Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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Daily self test on PM

I just had by PM replaced in April 07 as it was time to replace battery. The new model they gave me does a self test everyday. Does anybody have information regarding this? I found out about it when I asked the Medtronic Technician to see what was happening at 1 and 2 am. as I was waking up while I was sleeping and unable to go back to sleep. They've set it now at 5 and 6 am, and now I sleep through the night waking up at 5 am! I told them I would like that feature shut off or to have it se...

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donut

during my phone check, everytime when I put the donut against my pacemaker,put the phone down and count to thirty, the my chest starts to thump and it feels like my pacemaker is coming through my chect. it is very annoying I can hardly keep the donut on the pacemaker while it is thumping

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2 Week Check-Up

I just got my 2 week check-up and everything seems to be going allright per the doc. I am still catching myself trying to lift my arm over my head, it is so hard. The incision site is still very sore wearing shirts or anything else, it seems like it constantly rubs. Has anyone else had issues with regular golf shirts or anything of that nature. I have been wearing a lot of button downs that are soft instead. My rate is still kicking at a smooth 60 paces, but I am still having trouble sleepi...

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Technical Question re: AV Delay

Hi all, I have a question regarding AV delay and I hope someone can explain it simply to me and how it might be impacting what I feel when the PM kicks in. (Sorry up front for the long post)

History:Medtronic Sensia Dual lead for 2nd Degree AV Block, old Dx of Inappropriate Sinus Tach, and sprinkling of PAC/PVC's. Pacing about 3% of the time. Low rate set at 50. Don't know enough to include what might be other pertinent info.

Saw the Doc and Pacer Tech, after wearing eve...

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Heart rate

Has anyone read any data/ studies on heartrate and longevity? Before my pacer my doctor told me how good it was to have such a low heartrate - think athletes heart. Now mine is set to pace at 60bpm. I was just wondering.

Second question- do many of you find that you are pacing more as time goes on? Mine has gone up 15- 25% every check. I am still below 50% but when I asked he said "I expect you will eventually be 100% pacing" Is that the norm?
I was very surprised.

Tha...

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Racing Heart

Racing Heart
Comment posted by noodles69us on 2007-12-08 09:57.
I had my pc check 2 weeks ago and told them I wasn't happy with the way things were going and that something had to be done. If the Doc. or the Teck. would have listened to me after I told them how my heart would race with going over bumpy roads or just walking they should have known the settings were wrong. I shouldn't have had to go 3 months with chest pain and a raceing heart that long. To make a long story short, she...

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AV Delay

Has anyone had their settings changed for their AV Delay and Have you felt a difference? What is AV Delay and how can it make you feel worse or better?

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Medtronic remote assistant

Hi all,
I haven't posted for a long time. Had my annual PM check last week. Since my last check I have had a number of days where I get 5-6 strange episodes. My cardiologist thought they were vasovagal attacks. Anyway I expected that the PM check would not indicate anything as it had in the past, but this time it showed a number of strange beats, I'm not sure what, but the technician was checking for noise and mentioned ectopic and fast beats. So I now have a devise called a remote assistan...

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violin is better

thanks to all who suggested the ep follow-up. i actually saw the medtronic tech and with one or two clicks of his computer attached to the blue "hockey puck" i was off and running with the symptoms gone.

thanks to all of you and this is a wonderful website especially to us "newbies."
violin

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telephone check mystery

I have had my St, Jude model 5376 about 2 years with no problems. In late Octorber I went with a friend to a hospital where she had an MRI. I was sitting in a room about 30 feet from where the machine was, the door was open.

I was a little concerned, it happened that a couple days later I was scheduled for an in office check of my pacemaker, every thing was OK, they said.

But days later I unexpectedly passed out while sitting in a chair talking with some one.

I...

