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Questions About Upgrading from Pacemaker to CRT

Hi,

My 87 year old Dad had a 2 lead pacemaker implanted at the beginning of November after a heart monitor showed that his heart stopped for 13 seconds while he was asleep. He recovered well but a recent echo showed a significant drop in his EF from 45 to 30-35, so now they would now like to add a 3rd lead to Dad's pacemaker.  How difficult was this procedure to implant the 3rd lead and how is the recovery?   I worry about the risk of infection.  Do you have...

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Pacemaker infection

I am writing this account of a pacemaker infection as a patient because they are rare and because there may not be a written account from a patient, in the hope it may help in the understanding and treatment of the problem.

I am a 73 year single old male who had a myocardial infarction 15 years ago with angioplasty and two coated stents. Last November 7 I came down with what I thought was a bad case of ‘flu which lasted for three weeks. On a Saturday evening I went to the hospital...

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Will a 'powerspin' interfere with my PM? Static electricity.

Hi,

I am trying to rehab my shoulder from a frozen shoulder and I just bought one of these -

https://powerballs.com/shop/powerspin-isometric-exerciser

 

It says on the box - don't use it with any kind of heart condition!

Do you think it will interfere with my pacemaker or are they just covering themselves over the 'exercise' nature of the product, raising the heart rate etc.

 

It does seem to generate a little bit of static elect...

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Severly Depressed

Hello, I just signed up for this site after reading several posts on the site.  I didn't see anything negative or hurtful, so here it goes...

I had pacemaker surgery on July 1 after passing out at my desk at work.  It happened a couple of times prior to that at home, I just thought I was getting over the flu and was tierd.  When I called my doctor from work, they told me to call 911 or have someone take me to the emergency room immediately.

Three days later I...

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Leads

Before I further quiz my EP.......................what is the typical setup of a three lead PM?  What is the third lead used for (mine has stopped working). PM - with the 3 leads was implanted in 2012.  It has since been replaced with a Medtronic PM/ICD.  Just trying to shore up my knowledge base.

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Pacemaker Mediated Tachycardia (PMT)

How common is PMT?

I'm one day short of a fortnight since my PM was implanted. Last week, at my check up, I was told that I had PMT and the Cardio Technician changed some settings to counteract the tachycardia. However, it's still happening. A few times a day (4 - 6 times) while going through my FitBit records, I see readings over 120-130 BPM.

I've read that PMT can be dealt with and am having another consultation tomorrow.

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Turning off PM?

Last week, my EP decided to "effectively turn off " my PM because the pacing percentages were so low -- between 1 and 2 % in both chambers. I was given the PM originally for what was thought to be Sick Sinus Syndrome but later proven to be untrue.

What "effectively turn off" meant was moving my low rate from 45 bpm to 30 bpm. And because I was having so few ventricular paces, he just left the AV delay the same. I was excited about the percentages. They dropped to suc...

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Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for bone healing

Hi, is low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for bone healing - (left clavicle, near the PM) okay if I have a pacmaker?

 

Thankyou all!

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AV node ablation and type of pacemakers used for it.

I am new to the group and would love to hear from anyone who has had an AV node ablation. I have a single chamber pacemaker which was implanted in 2015. At first it served me well since I had developed severe bradycardia. Now I am so short of breath all the time that I can't walk around the block. I have permanent slow a-fib and flutter. I have always felt 10 years younger and breathed easily when I've had a cardioversion and am in normal sinus rhythm but it only lasts a few...

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Welding and alternator

I recently had apacemaker installed (Abbot) what are your experiences with being around welding ( which I do little of) and being exposed to car alternators?

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I have sinus arrythmia and bradycardia. What should I do?

I am 20 years old engineering student. My pulse rate has dropped to around 53. Sometimes it even goes as low as 46. It has been like this for a month now. After doing ECG , they said that I have sick sinus syndrome. I even did holter monitoring. According to the report , there were pauses in my heartbeat. . The exact statement was "Frequent short sinus pauses are noticed. Sometimes sinus pauses are followed by junctional escape beats." Average heart rate was 57 bpm.

