Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

Post Message!

weight loss

Had my PM implanted July 24th. My question, since heart rate is now at 60 plus vs my old 30-40 rate, does metabolism improve and shouldn't we lose weight. I remember when you smoke your heart rate increases and people stay somewhat thin. I have lost 9 lbs since the implant. I have been walking half hour a day and somewhat watch what I am eating but I think I am benefiting from improved metabolism. Anyone with thoughts.

Read More...

hypotension florinef

Hi there, I'm new here and am wondering if anyone can help. My 16yr daughter had her dual chamber pm inserted Nov 07. In March 08 she had a syncope episode due to hypotension. Her Cardio prescribed Florinef - it increased her BP within a day but she battled with dizziness for a bout week after starting the treatment. He stopped the Florinef after 1 months treatment. Now, she has had a few sycnope episodes due to hypotension again, he has prescribed Florinef and increased her minimum heart rate....

Read More...

Coumadin, Plavix and Cataract Surgery

Have ICD and take 81mg aspirin, coumadin, Lipitor (*hmmn?) and since I just got a DES stent last month, now take Plavix that the cardiologists want me to take for a year. Problem is I need cataract surgery in at least one eye (probably both). Cardiologist says do NOT stop Plavix for a week or a day. Eye doctor reluctant to do surgery while I'm on the stuff. Now of course, I have an eye exam for my driver's license coming up in 6 months!

Anyone have cataract surgery while on these drug...

Read More...

Heart industry abbreviations

Pookie asked that I repost this list.
My plan is to post it every couple of months but can move it up to once a month if it is wanted.
If the club wants to put it in the Clubhouse corner, that would be ok.
It was last posted 17 July.
See the GB from ElectricFrank.
The ones with question marks, I am still unsure about the defination. As always comments, revisions, corrections etc are welcome
Later, Charlie


Abbreviations
AF or A Fib =...

Read More...

Nausea

Good Afternoon
I am new to this club as of today, and I am asking for information for my 85 year old mother, who had a PM in 2007. (St. Jude, 2 lead). She suffers from both rapid/slow heartbeat, but has responded well to the PM and betablockers. The problem is she suffers from bouts of nausea that leaves her very fatiqued, weak which takes her a couple of days to recover her strenght. We are journaling these episodes to see if there is a pattern and so for we have not found a pattern. We...

Read More...

propaferone!!!!!?

went in today to get cardio verted but of course i didn't go in to Afib so it wasnt done ( 10 mins after leaving hospital went into Afib--typical :) now the doc has prescribed propaferone to control Afib ---- i haven't heard good things about this drug----any thoughts out there!. I was also told this drug can chemically convert you and may not be a permanent thing. I'm also on a beta blocker and warfarin and was on verapamil but that was removed in favour of this new one. thanks for any t...

Read More...

POTS??

Hey everyone!! I'm a new member here and wanted some advice and thoughts on my situation. I've been to several different cardiologists over the years and don't seem to be getting anywhere. I'm too young to see an adult cardiologist and the doctors I'm seeing are waiting for me to grow out of it.

It all started when I was about 13 and I would frequently have dizzy/blackout spells. As I got older my symtoms continuously got worse. My mom is a RNC and became concerned one night wh...

Read More...

What is my PM doing?

Hello Everyone, I am new to this club and have now realised how little I know about my condition and why I have my pacemaker. I was born with congenital hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of the left ventricle. Up until I had my 3rd child I never really experienced any difficulties with my condition until about 20 years ago. I started to get arrythmia and was commenced on Flecainide twice daily which seemed to keep the arrythmia at bay. When this stoppped being effective I had a pacmaker implanted as m...

Read More...

Fast hear beats at nights

Hello! Last night my heart beated very fast. I woke up to have a rest and the HR became ok. I am wondering why it often does this during the nights.

The doctor ordered me betablockers but we later decided together that I do not have to take those because my HR has been ok.

I wonder how long period does the Metronics PM memory have data. Is there any devices available to read pm memory at home?

Read More...

Tikosyn treatment

I'm 33 and getting myself mentally prepared for yet another med change. My EP doc swears this is the last one. If this doesn't work than it's a pacer for me, which I'm at peace with. (I've tried everything, except Amiodarone which I refuse to try because of the side effects.) My EP, who is wonderfully charismatic and skilled has decided not to do the AV Node ablation/pacemaker insertion unless I get a second opinion from another EP. This reassures me that my doc really does care about my wellfar...

Read More...

Heart industry abbreviations

Not sure where to post this so I chose Conditions ...

