Most Recent Messages in Coping

Hello to my new normal

Hello friends!

My name is Meghan. I am 30 years old and suffered cardiac arrest at the end of October last year. My husband was up having a midnight snack and heard me aginal breathing. He did CPR on me for 10 minutes while he called 911. Once there, the EMT's shocked me and rushed me to the hospital. I was put into an induced coma and when they tried to take me out of it about a week later I had another cardiac arrest. spent a week in the cardio intensive unit where I suffered from...

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Raised Blood Pressure whilst on Digoxin

Sorry to be a pest but its my second day in Digoxin and the first day my BP was normal (122/80) and the second day (today) its shot up to 147/96 and Im panicking a little...is this normal whilst its settling down? I know you have to take an average reading over a certain time but should I be worried about these high readings?

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Smoking cannabis

It's been 2 weeks since I've had pacemaker implant.  Smoking a little cannabis really helps my depression and anxiety.  I asked my doctor  and he said it would be o.k.  He didn't say how long I should. wait.  So my question is - How long should I wait?  Thanks to whomever can help me

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insurance

Good evening!

      My whole life I have been blessed with tricare insurance because of my dad being in the military and then my husband as well, so I have never had to worry about copays or anything like that. Unfortunately, I am about to be divorced and now I need reccomendations on good insurances for people with pre existing conditions and pacemakers like us. If anyone has any suggestions and can also tell me how much you pay in copays for pacemaker replacements, I co...

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Should I get a pacemaker

I recently saw my doctor and through the ECG 12 lead test he said I have trifascicular block.  He said I am a candidate because two of my electrical system are blocked, The third one is open but it could block anytime or never block.  If the third one started to become blocked I would possibly become dizzy or faint the first time . If I was very unlucky and there was a complete blockage which occurs rarely my heart could stop or die.  I am 64 very active by hiking,biking,...

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Paraxysmal afib

Hi everyone, it's 1:30am and I'm at the emergency room for slight case of afib. This was a total shock to me because the last time I had afib is when they detected I needed a pacemaker from sleep apnea. I'm just wondering because I do have anxiety if that might of caused it. I'm just so miserable being here but the Dr said my case was very mild with my heart rate going between 89-105. Hr was 110/70. Oxygen at 97. Can I hear from others experience and how they manage, it would...

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Bumpy Roads--should I change my vacation plans?

I have a Biotronic pm with CLS and just recently noticed minor discomfort on bumpy roads.  I see there are lots of posts with people experiencing similar issues with the pm unnecessarily raising the heartrate.  Our daughter in stationed with the army in Alaska and we were planning to go with her to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park this summer.  The primary destination is the town of McCarthy, the old Kennicott mine, and the Root Glacier, reached by 90 miles of rough a...

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Newbie husband

Hi. My husband who is 77 had a dual lead PM inserted 16th jan. He's had Afib for 4 years with occasional dizzy spells. Takes digoxin and blood thinners. A few days before his op he blacked out and fell and broke his nose. Trip in an ambulance. His heart rate had been as low as 38 and high at 151 all over the place all the time. He came out the next day on a high. Over the moon to get his PM said he felt better already. Next days kept telling me how good he felt. No pain at site all good....

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Tiredness and Lower Limit

Hello,

I feel tired pretty much everyday, this could be due to stress and work, but also i had a thought about my pacemaker settings. 

 

My lower limit is 50 and my average pulse is 54, I am 19 years old, dual lead pacemaker for 3rd degree heart block. I was wondering if this low limit of 50 could be causing my tiredness? If it was to be raised would that increase my atrial pacing to 100? or does it not work like that, 

Thank you,

 

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Pacemaker

Hello Everyone, 

This post is actually very hard for me but here we go. I am a 41 year old female and in August 2022, I had cardiac arrest which required CPR and an AED machine to revive me. After a week in the hospital I had no diagnosis.  Everyone was cracking their heads. I was told that I had gone through stress enduced trama that cause me to pass out which caused me to go into cardiac arrest.  I have absolutely no health issues what so ever.  I just so...

