ok. Above is probably ok but I tell them and request they stay below the waist so it doesn't interfere with my pacer. Odds are it won't, but the wand is a more concentrated metal detector so more likely to cause problems than simply walking through. 

i never say anything, and have not set off a metal detector with this device (earlier ones this was not the case). I've traveled around the world, gone to concerts, museums, cruise ships, trains, court and other protected office buildings. No issues. Most places only wand if we set off the walk through detector, or they wand bags not people, so it's rarely an issue. 

nothing on your list is a concern.

by dwelch - 2024-01-25 05:28:06

Literally nothing on your list is a concern, lots of myths or poor education on those things, but no issues there.

Metal detectors, two choices, go through and probably never have it go off.  It wont affect the device, just if it goes off and you go back through perhaps until it is just the zipper on your jeans and the pacer, then you can tell them.  Or just tell them up front.  Tracey_E is right as always the folks at sporting events are less trained that TSA I would imagine, at the same time they are all about just get folks through I think they just let me pass last time I said something.  "Back in the day" at certain airports (mine) declaring a pacemaker put you in the special line with the pilots and crew and wheelchairs, so you got to zip right past the security line, get patted down done.   Those days are gone.  Indicate where your device is if being waned if that is a concern to you.  TSA definitely is trained they will know it is likely left shoulder and will ask is this where it is and you say yes and they avoid it.  If yours is elsehwere for some reason then you tell them where.

My list would include hugging a transformer (less than an inch) and that might only confuse the device.  I have complete heart block but unlikely that I will die if the device is confused I have an underlying rythm.  Same goes for sitting on top of a power generator at a power plant, but if you try that make a youtube video, seeing the security climb up after you would be very entertaining.

Neodymium magnets are really the only thing I would have a concern about.  And not the wee bitty ones, but the good sized ones like they use to remove the security tags at department stores (yeah, thats how that works, i am not giving away a secret).  And my only fear there is that it might trash the sensor in the pacer (magnet mode is used when you go get an interrogation, when you go for surgery sometimes they use it, and for us old timers that had the phone box we had a magnet that we put on the device a few times a year on purpose, still have my box and magnet).  So the fear for me is that playing with those would possibly result in having my rate stuck for a while which is no big deal as it is a higher rate than the rate at end of life of the battery but having to replace the pacer prematurely because  I was messing around.  No life threatning stuff from magnets.

I do fear MRI machines, I have an mri safe pacer, but I have 36 year old leads.  As with anything related to this topic no tech nor doc is going to take the legal risk to say it is okay even if they know it is okay.  Same goes for the device manufactureres.  If you ask these kinds of questions you will get the flat no, not because there is a risk but because of the lawsuit happy world we live in. 

Ink is cheap, pixels are cheaper, countless devices have pacer warnings not because they are real but because why not, save them some legal fees from time time from frivilous law suits.

The general public is not only cluless but has been improperly educated by media and entertainment.  Folks with pacers in movies are somehow crippled by it but folks with glasses are not considered blind for some reason.  You dont see everyone in the movies with glases being lead by the arm by someone without glasses, very strange inconcisitency.  

Yes let them wand you.  If you are afraid of it then put your hand over the device and say this is where my device is.  Let them pat you down, whatever.  Or just walk through and likely have no issue.

Sporting events/concerts I just walk thorugh   TSA I still tell them in hopes maybe I get the special line or get to bypass something, and if it goes off (for something else most likely that I left in my pants), and they then go straight to the wand then I tell them then I get a lecture. Not going to stand there and educate the TSA, yes, sorry, thank you, move along.

I do have my cards in my wallet but literally have never had to show them to anyone.  Even have one that one vendor happened to give me that basically says I have a pacemaker in several languages.