Just a short update: Saturday will be 9 weeks since ICD install and I feel so much better now than I did at week 2 or 3 it is amazing. Last Friday I got to spend an hour with the PM tech and he made some adjustments which got rid of that winded feeling when I went up a flight of stairs.

For those not feeling right - keep learning, asking questions and being a pain. No one else is out there that is going to advocate...

Read More...

Girls Only

Time for a mammogram. I've used the search engine to check out past messages re:others' experiences, but it seems that many of the responses can't be pulled up. So, once again, how did you all manage the mammogram issue? I've read some of the horror stories of fractured leads and all...kinda scary! My PM sits under the muscle and doesn't seem too far away from the top of the breast tissue. Unfortunately I'll have to have additional views on the left side d/t an increase in tissue density...s...

Read More...

ACE INHIBITOR

I take digoxin which in the past befor I got my pacemaker gave me terrible nausea. Since having the pacemaker I fing it very strange that I can tolerate it and do not get nausea. However I also take perindopril an ace inhibitor. When I start taking this I get a painfull pricking sensation, like having needles pushed into the surface of my skin. It starts in the extremities , toes and finger tips, and as time goes by it gets worse with the sensation travelling futher up my limbs until I cant sta...

Read More...

INR testisng

Yesterday I had my PM check/doctors appointmeny (finally!)
All went well. I was told I have asout 1 1/2 -2 years left in my pm, wich is good because that's what the said a year ago. My cardiologist is the one monitoring my warfarin/INR results. I asked him if he thought I'd be on it for life or could switch back to taking an asprin a day. (which was much easier) He wasn't sure and said he'd have to look at a video of a trnsecho that I had done a few years ago first but most likeley I'd have...

Read More...

Thanks ya'll

Just wanted to say thanks to Chiliman, and Janetinak, and especially Peter (who's responded before) who have helped ease my anxiety about AV Node Ablation. It certainly helps to hear stories from people who've been there. I seem to handle it fine, until my husband gets all worked up about it and asks all these questions. Then I get all twitterpated, confused, and doubtful. Thanks again. I'm sure when the time gets closer to insertion day, I'll be back on the message board again. Ya'll are great....

Read More...

Amioderone

My husband has been on Amioderone for two months. His doctor has suggested that he have an out-patient test to make sure that the amioderone does not interfere with his pacemaker/defib.'s performance. Apparently they change the setttings on the defib so that he will have an "incident" and the defib. will kick in. This test is only supposed to take ten minutes. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Please reply.

Read More...

Pacemaker dependency

I'm headed towards an AV Node Ablation not unless some other divine intervention pops up in my doc's head for me to try. I'm really trying everything except Amiodarone which I feel is just too toxic for my 33 yr old body. I'm anxious as all get out about the possibility of AV node ablation, and doc (who's a total sweetheart) isn't really excited about it either. He wishes that he had more options for me. I wish it wasn't my decision. What happens if I go through with the AV Node Ablation, am tot...

Read More...

Question? CHF

My husband had blood work last week to determine if he has Congestive Heart Failure and we, of course, haven't heard any results yet. Maybe tomorrow or Tuesday?

Does anyone here have CHF and if so what is being done for the condtion?

He also has atria fib but actually doesn't feel when it is happening. It shows up just about everytime he as EKG.That is how the cardiologist found it.

He has been under the cardiologist's care for 3 years now.

Thank...

Read More...

Amiodarone

My EP doc and I are running out of options for my irregular heart rate. (read my post-AV Node ablation below for more info)
I appreciate immensely my doctor's willingness to try everything possible before pacemaker implant, but now he wants me to try amiodarone. Yikes! The side effects for this drug, I believe, are not worth it, and it doesn't seem like a feasible option for me. After reading the serious side effects of amiodarone, I think I would rather just go ahead with the AV node ablat...

Read More...

Medication for PVCs - Diltiazem

Hi

Since my dual chamber PM was put in at the beginning of February for second degree heart block just at night, I have been having thousands of ectopic beats when I am resting - PVCs. My settings have been changed several times and now I am on a 'guardian angel' setting - back up VVI at 35 bpm. So I am only sensed and paced in the ventricle - nothing in the atrium. This has improved the situation but not got rid of it. When I asked if these extra beats could be dangerous, he said...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Your license plate reads “Pacer4Life”.

Member Quotes

The experience of having a couple of lengths of wire fed into your heart muscle and an electronic 'box' tucked under the skin is not an insignificant event, but you will survive.