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Long Term Effects?

Hello All, I hope you are well,

 

It has been a long while since i've been on here, firstly i wanted to wish everyone thanks for their support over my last post, the messages both private and public where lovely. Sadly In april my mum lost her battle at age 38, and passed away, cancer is a horrible horrible disease. 

I mainly wanted to come on here to ask about complications of long term pacing. I have been doing really well lately, physically and mentally, but...

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Recent insertion of pacemaker

I have Mobitz 2 and had a pacemaker fitted in November 2022. So far I haven't felt any better at all, still breathless and dizzy, especially in the morning, does anyone know how long it will take for me to start feeling well? I am 84 and have always been a very fit bloke but this has really floored me.

Would appreciate any comments or advice.

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Advice, please

Recently, I have experienced some episodes of light headedness.  I suspect it may be because of low(ish) blood pessure.  My readings run about 94/65 with a pulse at 64.  I do take medications (Entresto, for one) that do affect my blood pressure.

I had my CRT-D recently (on the 12th) scanned and it is working fine.

I  suspect that the problem may be related to the fact that I do not drink enough water.  I am a bit like a camel in that department. ...

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Palpitations when flying?

Hey PMC!

Hope this post finds all of you blessed and feeling well. I wanted to find out from others if they’ve experience palpitations when flying. Ever since the PM I’ve noticed I get really bad palpitations once in the air. I’ve taken something to relax me (Ativan) but they still persist. Once I land I start to feel better. Anyone else experience this or found a way to stop/reduce them? Thanks for any input and thanks for reading my post. Take care everyone! 

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Heart pain

I've had my pacemaker for 10 weeks now. And I constantly feel a slight pain in my heart. Is this normal?

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New pacemaker member

Hello all. I'm trying to cope with having a pacemaker installed this week due to a 3rd degree block. I've now developed a decent case of anxiety. I'm 59 and thought I was healthy in the cardio world. I was also diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer and wondering if this newly installed PM will delay my treatment plans?. Does anyone have similar experience? This whole this is scary 

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iCPET Update

Hello everyone!

Yesterday morning I completed the iCPET at UCLA. It was quite the production and I hope to never repeat it again. The catheter in my neck was so uncomfortable. Anyhow I don't have an answer just yet. I was told they need to review all data and blood work. The doctor did tell me I do not have exercise induced PH, but when I asked him about EI HFpEF he simply said "it's close" but he has to review everything first. He did tell me that he is going to...

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Update medicines

So I started taking cartia 30mg 3 times per day and been taking metropolol 25 half tablet 2 times per day . This is what i notice my heart feels more relax more slow is that good? I check my blood pressure before n sometimes be around 135/85 now is 118/80 just examples . The only complaint is this I feel weird in my head a little bit comes n goes like a lightheaded weird. Will I get used to it ..also can I drink a few beers ? Would it be better not to drink my medicine that day ? Or it don...

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wearing a shoulder brace on pacemaker side - pain in left arm and shoulder

I had open heart surgery and a pacemaker placed in March 2022l  Before the surgery I had to sleep sitting up in order to breathe correctly.  I think I may have pulled a muscle or the shoulder cuff (?} I can't lift my arm ovner my head and My arm pops  alot. I  recently saw  The Compression Shoulder Brace™ advertised.    [Compression Shoulder Brace – Healthy Lab Co] It looks reasonable to me. What I need to know is it okay if I...

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Good grief!

Hey PM Club!

Just a quick update on two items. First I have my Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (iCPET) at UCLA on 12/22 at 8am. I can't wait to get this done and see what's happening to me. 

Test Link: 

https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/pulmonary/pvd/conditions-treatments/invasive-cardiopulmonary-exercise-testing-icpet

Next update is nothing short of shocking to me. So I thought to do some stretching and some easy exercises at ho...

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You know you're wired when...

You can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.

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.