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1 year check-up

Hi everyone
I just wanted to let everyone know I had my 1 year check-up. The doctor asked me how I felt, tested the pacer, asked if I wanted any settings changed. ( I have spent more time analyzing the pacer than he has). He then told me my battery was good for 5.7 to 7.7 years, and told me to come back every 6 months.
It was great to finally have some good news, and not to have to fool around with more drugs
John S

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Unanswered question by Dr.

Hello all,
I went this week for my every-couple-of-months check in with my doctor. I had my pm installed in May of this year. I have tachy-brady syndrome. I'm becoming unhappy with my doctor because he isn't giving me answers when I ask. I asked this visit if I could get a full interrogation to learn how much/often my pacemaker is working for me. He asked me why -- that "curiosity killed the cat." What kind of answer is that? I just meekly said, I would like to know. I didn't even k...

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pm settings

can anyone tell me about settings.i have a dual lead st jude pm and it is set as low as poss as im sensitive to higher settingsbut i feel as if my heart is being squeezed on each beat. i also feel lightheaded on standing and have fast heart rate after eating and exercise tolerance is poor. i have had the pm for five years and only had these symptoms recently. i have a moveable pm and am waiting surgery for deeper implantation and am due for a pm check up soon but they are not very helpful at th...

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3 month device check

Hi everyone,
Just had my first 3 months check of biventricular pacemaker.
Performed by St. Jude Medical technical consultant. Went very good. I told him I feel tired most of time and he said he would see what he could do. He made adjustments and then told me the following:

"Prior to 10/29 checkup device was not pacing in ventricular chambers now is pacing both chambers."

I do think I have more energy and hope it continues to improve.
Best regards to all, b...

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Questions to Ask?

Hi Everybody,
Going for first three month checkup of StJude Frontier II Model 5586 biventricular pacemaker. Know hardly anything about the device. Understand the checkup done by St. Jude technician with nurse from Cardiology Lab. Don't seem to have any problems with device. Usually feel tired. Has anyone got advice on what questions to ask?
Thanks

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Any advice for a one month checkup

It has been a month since my Medtronics Adapta dual lead pacemaker was implanted. I go back next week for my first month checkup.

I have noticed a significant decrease in the benefit I was receiving for the first couple of weeks after implantation.

Now I'm feeling tired and more short of breath again. I think I read somewhere that pacemakers might need adjustment after the scar tissue that holds the leads in place is formed. Maybe that's what is going on.

It...

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Have a pacemaker % usage?

I had check up for my pacemaker. The ep person said I was using my pacemaker in the upper chamber about 8% and lower chamber about 100%. what does that mean to me. I forgot to ask what those numbers mean. Thanks, Karen

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High Anxiety

Hi PM pals,

Well, I am 5 weeks after surgery, and had my first check-up today. Or should I say, tried to? They were able to tune my pacemaker to a different setting, and could tell that everything was working, but they couldn't do a "interrogation reading" because I was so shook up, my heart rate went up to 113, I said to the Tech, please take it off (magnet) I have to sit up, she said "Janice, I haven't even did anything yet. That is your own heart rate." So apparently, they can'...

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Sensitivity setting

A while back I posted that rough roads were causing my PM's rate response to kick in while I was driving (an 18 wheeler). Today I went to the PM clinic and they changed to sensitivity from medium high to medium low.

Also noted was I had went for 4 1/2 months without any bouts of a-fib then had an almost 2 hour episode yesterday morning (I woke up to it) and one that lasted almost an hour this morning. This mornings bout had happened without my knowing it because I was asleep. I wonder...

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Help! I need an Opinion

Hello everyone I have a great dilema and I need some opinions. I have a pacemaker since 2002 and ever since then my life has been a total blessing. I have felt great other than having to deal with my rate response when I am driving. It activates when hitting bumps and makes my heart race. Well anyway it helped me when I was playing basketball so I never really complained to my cardiologist. Well because of insurance purposes I was forced to switch doctors and cardiologist. The new cardiologist s...

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You know you're wired when...

Your signature looks like an EKG.

Member Quotes

My pacemaker was installed in 1998 and I have not felt better. The mental part is the toughest.