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Uncomfortable bras and seatbelts

My Pacemaker is on the left side of my chest (which is annoying, because it looks like my left breast has a lump), so sometimes wearing bras can be extremely uncomfortable. Can you recommend any other types of bras or anything? 
Also, my seatbelt in the car is right over my Pacemkaer, making it extremely uncomfortable and not at all safe because if the car slams to a stop (as it often does, with my dad's driving), it presses down on it and is quite painful. What can I do about i...

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Frequency of visits with EP

Hello,

I am 38, have CCHB, and have been paced for 21 years.  My pediatric EP retired about a year ago, so I was moved over to the adult clinic and am working with a new EP.  I have seen him twice since switching doctors, but do not have another appointment scheduled and was told by his office that I will only be seen if I am having symptoms or if something unusual pops up on one of my remote pacemaker transmissions.  Is this normal for adult care?  I was seen b...

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I have an ICD & I just gave birth to a baby boy!

Hi everybody! I'm 34 years old, survived a cardiac arrest (Dec 2018), was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Mitral Valve Prolapse, got an ICD (Jan 2019) and...I just gave birth to a healthy baby boy on January 28th, 2020!! I'm one happy and grateful first-time momma!

It's kinda surreal to think that the same heart that my baby listens to (and finds comfort in), is the same heart that failed me just over a year ago!

I just thought I'd put it out there in case there'...

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Kardia Mobile 6L

Before I got my pacer, I was using a Kardia Mobile 6L to monitor atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. Following my implant in November of 2019, it appeared that the Kardia was still correctly recording my EKG. however, in the last coupke weeks, it has suddenly become unable to record an EKG, and tells me thst there is "interference". Also, since an ablation in October, my EKG has looked weird, but my EP assyred me that for ne, it was normal - based on everything I've had done...

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Unable to sleep

I've had a Pacemaker since I was five days old, but I never really had any trouble with it. However, since getting a new one in 2016, I've had trouble sleeping. When I told the doctors, they said they'd turn down my pacemaker a but at nighttime, but this hasn't helped. I'm tired, but I just can't sleep (hence, me writing this at five to one in the morning) . I really need help, because it's starting to impact my schoolwork and daily life. Do any others ha...

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Pre Planning

I'm watching a movie where and EMP shuts down the entire country -  in it a woman says "omg I have a pacemaker " - she ultimately dies .

i wonder if an emp would shut my pacemaker down immediately  ?

if not I guess I would be OK until my battery life ended ?

can anyone think of any steps we could take to be best prepared for such an event  ?

i could buy an extra device but there would be no way to implant it  ?

Thoughts ?

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Redo of PM

Hi, I have my pacemaker for 3 weeks and just found out that I have Pacemaker Syndrome. One of my leads has moved out of the muscle so, consequently, my pacemaker is not working and needs to be redone on Monday. The dr. said that this only happens 1% of the time and may have been caused by my chronic sneezing. He is recommending implanting a thicker lead which would be less inclined to move....HOWEVER....I could NEVER have an MRI because of the material used in this thicker lead. Anyone ever h...

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Implantable loop recorder

Hey guys I'm new here I am just wondering is it normal to feel bit spaced out the day after and short of breathe  I have had a loop recorder fitted to find out what happens during my blackouts and to determine whether I need a defibrillator fitted I'm 21 also when can I change the dressing 

Nice to meet you all 

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Pacemaker lead not working and shortness of breath

Had the pacemaker put in over thanksgiving. Blood pressure became extremely high. Went to another cardiologist, they put me on Entresto and the surgeon who put the pacemaker realized the lead wasn't working and scheduled a surgery. Lead was recovered. Blood pressure returned to high levels, shortness of breath was more common and can't walk far and can't sleep because if the shortness of breath and weakness. Three weeks later they see the lead of a not working (never see the docto...

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Member Quotes

Yesterday was my first day mountain biking after my implant. I wiped out several times and everything is fine. There are sports after pacemakers!