Most Recent Messages

Post Message!

In need of information

Hi,
It has been a while since I have posted. I have a St. Jude's pacer that was installed in 2006 due to a botched ablation for correcting WPW. The Dr. burned through my av node and I am in permanant 3 degree heart block. W/o pacer, I am at 38 bpm. I just met with St. Jude's for my annual 2 months ago and have my phone in check last week.
I have had what feels like a change in rhythm? But I am not sure what that would feel like. I have this sensation where there is a off beat in...

Read More...

How Smart!!!!!!!!

Holy Mackerel....what a smart idea.

Interventional cardiologist Ali Massumi, MD was the first physician in the U.S. to replace a pacemaker enclosed in a mesh envelope. The envelope, made of standard surgical mesh, is embedded with two antibiotic agents that provide site-specific antibiotic protection for the pacemaker, which is implanted just below the collarbone. This prevents the need for systemic antibiotics (taken orally). The device is made by TyRx Pharma, Inc., which recently re...

Read More...

Bad News Fairy......

The Bad News Fairy has visited me again and I'm not coping well at all.

It's almost a year since I got sick, thought it was done with and moving forward, happily.

Had a bad bout of pain, thought it was gallstones but it's a growth in my Common Bile duct.

Doesn't seem to be malignant but won't know til it's out.....

I will be having a big, nasty surgery shortly, followed by another 2 or 3 months of recovery...surgeon says 2, GP says 3+ !!

Mus...

Read More...

New to the pacer realm

Howdy folks,
I got a Boston Scientific Altrua 60 single lead implanted last Thursday. I'll be glad when I can drive, dress myself, and sleep without tying my arm down. (I usually like to sleep with my hands behind my head)
The operation was a blast. Fantastic doc, crew, and hospital. Everything is fine. Had my first pacer check yesterday and was surprised to be pacing at 37%. I was wondering if that's good or bad. I guess good since it's been there when I needed it.
Another thing...

Read More...

Heart & Sodium

Hi everyone:
Want to thank you all for your support, am so glad that I found this group. Hope everyone is having a good day.
Now my question about, low-sodium foods. I have a hard time finding anything with low sodium. I did find some soup by campbells, some broth, but that is all that i could find, Anyone else have this problem, or in your area there is a health food store. Curious what everyone else is using?

Read More...

SEAT BELT ISSUES

I would like to know if there is any law or provision made that alows people with a PM not to have to wear a seat belt. It lays on my PM and irritates me.

BUCK

Read More...

Horrible A. Fib. Week

Hi All,
Well this has been a week or so I hope not to repeat anytime soon.
For 9 days I have been in and out of A. Fib. lasting anywhere from 5 hours to 28 hours. After my old medication (Rythmol) stopped working I was switched to 125 mg of Flecainide every 12 hours 2 years ago. It has served me well with only a very few break-throughs now and then. Then the week from hell started.

I called my cardiologist to have his approval to increase this medication to 150 mg. every 2 h...

Read More...

is this normal?

Hi everyone! I just had a pm inserted 1 month ago. I've had 2 setting adjustments and am still easily tired. Getting better since last adjustment 2 days ago. But it doesn't take much to wear me out and get to breathing hard. BP is well withing normal range, and pulse runs usually in the 90's. Is it normal to still be tired most of the time?

Read More...

Pacemaker

Hi. I just had a pacemaker implanted 8 days ago. Totally unexpected and of course, totally scary to me. I am 47 years old. I was told my heart rate was slowing down a lot and getting pauses. Now after having the pacemaker, I feel like I'm constantly aware of every breath I take and always walking on eggshells. I got a couple quick pains in that area today and of course it freaked me out and had to call the doctor. I saw him yesterday and everything checked out fine. How long 'til I start...

Read More...

Wanted to share my good news

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my good news from going into my cardiac doctor. About a week ago I went into see him because I kept feeling like I was going to faint and was short of breath. It was really random though. Turns out it isn't my heart but my blood pressure. So, my doctor lowered my Toperal (Yeah! claps hands). It seems to have helped some relieve some of my tiredness, but I'm still having the blood pressure problems. So he scheduled a treadmill. I absolutely hate them but...

Read More...

Pacer limiting exercize

Dear mitiger

Have your Cardiologist or pacemaker tech readjust the
pacer. I'm a runner and had to have it readjusted twice before I could resume normal running. I later had the "rate response" adjusted so I could start up running/biking faster.

Read More...

new

On July 23 I had aortic valve replaced. this was from a bicuspid valve I was born with...discovered a few years ago.

A few days after procedure, heart rate dipped and I was put on external "pacer", didn't want pacemaker but on July 30 had 2 lead pacemaker put in for "heart block".

Still a little sore in left breast but incision and bump are minimal.

The AVR was so major that recovering from the open heart has been taking the front row, but now am really wonderin...

Read More...

My Mother-In-Law is scared.

I'm wanting to ask quetions for my Mother In-Law. She needs a pacemaker right away. The doctor here, in Canada, have her on a waiting list for 2 years. We are wondering if there is somewhere, where she can go to get it done sooner.?

Read More...

Heart Industry Abbreviations.

Pookie asked me to post this again.
Revisions and corrections are welcome.
This list is for club use so you can copy and paste it to a word processor if you like. I am just keeping it until the club takes it over. Later Charlie

AF or A Fib = Atrial Fibrillation
AV = AtrioVentricular
ApVp = Atrial Paced Ventricle Paced, This is the rate response mode
ApVs = Atrial paced Ventricle sensed
AsVp = Atrial sensed Ventricle paced
AsVs = Atrial sensed Ve...

Read More...

Depressed

Hey guys. Did my teletrace yesterday and when my mom went to put the magnet on, she got worried because it was almost under my arm. She thinks it slipped, so she's going to try to get a hold of my regular doctor to see what's up. It's kind of believable since I lost a lot of weight and it's been bothering me. Oh well, things happen! If I didn't have incredible friends like you guys, I'd probably lose it! :)

Read More...

Pacemaker Party

Well it's been a long road. Seven years trying drugs only to have them fail. I tried Tikosyn last week and before I even left the hospital, it stopped working. I now have a pacemaker that was implanted last week.
It was a blast. I requested that they not sedate me so I was awake for the entire procedure. We laughed, and joked, and jammed to my doc's IPod. We made many funny references to Monty Python. After they wheeled me back to my room, I had felt as if I had just been to a party. I know...

Read More...

Going for checkup Please Pray ! ! !

Hey Everyone I just wanted to let you know that I am going for a checkup tommorow ! ! !

P.S - I am thinking about posting a paper I wrote about Duke Hospital ...I got an A on it !!!

Read More...

My Mom needs prayers

Hi Everyone,

My Mom Delores is having a lump removed of her breast tomorrow. The Dr. did a biopsy and decided that it needs to come out now.

Please keep her in you thoughts and prayers tomorrow at 11 am CST

Thanks
Denise

Read More...

Out of breath

I have been having problems running slowly and yet being out of breath. I've discovered that my pacemaker cuts in half the heart rate when it exceeds 150 bpm. Do other people experience this? What do you do? Thanks in advance


mitiger

Read More...

Bethan

Thought you would all like to read about my sister-in-laws friends little girl.

She is a little fighter.

Just go to the following link

www.bethan.org.uk

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

Member Quotes

I'm 43 and have had my pacemaker four weeks today. I'm looking forward to living another 50 years and this marvelous device inside me will help me do that.