Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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almost 4 months

I want to post an update on how I'm progressing. I'm 47 and got my pm in March for bradychardia. The surgery went well but I had a few tough weeks where I didn't think I'd ever get my life back again. But since that time things have gotten so much better. It just takes time, patience, and lots of encouragement, and it definatly was tougher that the doctors say. But I did get back to work(teacher), then my second job(painter), did a week and scout camp with my son, and tomorrow I take my fi...

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Is an AV Node Ablation a good idea?

Hi Everyone....

Hope this finds everyone doing fine. I appreciated all your comments with questions I've had in the past and hope that you won't mind helping me again.

My cardiologist and EP have given me 3 options in regard to my chronic a-fib. I had an open heart Cox Maze procedure in Feb '06 and an ablation and PM (unexpected) in July '06.....in spite of these procedures, I still get bouts of a-fib just about everyday. My heart rate will rang from 60-145. They feel th...

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Just Little humor (I hope),

A little humor for a serious subject that Michael Moore thinks he just brought to our attention.

Q. What does HMO stand for?

A. This is actually a variation of the phrase , "HEY MOE." Its roots go back to a concept pioneered by Moe of the Three Stooges, who discovered that a patient could be made to forget the pain in his foot if he was poked hard enough in the eye.

Q. I just joined an HMO . How difficult will it be to choose the doctor I want?

A. Ju...

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Power Implant Aim to run on Body Heat.

This article was found in News Scientist.

Life-saving medical implants like pacemakers and defibrillators face a big drawback: their batteries eventually run out. So every few years, patients need surgery to have the batteries replaced.

Now a company in New York state is planning to tackle the problem by providing patients with an implantable power source that recharges their implant's batteries using electricity generated by the patient's own body heat.

By conti...

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Too much, too quick!

Hi everybody, my name is Kevin, I’m 47 and for the last year I have been living in Cyprus. Around the 15th of June 2007 I suddenly started to have strange and irregular heartbeats with accompanying dizzy spells and slight loss of vision and also a feeling of hot blood swelling and rising to my ears,. This happened only over the course of a few days, prior to that I have had no heart trouble other than an odd beat or palpitation here and then. I decided to go the local hospital on the 18th and ha...

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EECP Question

Hello Folks,

I have a question for you good people. Have any of you undergone external counterpulsation (EECP) to treat your angina? I have a pacemaker, CHF, attacks of angina and since about mid-March I have had more than a fair share of arrhythmia episodes to the point that my physical activity has become almost nil. The arrhythmia is likely to occur anytime, but I have learned the hard way that physical activity, as simple as walking a couple of blocks, will bring on an episode...

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Please can some give me advice

I am a 72 year old man. I was very healthy and live a clean life. In June of this year I was rushed into A&E and then the following day I was fitted with a Pacemaker and then discharged the next day.

I am now back at home trying to get back to normal life. I keep experiencing hot sweats and not feeling very well. This experience does not last a long time but I would like to know if this is normal and if any other person has this experience.

Many thanks for any help.

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Many thanks!

Thank you soo much for your birthday wishes to me!
I had a great day.There is a big family lunch for me tomorrow and I am being spoilt rotten!!
I am so lucky to have such a wonderful family and such great friends.
This is the 4th birthday I have celebrated since getting my pacemaker and I feel so happy to have got a 2nd chance at life!

This website has been a great part of my recovery so thanks again....Love to you all-Kay

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Hi...

I haven't really been on in a while and wondered if anyone ws up to a chat? Saturday, 4:25pm EST

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Donating Blood with PM

I am approaching a year with my PM and feel better than I have felt in years!

My question is whether I can donate blood with a PM? I was a donor before and loved doing it and would love to be able to but have been getting conflicting information from people. Anyw help would be appreciated.

Phil

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Hey peoples

Attention Pacers!
We had an EXTRA special day yesterday, July 5 because.....

we had TWO, that's right..TWO pacer BIRTHDAYS :)
And they are:

KAY (rewiredaussiegirl): 1939

and

MARTY (plumberman): 1956

I hope that both of you had a great birthday filled with great memories.

take care,
~valerie
p.s. sorry for my lateness...I guess its my M.O. :)

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Hello !

Just want to wish nice summer to everybody.
Here in Finland everything looks very beautiful in summer
and did you know that nights are short and days are very
long here in this time of the year.
Does somebody know that is here in PM club any other members from the Nordic coutries?

Esa Karhu
e.karhu@kolumbus.fi

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Update!

It has been a while for me to get on and update. I scheduled an apt. early the other day because the pain has been so intense for me with this surgery than any of the others. They gave me something for the pain which hasn't really helped me much. They did a pm check to see if that was part of my problem and the only difference is i'm 100% dependent on it. They turned off my bottom lead during this last surgery they said that was because I was only using in 2% of the time and I was having so many...

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Comments

I am now six weeks out from my PM implant, and although I still am trying to regain my strength and controlling my anxiety problems, I am feeling better. This room has been a godsend for me. Thanks to all of you for your messages and comments. They are a tremendous help to me.

Sharon

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Hot tubs?

Is it ok if I use a hot tub? I've never been in one before. Going to a hotel in a few weeks where there will be one in my room. I have a dual chamber Medtronic PM

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Bi-ventricular/IICD

getting bi-ventriculat/ ICD Monday any pitfalls or advice. This is #4 pacer for me Ejection fraction remains 20%

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Any nurses out there who have a PM?

Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone who has offered me support. Got my pacemaker last Monday and am still trying to adjust to it. My cardiologist says I need to learn to love my pacemaker, but I think at times it is a love/hate relationship!
Anyway, I'm a labor and delivery nurse who will be returning to work in about a month and am wondering if there are any other nurses out there with pacemakers. I would like to know if anyone has had electromagnetic interference from medical equipment su...

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Back again, update for this endless fiasco

HI everyone,
Endless fiasco it is. Sorry to vent the frustration. I noticed the other day the swelling starting to occur in another part of my arm. The pain has gotten so bad I haven't been able to sleep well for several nights now and because of the fatigue I haven't been able to eat well. I told myself enough was enough.

I went to the ER to see if I can get some help. Well, not only did they treat me like I was not a priority, it was the most useless 4 hours of my life. The doc...

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Bradycardia and Sleep Apnea

I have recently been diagnosed as a candidate for a pacemaker; Bradycardia is my ailment (more specifically, Sick Sinus Syndrome). My father and older brother both have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. My wife claims I stop breathing during my sleep sometimes and due to her urging I have had a sleep study session (last night) and now I await the results. As with many of you, with heart issues I have educated myself reading a lot of articles and comments from people such as in this forum. One...

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Give yourself some time.

Just a note to let the newbies know that it takes time. More time than the Doctors will tell you to get to feeling like your old self. My pacemaker was put in at the end of Oct. 2005 for VVS and Bradycardia. I know now that I was sick for at least a year before getting the pacer on an emergency basis. My heart stopped 2 different times for 18 to 20 seconds and was running at 10bpm on the way to the hospital. It took about 6 months time to get the correct settings for me. It has now been a year w...

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You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

Member Quotes

Hang in there; it does get better every day!