Most Recent Messages

Heart muscle twitching

I'm going to ask if anyone is experiencing or has experienced a "twitching" of the heart after PM implantation? Not anything that is visible through the skin, but it seems like it should! It started the day of implantation. At that time, it was an average of 200 to 500 twitches a day . . . very, very light twitching, irregular, and slower than my heart rate, and sometimes going a few hours of just being normal, i.e., not aware of any movement at the heart. My PM was set at 50 at the time, and...

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cycling after pacer

Well it has been one year since I had my pacer installed Medtronic ADDR01011D
I cycle up to 300 miles per week and have entered several races including a 200km just 18 days after the pacer was installed. I found out that the Doctor that did the install did just an "out of the box" install and had to go to a different doctor for 2 adjustments. That took care of the problems I had (minor)
I have noticed that my Polar heart monitor will show readings of up to 230bpm but have no feeling...

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Thanks for changing post time!

Thank you to whoever is responsible for changing the time the posts are listed! The current 7 days or so is soooooooo much better than the last 10 posts! On a busy day the post you may have been really watching can "disappear" and sometimes searching for them isn't so easy...

I like this format much better! Thanks.

Swedeheart

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Blue tooth cell phone ear pieces OK?

Do blue tooth wireless cell phone ear pieces interfer with pacers?

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traveling

I go to Disney Orlando every year...due to my bad back I always chose my rides carefully.......I received my pacemaker/defibular 1 and a half years ago. So this will be my first trip since surgery.....I have my card to show at the airport...very nervous about that I had problems at my local courthouse with showing my card and receiving an attitude...I am telling myself airports deal with this all the time.so I shouildn't have problems. Also in my booklet it said if you plan on sex tell your doct...

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problem

i have a question i have had a pacemaker/defibrillator since june 1 2005 the specialist said it was supposed to last 4 to 5 years but it is at 2.55 and they change it at 2.4 so im kind of worried about what is going to happen he said that they want me to start goin every 3 months now and he said that im gonna have a new one here shortly so if anybody has any suggestions please let me know thank you

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Can't fly

Noticed the ad on this page "How soon can I fly again". I was told not so long ago by my cardiologist that he would prefer that I don't fly again in future - have to take holidays in UK which wouldn't be bad if my OH was keen on driving!
I have pulmonary hypertension and believe this is why he has asked me not to fly.

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South Orange County?

Hello Friends,

I've used the Member List to search for friends in my local area without results. Anyone out there who lives in So Orange County, CA? I am in Rancho Santa Margarita. Thank you.

Sharon

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gaining weight

I have a problem with my weight. Since getting the pacemaker 4 years ago I have put on 40 pounds. I am 59 years old and work as a L&D nurse. I also have hypothyroidism. I watch what I eat and try to work out at least 3 days a week. I drink mostly water and do not eat fatty foods. I am on Diovan, Zebata and Synthroid. It is as if my body refuses to let go of the extra weight. I hate the way clothes look on me. And forget looking in the mirror. All the doctors tell me I should lose weigh...

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The Pulse Spring 2008

I read the issue and was so thrilled to see something that I can purchase for when I am in a car and the seat belt hurts my chest where my pacemaker is. Also the comfortHer bra strap is also something I really need. My pacemaker is big and parts kinda bulge out of my chest.........They say I need this size because I have a three lead one and this one makes both sides of my heart work in unison. I also have obstructive cardiomyopathy and my heart does not fill as a normal heart will......Have to...

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St. Jude 5376 dual chamber pacemaker

Has anyone had difficulty adjusting to this pacemaker? After an extensive unsuccessful ablation for A-Fib, my A/V node was ablated necessitating the implant of this pacemaker, which was heralded to suppress A-Fib. For 9 months I could hardly walk from my car to my classroom ( a very short distance) while carrying a not so heavy bookbag and purse without stopping and leaning on the school building half-way. My doc said I was too anxious about it and it wasn't going to get any better. I went t...

