Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

Post Message!

An answer?

Hi out there everyone. Great Turkey day but it's the last turkey I'll cook without help, just too heavy and too much to do. Sure tastes good and I love leftovers. I have a question that maybe some of you who know PM and settings can help. Got the Medtronic Consulta CRT-D 3/09 and am disappointed with it in some ways. I was told the shortness of breathe and fatique would be gone after a while. As you can see, it's been 8 mos and they are still with me. Dr. upped the lasix to one a day from every...

Read More...

ATR & Vtach

Hello Everyone!

Just got back the other day from my six month interrogation for my pacemaker.

I was please to learn that my usage has dropped significantly. Currently, I am only pacing 6% of the time in the ventricles and about 10% of the time in the atrium.

The tech told me after looking at my numbers over the past year, that he didn't see why I still needed my pacemaker. That sounded good to my ears.

Nevertheless, I've learned that you can't get out...

Read More...

Surgery

Hi Friends,
I went to the new EP yesterday and found out I will need another surgery. My goal is to make it one year without a surgery so I would prefer it after the holidays. My pm will be placed in a net mush bag type thing and stitched into place so it can not move anymore. I will also have my lead from last year that they could not get out taken out.
The issue right now is finding a Dr who does lead extractions in my area. The Dr is searching and will get back to me within...

Read More...

1st check up 11/23

Hi :) I am new here but have been reading since I got my PM which was 10/19/09 now with my 1st check up coming I wondered what they will do..? I feel better then I did before.. but still have little weird things going on...and wondered ihow they check the PM for the right settings.. I am anxious about this so wondered if you might help me.
Thank you

Read More...

First integration

I have had my Medtronic PM now for 4 months. I had my first interrogation today in the cardiologist office. They said the report was great news that the atrial line was working 70% of the time and the ventricular line was only active 2 % of the time. I did not ask them but does this mean that my heart is getting a little help from the PM 70% of the time every day all day and that my heart is dong the other 30% the rest of the time? Anyhow they said that this was a great report. They asked i...

Read More...

Medtronic Adapta

In August I had two Medtronic Adapta PM's implanted. First one lead dislodged. Second one is implanted well with no dislodging. The problem is that they cannot get it tweaked so that I do not feel anything. In October I went in for my first tweaking and I felt worse after. It would thump me in the chest when ever the pm kicked in. I went back in the first of Nov., again tweaked, but this time tech thought that the lead was hitting a nerve and could not get it tweaked properly. But, she di...

Read More...

Check up, Check in

I was at the Cardiologist office today and it was a hoot! ha ha. At first the techs could not find a blood pressure on either arm. Said the cuff was too big for my "little" arm. ha ha! I weigh about 140. 5' 3", I don't think I have a skinny arm. he he.

Anyway they did confirm that I do have blood pumping through me veins. The St. Jude rep comes in and performs his little test. Yes, he says, your battery has about 6 months left. Wow I stated. Last time you said it was 6 months and tha...

Read More...

Montecrisco

Hey Todd... did you go back and do your check up with your doctor about your settings???? I just saw you post about them turning your rate response off and how you feel with it.. was curious how things are going?

Read More...

Interrogation.....I'll say

That lady / dictator had me running up stairs this morning, and I'm sick.....out of all days. I tried to tell her that first I needed to change into my work-out clothes, but she wasn't buying it. LOL.

After telling me that I was "deconditioned" which is another way of saying "lazy", she almost stood her ground and didn't change a thing.

Now look who wears the pants lady? I told her I'm out of shape because I've been scared of pulling another lead loose and haven't done any...

Read More...

First Check Up coming in Early January

I had a PM installed in late August 2009; Type 2 Buddle Block / Dual Lead, Medtronic ADDRL1. I am now due for my first hospital checkup in early January.

I realize today how little I knew about PM's before one was attached to me for life. For an engineer with a graduate degree I am embarassed to admit this.

Since August I have learned a few things, but could some of you put forward a few ideas, questions, that I should ask? Anything thoughts or suggestions from your exper...

