Most Recent Messages

Abbott biventicular pacer

I am due for replacement.  This unit lasted 4 and 1/2 years, 100 percent paced.  Low HR setting is 60.  Yesterday I noticed my heart rate at rest was 55 and stayed constant while at rest.  I called the pacemaker clinic.  I got a call back from the pacemaker tech who said he had to call Abbott technical to find out.  They told him when the pacemaker went into elective replacement they lower the threshold to 55 to conserve battery life until replacement.  Firs...

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Left Chest Ache

Had the PM fitted in December 2023. Recently I have been feeling some aches on the left side of my chest a little lower than the armpit. Is it related? 

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How soon have you had an MRI after generator change?

I just got a Medtronic Azure XT DR this morning to replace an Advisa with low batteries. Easy peasy! I haven't even needed a Tylenol.

I need to have two MRIs. One for my brain, and that one's overdue. It's part of follow-up for the brain surgery I had last August. The other is because my liver is acting up, and they haven't figured out exactly why yet.

The Medtronic policy is apparently that I will have to wait six weeks post-surgery, even though the leads are not...

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Have Afib?

Amazing video of an ultrasound of a heart in Afib. Check the clot bouncing around in there, ready to cause havoc.  This highlights the importance of not missing your prescribed blood thinner dose.

Copy and paste link in your browser:

https://x.com/em_resus/status/1771735405659889854?s=46&t=5R-ofKdS4Yqevba38JFpfA

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The terminator gets a pacemaker

Hey Dave, he used the same clinic you did! From Rolling Stone online:

After years of heart complications, Arnold Schwarzenegger has undergone surgery to receive a pacemaker. The 76-year-old actor detailed his decision to undergo the medical procedure in a recent newsletter, updating readers on his swift recovery process and revisiting the timeline of his previous open-heart surgeries. 

“Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little bit more of a...

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Pacemaker Mediated Tachycardia

Hello,

I received a 17-page report on the status of my dual chamber Biotronik pacemaker for sinus node dysfunction for the period of early October to the present. Though the report is quite complex, a few things jumped out at me.  My atrium is pacing at 61% and my ventricle less than 1%. My settings are 50-110. My average heart rate is 68. I'm taking 12.5 mg of metropolol in the morning and 200 mg of acebutolol in the late afternoon.

I'm averaging 4 PVCs per hour and...

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HOW LOW DOES BATTERY NEED TO BE BEFORE REPLACED?

I am being monitored monthly and sending my info in every week through the home monitor.  My doctor said that insurance will not cover until my battery is depleted to a certain point.  I am now at 2.5 months left of battery life.  I use my pacer 50% of the time.

Does anyone know how far depleted does the battery need to be?  It's like a guessing game.  I just want to kind of know.  I have never had it replaced before.

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Maximum Heart Rate Settings

I'm 100 % dependent on my pacemaker. The upper limit maximum is set at 170 beats per minute. Is it harmful to the heart if a higher rate is needed during exercise? 

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Defibrillator with pacemaker

I currently have a three lead pacemaker being I have total AV block I am wanting to percent pacemaker dependent.

AV block I am wanting to percent pacemaker dependent.

I have recently been diagnosed with cardiac ATTR Amylodosis. 

I am in constant  flutter. 

My EP Dr suggested maybe I needed to fibrillator as well as back up in case I have issues with fast heart rate.

Normally, I'm at 80 but now I'm at 100 occasionally dropping to 80.

H...

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Peptides and low heart arrythmia

Does anyone in this forum have experience in peptides . 

Do they harm , as anyone tried them ? 

Hope all is well 

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When more medication isn’t always the answer

I thought I would share this with you all because I can see the funny side of it now but of course it is a serious matter.

As some of you may know, I struggle at times to look after my husband who has several difficult to control health conditions.  Last night I panicked when I saw his blood glucose level hitting an all time low of around 54 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) if my Freestyle Libre sensor was accurate.  Levels should be above 4.0 mmol/L. This happened because I was told to inc...

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Lift Chair

Should a patient get a lift chair?  How long should a patient not drive or go back to an office job?

 

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Pacemaker Side Effects

Hello.  I am three months post pacemaker implant and continue to have shoulder and neck pain.  I have read that this is a common side effect and wonder if any other members have experienced these pains.  I found numerous studies and found that at least 50% of cardiac implants have these side effects but cannot find an answer as to why.  Thank you for your input.

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Post ablation blood pressure

Hi! Got PM 5 years ago, have had flutter/AT since off and on. Yearly checks. 3 weeks ago I went to ER with 230+ bpm. Stayed 2 days, began Sotalol, doubled irbesartan and continued recent 5 amlodapine. Ablation scheduled 4/6. Then 2 weeks later bp shot up 178/104, sitting doing nothing. ER again, this time for observation and days later were able to do "successful  CS OS Focal Atrial Tachycardia ablation". 
Question: bp running significantly lower 2...

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New member!

New Member from the Bahamas, first pacer in feb 22, after passing out for the first time in my life.

Pulse at 30, bp low so I got airlifted to Fla, had the first pacer within 24 hrs.

6 week follow up occasioned a DNA test looking for the cause of my total heart block, and 38%EF, and hypertropic cardio myopathy.

Test came back being positive for late onset FABRY'S Disease which is an X cromosone enzyme disorder!

Have been on a very expensive med for the fabrys which...

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Statins

Hi everyone, I have always thought my diet was exceptionally healthy, but my Cholesterol numbers aren’t exactly where they should be and my cardiologist is thinking about Statins and a lot else if coronary artery disease is confirmed, but I will tell you about the rest another time when I know more and have had a range of tests. 

I may try to get these numbers down with lifestyle and diet alone.  Can you give me any advice about Statins?  Never tried them.  May...

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Lenovo Yoga 7i Wifi Interference

Hello,

I bought a Lenovo Yoga 7i laptop and the wifi interferes with my pacemaker. I feel pressure in my chest and possible slight flutter whenever I turn on the wifi. I'm going to use Ethernet when I'm at home instead. I might also look into an external wifi adapter later. I'd rather not return the laptop.

Does anyone know of an external wifi adapter that I can plug into a USB-C port that they know will not interfere?

Lisa

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Aveir max rate

Long shot, does anyone know the max rate on the Aveir? I poked around on the Abbott site but didn't see it. I was suprised to see Buzbuz's comment that the Micra only goes to 130. We've been considering leadless for my next one, most likely Aveir, but 130 will not do.

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Did I really need a pacemaker?

Greetings, newbie here. Feel much gratitude to be part of this group. Learning a lot, thanks to y'all for your kindness and sharing experiences. 

Boston Scientific l331 PM implant on 2/12/24, all went perfect. Started feeling better the very next day. Started working out within a few days. Avid cyclist, gym workouts, walking, and just activities around the home (on 5 acres with woods). Felt better than before implant.

Before implant I just was always feeling I was missing...

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My Experience Switching from a Dual Lead to a Leadless Pacemaker

Hey everyone! Abi here, I know there are quite a few members currently considering switching from a traditional pacemaker to a leadless. I think I am the first one to make the change so I thought I would post about my experience and the process. This is going to be quite long though.

TLDR: It is fine. It makes more sense to get the first time to avoid the scars and the healing time, but it limits cardio and takes more effort and expertise to program.

Background: 

So I t...

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You know you're wired when...

You always run anti-virus software.

Member Quotes

I consider my device to be so reliable, that I never think about a failure.