Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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FDA and Plavix Issue

I could not belive this report, that Prilosec can cause the reduction of the effect of Plavix in half, my heart doctor prescribed me to take prilosec rgiht after my first stent in december of 2006.due to the 325 mil of asprin then belive caused a hole in stomach liner along with plavix, for all these years and test saying my blockages are getting larger, i wonder why, perhaps this is an cause of it.. Is any one else taking plavix with baby asprin daily, I have since I came off the 325 mil in o6....

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PM and Atenolol

Hi pacers
I am a 46 yo female from Queensland Australia and had my pacemaker implanted just over a year ago due to bradycardia. Last week, I had my 1st annual cardio checkup, and I was advised I need to start taking atenolol as I have been having quite a few tachy events. (I was thinking those little flutters I had been experiencing were the pacemaker kicking in, so I was a little shocked when they told me I needed to take medication and that I had a dysfunctional AV sinus node.)

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heart rate

My heart rythm will not exceed 80 without my being ill. I feel awful when I exert myself. The doctor and pacer rep tweaked the rate response mechanism, but that hasn't helped. The last time I pushed myself (I lifted a little weight and pushed my rythmn up) I had little shocks for 10 hours after. Lying down and resting helps eventually. I am fine now. Any suggestions?

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CT Scan

Wow, I went innocently to the hospital for a "routine" CT Scan of my head. I keep getting dizzy and i'm left after each "episode" feeling a bit confused. Ughhhhhh!
Anyway, I was lying there in they what I call the huge donut and I began to shake! Then I started to itch! Then my tongue began to swell and I couldn't speak! I was having a reaction to the iodine that they had just injected in to my right arm. Needless to say I was scared, my heart rate went into the 170s and was getting fasted...

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ECHO report

So last week I had an ECHO to determine my heart function to determine whether I could start my antiarrhythmic at home. Nothing was really very surprising to me with the results (I have come to just expect the worst now a days). One thing that did catch me off that I have not heard before was states "left ventricular systolic function is low end of normal with ejection fraction of 50-55% with paradoxical septal motion from pacing." What exactly is paradoxical septal motion????

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How Long to Take Plavix

(The last post I saw on this was dated in 2006).

Standard operating procedure today (USA) seems to be if you put in a DES (drug eluding stent), the patient is on Plavix for at least a year. I have one EP telling me that since I've been on Plavix 18 months and still take coumadin and aspirin, I should stop the Plavix. Not good for my blood. I've had a CHF specialist tell me I should stay on Plavix just about forever. I've had a GP tell me there are no studies to support the benefits of...

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wpw

it would be great if anyone had any imformation about wolf parkinson white syndrome and can it run in familys

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born with heart condition

hi im kelley (kellbell) i joined recently I was born with a heart condition and had open heart surgery in 2002 and was fitted with a pacemaker afterwards. post me a comment and let me know about yourself. thanks!

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Any experience with Multaq?

Hi pace-mates. Does anyone out there have any experience with the drug "Multaq"? I tousnds like such a superhero name. It is my new anti-arrhythmic, and I wondered if anyone else has used it successfully.

Thanks!
amyoswag

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Still not up to par!

Well hello pacer family,
I hope all of you are doing well. I am still trying to catch up on posts but have discovered it may take me forever to accomplish that.
I spent my first week out of a dr office or the Er in a month period it was nice but I know I need to get back in and figure out why my swelling is so intense in my chest.
I had a problem appear this week that I have not experienced yet and it was my first time. My pm is turning and moving in odd positions on m...

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Faster resting heart rate after new PM and leads

Hi everyone,

I recently had to have one of my leads removed and got a new PM as well and have had a high resting heart rate since (about 90 vs 60 previously). Dr's said this was ok but I am just wondering if anyone has had or heard about this happening and if it could mean anything. I am able to do most things although I havent exercised as much as I did before the lead replacement. When I have taken my bike out, I do notice that I have less endurance than before but that could me j...

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bloated stomach

I carry my pacemaker for 5 months. Lately, after eating, I feel as if I`ve eaten to much fat and beans! which I haven`t! Bloated stomach! Has some one had this same problem? Thank you all for your time!
Boldie - Frankfurt- Germany

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High Blood Pressure

Ok, I think I have to do something about my High Blood Pressure. I have been doing some research and I think that the reason I am getting dizzy, tired and can't get my heart rate up is because of the medication the dr. doubled the last time I was in his office. I see them today so I will have a "frank" discussion with them.

My question is: How do you, my pacer friends, lower your blood pressure? I have been checking and I see that I need to lower my salt intake, add some more exercise...

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Dr. Visit

Well, it seems my dr. doesn't believe I have a blood pressure problem anymore as it is being controlled by the medication. However today while I was in a meeting, the room spun and round and I was left feeling very detached and a little weird. So I stopped by my dr. office to see what he thought. I told GP about feeling so tired, feeling unwell and the dizziness. He ran a few test, an EKG and explained that it isn't my heart. The pacemaker is doing it's job. He has ordered a CT scan of my head...

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Feeling strange all of a sudden

I am still pretty new to the site as I had my PM inserted October 15, 09. My CHF and LBBB was caused by a viral infection that attacked my heart muscle. Anyway, my PM is a 3 lead device and I have been feeling pretty good. Last week I had a day when I felt very dizzy and just plain weird. My chest felt tight and my breathing felt labored. I had been decorating my workplace for a big Halloween party and after finishing up that, I started to just suddenly feel weird. I went straight home and did n...

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Anybody skipping?

Meds? Thats my thing lately. I cut some of them. I'm healthy and just can't see becoming a Med Junkie? What do you think???

Gary

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Amiodarone

Hi there!

I started Amiodarone at the end of February this year. Since May I have reduced the dosage bit by bit; this is the first week with just 600mg/week (taking it mondays, wednesdays, fridays). I saw my EP on Monday, and he said that if I'm doing well with such a low dosage there won't (most likely) be any bad side-effects. I was wondering what your experiences are. What was the lowest dosage you did well with, and were there really no side-effects?

The thing is that...

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another doctor's appt in the morning

Hello everyone! I have posted before and gotten a lot of great advice. This club has helped me so much. My last post was about not being able to exercise. I had my check-up two months ago and my heart rate was 155. The doctor said that is why I am having such a hard time exercising. We did a monitor and it is staying around that rate most of the time. It is either sitting at my setting of 70 or high. It does go up and down a lot. The doctor said that within a matter of three minutes it had jumpe...

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Really Concerned !!! Has the pacemaker for a week

Hello,

I had recently implanted a PaceMaker 1 Week ago. I'm only 16 years old and dont realy have experience with this device and is realy concerned about it . But i feel a kind of heart beat in my left chest - its not painfull but just annoying. sometimes when i dont think about it i fell it - but when im not its as usual.

please advice me what to do next and who to contact - the General Practioner or The hospital ???

Thank you

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Flu Shot got me 5!

5/days in the Hospital. Fall vacation. Last Wednesday I got my flu shot. The doc said I was high risk...a good idea. Wednesday night I didn't feel too good. Thursday I toughed thru the day. I took Friday off, sat still, was congested. Barely drove to the drugstore...the doc recommended Sudafed. I took 2. Called the Cardiologist he said NO SUDAFED use Benadril. Friday night I couldn't breathe. Ambulance. In the ER they put the big air mask on me. After a couple they went to the small oxygen. At a...

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