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Problems

My PM was installed in Aug. of 07.For the most part all has been going very well.At times I will wake up in a cold sweat, sob and heart pounding with ocassional angina.They have me Digoxin .25,Diovan 160,Metoprolol 150mg,Zetia,Pravastin,Furomoside,Asprin 160 and Potasium.My stress test was ok and the electocardiogram was fine.
Back before they in stalled my pm I had complained about problems I was having.Last July it was detected during normal office visit.He put me on an event monitor and...

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Kids & Pacemakers

My son is 21 he has had a pacemaker since age two. We let him live a pretty much normal life. No contact sports, But he has a brown belt in karate, Also played played baseball since age 5. Now at age 21 his softball team is ranked second in Indiana NSA. Also he works full time as a asst manager at a local store and goes to college full time and is on the Deans List. We are very proud of him. So parents with special kids good things do happen just love them and be there for them. Our son was al...

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sleeping soundly

What a great resource this site is for those of us just joining the pacemaker ranks. I am a 49 year old with a medtronic dual lead pacemaker. I am one week past implant. I am a quick healer and pretty healthy and am feeling pretty good now except for being sleep deprived. I am a side and belly sleeper and just cannot get comfortable on my back. I've tried to sleep on my right side but feel like the incision is being stretched. I've tried wedge pillows behind my shoulders and knees and Ambien as...

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Peddling Angioprim

Hello All,

Did any of you receive an email in your private message box from a peddler selling a product named Angioprim? Or, did I just get lucky? LOL This ticks me off big time. How dare he/she use this PM club as a means to reach people with cardiac disease! That said, sorry if I offended anyone and I hope this isn't someone Blake okayed to advertise! LOL.

Sharon

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Nerve Conduction Test

The hand surgeon for my severe carpal tunnel syndrome is insisting he does this admittedly horribly painful on pacemaker patients with no problem. But Medtronic told both me and the tech who also called that they would prefer I not do it, or if unavoidable, have a pacemaker tech with me! (I'm completely pacemaker-dependent; have had a pacer for 20 years -this is my third; am 76.) I'm also fearful because once during a pacer check, the tech hit the wrong line on the screen and I began to lose...

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Pilates Machine

I wanted to know if anyone has a pilates machine. The range of motion when doing pilates ropes, do they hurt the muscles around the pacemaker ? Sometimes when I do light weight training, it is tender around my pacemaker. Also, in general does anyone have tenderness around the pacemaker ? I have had the PM since 2002, and now it is tender ? Who the heck knows ??

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Comment for sandy529

This is in response to Sandy 529 "having a hard time running now". I am 68 years young, very athletic, mostly a cyclist. 2 years ago I had an AV block necessitating implant of a medtronic dual chamber pacemaker. Immediately I was unable to achieve my former exertion levels, very frustrating. My cardiologist told me the pacemaker was limited to 150 bpm, and that I would have to live with that. I knew that I had prior been able to achieve much higher rates I was able to train my body to impr...

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It seems like tough and lonely work!

Hi everyone, I'm a 45 year old single Dad and I get very little help with bringing up my two sons aged 16 and 13. The boys themselves know that Dad is unwell and they also know that stress makes me sicker and so on the whole they help me more than they hinder. I have three jobs that I work at mostly from home but without these three jobs I can't make ends meet. I was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy with the additional complication of permanent left bundle branch block about six years ago -...

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Details of Heart and PM

I read so many postings of details of that person's heart and pacemaker and leads and percentages and beats per minute.
I know nothing about this, other than two leads.
Either my cardiologist does not tell me so much or I will learn these things as I have any needed tests done.
I had my PM in on Feb. 14th. Yesterday I was in bed all day from fatigue and short winded. I will be getting a holter monitor on Monday to see if there is something wrong, perhaps that is how I find out...

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You know you're wired when...

The meaning of personal computer is taken a step further.

Member Quotes

I have an ICD which is both a pacer/defib. I have no problems with mine and it has saved my life.