Most Recent Messages in General Posting

Post Message!

MRI safety: leaded pacemakers vs leadless pacemakers

There is a recent post concerning MRI safety for a leaded pacemaker. This led me to think about the MRI safety for leadless pacemakers, which I currently have a pair implanted in me.

When a current is flowing in a conductor that is placed in a magnetic field, a force is exerted on the conductor. This force is proportional to the “length” of the conductor. When a conductor is placed in an alternating magnetic field, an alternating voltage is generated across the conductor. Th...

Read More...

In ventricular pacing, since the pm has no communication with the atrium, how does the ventricle know when to pace?

Plse Forgive my ignorance. I thought (wrongly?) this question may be of general interest and thus post it.

The question is : In ventricular pacing, since the pm has no communication with the atrium, how does the ventricle know when to pace?

I have been asking this question for quite some time and accidentally found the answer today, given below:

"Medtronic has recently introduced a leadless pacemaker that uses an accelerometer to detect atrial mechanical...

Read More...

Apple Watch

Hi are Apple Watch accurate with heart rate .As keep checking mine all the time. Thank you

Read More...

Replacement This Tuesday-- Help

My Medronic Adapta is running with limited functionality-- low battery.  Because of cervical spine issues I need a pacemaker that is MRI tolerant.  Who gets to decide what device gets implanted?  Shouldn't the docs at least consult with me and inform me of their reasoning?  This has not happened so far.  

Read More...

"I can't tell how long you've been this way..."

Hello everybody FG back!

Well, after talking a while and looking at my EKG, asking my wife and I multiple questions and criticizing me mildly for having gone so long without getting an EKG (I guess about 20 years or so before all this started), my 3rd opinion EP shakes his head and says, "I can't figure out how long you've been this way. When  did you first start having symptons?" I sai...

Read More...

Systolic blood pressure before/after dual chamber PMs and possible explanation

I had low heart rate and occasionally high heart rate and recently had a pair of dual chamber PMs implanted. I also had high blood pressure and had been taking medications (still am taking the same medications).

Because of my HR lower than 40bpm, almost all electronic BP measurement devices that sold on Amazon or elsewhere did not work for me. I had to buy a high quality stethoscope and a large pressure meter and learned how to measured BP myself. 

Before PMs, even with medic...

Read More...

heart ablavation getting closer date question

im very nervous for this procedure ..question how many hours does it take and the dr told me that he was going to go thru my groin area ? 2 sides or just 1 hole also how would they control the blood on my leg or groin area ?  why do some get heart attacks during or after im very concerned i hear i have to stay still for 6 hours after ,,

Read More...

New form of pacemaker

Paper published 26th October:
Battery-free pacemaker uses light to regulate heartbeat
Researchers have developed a battery-free pacemaker that uses optogenetics to regulate the heart. They are hopeful that it could improve the management of arrhythmia.

See:https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/sciadv.abq7469

 

Read More...

Help —- not getting email notification

I have not been receiving email notification from new post or replies to my postings or comments.

In my profile, I did check the required boxes authorizing receiving notifications.

Wrote to info@pacemaker.com,  but has not received a reply. 

if you could let me know what I should do to receive notification, I would appreciate it.

Read More...

Apple Watch: Monitor (and Plot) Heart Rate Every 5 sec 24/7

(Sorry about the long post, read on only if interested.)

Apple Watch’s electrical heart sensor can measure heart rate from 30-210bpm (210bpm=3.5 beats/second). 

The crucial question is how accurate are the AW HR measurements? 

According to : “Accuracy of Apple Watch Measurements for Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: Cross-Sectional Study” by Falter et al. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30888332/),  t...

Read More...

Pacemakers that last forever?

Interesting research news:

……implanted their device in two adult male pigs. In the first animal (which had a healthy heart), the team tested how well the generator harvested energy; it powered the pacemaker for a total of nearly three and a half hours. The pig’s heart generated more than enough energy to power a human version of the pacemaker, the scientists reported in April in Nature Communications. In the second pig, they induced an irregular heartbeat (arrhy...

Read More...

Setting off alarms

It's been years since I've set off metal detectors anywhere. Cruising the Caribbean has never been a problem but we are currently cruising in the Mediterranean and I've set them off every port except where we first boarded in Southampton. I guess they are using older technology? I finally started telling them and getting a pat down rather than going through. Hello, 2005! I did not miss you. 

Read More...

Heart rate dropping on home b.p. monitor but clinic says that it would have alerted them if it did

Had my first pacemaker about 6 weeks ago. Ive been traking my b.p. diligently as I also have electrolyte issues. my omron is only about 1 year old. It was only used a few times. packed when I moved and came out of the box for a few uses and then now. I caught my b.p. rather low cant remember right now but my h.r. was 41 and Im set at 60. It went right back up to 6? next read. I caught this 2x more at 52 and 56 same right back up. Of course Drs nurses dont belive me and claim my monitor i...

Read More...

Leadless Dual Chamber Pacemakers Optimization

I had bradycardia and occasionally tachycardia. A month ago was implanted through the groin with a pair of  leadless dual chamber pacemakers by Abbott. A set of measurements were made right after the implant. I just had the first followup with my EP and together with a rep from Abbott a second set of measurements were made.

The threshold voltages for both chambers are 0.7V same as the first measurements. The pacing voltages were 2.5V, but reduced to the current 1.5V for each chambe...

Read More...

I have been going down memory lane

Hello everyone, I was chatting with another Pacemaker Club member recently about my travelling days in the early Seventies, yes 50 years ago.  (Australia, Papua New Guinea, Southern Africa).  I got out some old photo albums last night and scanned in a few pics which I have now uploaded to our Member Gallery (under Members Only, then Member Gallery) if you want to have a peep.

Don’t forget to upload any pics of yourselves from time to time.  We would all love to see...

Read More...

Removal of pacemaker

Hi all

 

This is my first post I am wondering if any members have had their pacemaker removed due to heart recovering and able to work on its own?

 

Also do you ever have a pacemaker replaced ie every 10 years or is it a small Nick to change the battery only every 10 years.

 

Alison

Read More...

Cardiologist

Hi friends ,

My current cardiologist is an Interventional Cardiologist and not a electrophysiologist . I had a pacemaker implanted for complete heart block a month ago by a EP . I am thinking switching my current cardiologist . Just out of curiosity are your doctors Cardiology EP or anyone under care of interventional or clinical cardiologist . 

 

 

 

Read More...

Ehlers-Danlos?

I have EDS (hypermobile type) and had a pacemaker implanted about 6 months ago.  I still have quite a bit of pain in the general area around the device which is not suprising given that healing tends to be slow with EDS. The pacer also has moved quite a bit despite a suture that was supposed to tether it in place. 

Does anyone else on the forum have EDS? If so, how has it affected your life with a pacemaker? Any advice would be much appreciated!

Read More...

Sensitivity

Almost 4 months into havinf my device. If I tap the  device with my finger I sometimes feel a twinge or some sensitivity. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks. Is this normal or should I bring it up?

Read More...

Has anyone ever had to switch from Kaiser to a different insurance?

Hey everyone! :)

I have a question about insurance! I'm currently paying for Kaiser out of pocket and due to financial hardship, I couldn't pay the last month and it got canceled. :(

I should have had a yearly checkup for my pacemaker in September but I was put on a waitlist, and then that's when my insurance got canceled, before I could even get an appointment.

I'm very paranoid over not having had my checkup, but I just got a new job that provides their own...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

You run like the bionic woman.

Member Quotes

I am very happy with mine. I am in the best shape of my life. I lift weights, compete, bike, golf and swim.