Read More...

changes after pm checkup

hello, i hope someone can help me with this one. I've had pm for 9 months now. i went on 11/10/09 for a checkup before that i was feeling great. the next night i start having a dizzy spell lasted about 2 to 3mins. again in am next morning a min or so. i'm wondering if it was just the small adjustments that will need to b gotten use to. they were only expanding the battery life kept the settint gs at 60 bpm. not doing anything at those times resting.

Read More...

Sterilization Methods For Pacemaker

Hi..

i need to know in how many ways we can sterile the pacemaker?
please answer with little explanation .
thx

Read More...

echos

How often do you get echos? I don't mean if you're new or if you're having problems that need diagnosed, but when you're cruising along doing fine and just having regular checkups. My last cardio did one every other year but my current doc doesn't do anything other than bloodwork unless there's a problem. I realized I haven't had one in ten years. I meant to ask for one at my last appt but forgot.

Read More...

Breathless Update

Hi Everyone,

Just to give you a update, i rang my PM clinic today to explain that im still getting breathless, and could it be to do with my PM?

They said def not, as i pace less tham 1%, it couldn't be anything to do with the settings.

When i say breathless i don't mean out of breath from e.g: excercise, it's more of a tight, hard to get breath feeling. I never get to the stage when i struggle to get breath.

I never had it before the PM, so don't know...

Read More...

Anyone else dizzy?

I'm writing on behalf of my husband who is an early Alzheimer's patient. For more than two years, he has experienced dizziness, sometimes fainting, and profuse sweating. He has had every test imaginable, been hospitalized for complete workup twice, monitors, etc. In August he received a PM, (Boston) and still the symptoms continued...no fainting, but frequent dizzy spells and sweating. On Oct. 8, he received two stents in an artery, which everyone believed would eliminate the symptoms. Not so. I...

Read More...

Check up

Hi! Finally got my pm checkup yesterday, having seen the doc 2 days before, bit of a mix up but finally got sorted.

I was apprehensive it being a year, but have come away feeling a lot more settled now.

My lower rate is 70, upper rate been moved up to 120. I'd had a few afibs in the last 6 months, but only up to 120, not over 300 like the previous 6 months, so pleased i never took the flecanide because i would have thought that was the reason they had almost stopped.

Read More...

At wits end with tachycardia

So I was SUPPOSE to have an appt with my cardiologist today but when him and I had it out a couple months ago the dude cancelled my appts without telling me... How nice is that. Well I told his office that I have been having problems the last three weeks and that I really needed to get seen or at least have my pacemaker interrogated. They flat refused. Told me if I was having problems to go to the ER, that they would see me in two weeks. So I went to the ER. I spent a half hour with the me...

Read More...

Device Check

Well, I had my first device check yesterday. I was very impressed with the PM tech. I decided to ride my bicycle to the appt., (parking there can be a nightmare). She was very knowledgeable, and took the time to explain everything about the tests she was performing in simple terms. She also told me where everything is, the pm, the leads, and where they were implanted.

I passed the tests with flying colors. My battery, will last another 8-10 years.

Read More...

Doc just added A-Fib to my list

Got to see my doc again today for my last post op checkup and besides my SSS/Bradycardia diagnosis he added occassional A-Fib to my list. Seems that the pacer is picking up short (less than a minute) episodes of A-Fib. He said this ties directly back to my SSS (Sick Sinus Syndrome) issue and right now it is not something I should be worried about although he did say I HAVE to keep with my 81 mg aspirin that I have been taking for about 10 years now. He said because I have few symptoms (just a...

Read More...

First check

Well, tomorrow is my first "Device Check". I'm not sure what to expect.

I had my device implanted on 7/17/09. It was implanted on a emergency basis. The only time I talked to the cardiologist was during the pre-op consultation. He was more interested in getting his weekend started than informing me about the procedure. Since then the only people I saw were his minions.

Any advice would me appreciated.

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

You get your device tuned-up for hot dates.

Member Quotes

I have earned my Black Belt. I now teach class!