Most Recent Messages in General Posting

Stitch Protruding??

I had a pacemaker change out and pocket revision Dec. 20th, 36 days ago. All has gone well, but one end of the scar still has a red "dot". Yesterday I took a closer look at it with a magnifying mirror and there appears to be what could be a "stitch" in the middle of the red dot. I only had steri strips after the procedure on the outside, but I suppose they may have used stitches inside. The area is not an angry red and there is no discharge or swelling. The rest of the scar seems very unobtrusiv...

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Kid's protective gear

Hi! My son had open heart surgery last X-mas 2006 for a congential heart disease (hole in the septal tissue between the atriums). He had just turned 2yrs. During surgery a stitch disrupted his natural heart beat. Three weeks later he had a permanent pacemaker put in. He thinks his pacemaker is special and he asks everyone "Wanna see my 'maker?" He is a very active, healthy 3yr old now and I'm looking for some sort of gaurd for his pacemaker (in his tummy). What I have found are way too bi...

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A Stitch in Time....

Thanks all for responding about the potential protruding stitch. I did see a doc and it was indeed a stitch which had broken through the skin. He removed it and all is well. He also explained that when this happens it really needs to be removed to prevent further irritation/inflamation. So all is well that ends well....TwoCents

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Back to Work

Hi everyone
Haven't posted in a while but I just wanted to let everyone know that after my 3 month check up(3 1/2 months really) ,my doctor told me I could go back to work as a Paramedic in the field. He had initially told me I wouldn't be able to go back but he said things had healed well and I had not had any "events" with my pacemaker, and he couldn't see any reason for me not to go back. It was great news for me and another step on my return to getting back to my life. This site has bee...

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Does your child get his pacer checked by telephone?

I was wondering if anyone has their childs pacer checked by telephone. I know for sure that they do that with adults, but I was wondering about kids. If so, when did they start doing that? And is it because he/she is in complete heart block and they are doing that for extra checks between appointments? We are currently at every 6mo with the EP. We will see her in April, so I'll ask about it then also. But, I was just wondering... And I was wondering how many parents of children with pacers...

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Keeping things in context

I had to post this message because I saw my name mentioned in a post about the Wii gaming system. I only write this message because we have had a lot of drama on the site recently due to peoples' words being taken out of context etc. I already posted a message about this under the Wii post, but I think it would do us all good to remember in the future that we shouldn't "call people out" in posts when we have questions that need answers or a clarification of something we've read. We should ju...

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Medtronic Rep

I had surgery yesterday(01/23/08)to repair an inguinal hernia. The surgery was scheduled for 7 am and before that the Medtronic Rep was there to check out my pacer before surgery. This is not my first surgery since having my pacer(installed in 1997)and they have always been there. Maybe it's routine for them but just wanted to put in a good word. Thanks Medtronic!!!

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flutters in stomach

One week on and still getting flutters in stomach when I walk out on the road with shoes on. Sounds weird but in the house in slippers no such feeling. Do you think it could be me being heavy footed and the pacemaker not embedded yet?

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answer to john keats Running and fitness

Hi all,I actually wanted to answer directto a message posted by johnkeats,but every time i go into the message from him,I get logged out and cant reply.Does anyone have tips on how to work around this bug?

Anyway,,john ...your doctor will give you the best specific advice for your particular condition.but in my experience(PM inseted for long sinus pauses MAR 07)I wouldn't worry about running for the first two weeks.Give the wound time to heal and let the pacemaker set in physically an...

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Magnets?

Does anybody know the exact effects of riding a rollercoaster that has a magnetic breaking system? I've looked online but have not been able to find any definitive answers. the articles I found say to stay away from magnets but none of them detail why and what the effects are if you don't.
I have a particular fondness for rollercoasters and have been advised not to ride any that have magnets. If I must deprive myself I would at least like to know why?
Can anyone help me?
Email me...

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*I don't know how to explain this*

but I will give it a shot...I was happily reading the postings this morning ,when my heart felt like it stopped... just to put you in the picture this is quite normal for me probably about three times a week or more ... I think it is when I have a couple of ectopics close together and it almost starts a run of VT's. I explained this to my cardio nurse and she was inclined to agree she says it depends on "where" these ectopics fall???
for those who don't know my situation health wise... I h...

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One Year!

One Year ago today I had my very first heart surgery not my pacemaker but it was the starting point of me finding out that I may need one.
A lot of you have supported me through my surgeries this past year and I just wanted to thank you for all of the support and love you have given me.
You all are a blessing and I am so blessed to know each of you through the internet and hopefully some day I will have the honor to meet some of you.

Thank you and many blessings!...

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~~~~~SMILE~~~~~

Hi all,
after reading all the posts this last week it struck me that if we had some Emoticons.. to go with our postings and comments it might stop a lot of the confusion as what we are trying to say...(forgive me if that is the wrong word to use)
I did suggest this to Blake some time ago he said he would put it on his wish list.....Come on Blake lets stop wishing and let us have an estimated cost It cant be that much... we done the album thing >.... thats of course depends on what al...

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"Normal" Pacing Time Percentages

Hi all,

Just came across this site and thought I would post a question for my father. My dad just had a pacemaker placed in him sometime mid-December 2007. He just came back from his first check-up last week. He is very concerned because he learned that he is pacing at 46%. Is this generally OK, or should he be alarmed?

Thanks,
Rebecca

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An update on my recovery

I posted a couple of weeks ago that I was not doing well in bouncing back from my PM replacement surgery. Several of you wrote supportive notes to me. Thank you all so much!

At the end of last week I started to bounce back some and had some really good days. I think I overdid things because I then had a few days of not feeling so good.

One of my biggest problems is knowing when to stop and rest. All in all, I am better and hopefully will get much, much better still.

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SoftTouch Products

I posted this as a response to a posting about the Seat Belt and Bra softTouch products. Did not get a response so now trying this as a general posting. Would appreciate the views of anybody that has tried theses please?

Did it work
Comment posted by Janet on 2008-01-18 13:35.
Interested in how you found the strap. I ordered one seat belt strap - but got an email saying it would cost more to post it then it cost - but that I could have up to four items. So I thought I would...

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Interference from iPod

Hi friends,
I just want to check with you all if anyone can give me an explanation for my recent experience. I have an ICD, dual-chamber paced, am PM dependent and have a ventricular lead Sprint fidelis under recall. My husband and I went for a drive the other evening and he decided to play his iPod MP3 player in our car; He tried to sync it with the tuner and played MP3 songs. The moment he turned it on I felt really awful...my heart skipped so many beats and felt tremendously weird for fe...

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Pacing

When I go in to have my pm checked by the rep. (Mine is a
medtronic.) what questions should I be asking? What determines the pacing rate, and just what does that mean and how does it effect the life of the battery? I had an av node ablation and a one lead. I really would like to have the knowledge that I should have before I go in. Thanks for all the past help... aldeer

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Normal Heart Rate

Just curious... is 94 a good heart rate for during the day or should it be a little lower? I am thinking I should have the adjust it down a little. Any advice?

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Frustrated!

I am so frustrated! I have been blacking out all weekend, and my heart rate has been doing really crazy things. I am so dizzy that at times the room seems to literally be spinning. I have been checking my BP as well...and one minute it is sky high and the next it is incredibly low. My doctors office was closed today because it is a holiday, and she is out of the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I won't even be able to talk to anyone until Wednesday.
I just don't understand. I was doing...

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You know you're wired when...

You make store alarms beep.

Member Quotes

At age 20, I will be getting a pacemaker in few weeks along with an SA node ablation. This opportunity may change a five year prognosis into a normal life span! I look forward to being a little old lady with a wicked cane!