Most Recent Messages

IST

Can Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia be detected during an EP Study or is it just the diagnosis given when all other forms of tachy are ruled out?

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Heart Failure!

I agree with DD. It may well be true that I am at a higher risk of dying from CHF now that I have a pacemaker, but it just so happens that without my pacemaker I would actually already be dead.
I am happy for you Robin if you are either not with pacemaker or only atrially paced, but for many of us there were no options in whether we got a PM or not. I have had two extra years so far, to watch my son grow up a bit, that I would not have had without this wonderful bit of technology and hope i...

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coping with changing medication near death

Thanks for the people who wrote to me. It is good to talk to people who have some problems like me.

I am having lots of problems at the moment. I have POTS aka postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. what happens to me is that I have very high pulse, norm is about 120 - 150. I blackout a few times a week, it use to be 10 - 15 times a day before I got the pm. My whole life changed, I lost all my friends because I could not keep up with them and now I am 28 living at home with parent...

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Heart Failure

Your report on pace makers causing heart failure was very interesting but I dont see how any of us who had no choice could do anything about it,This is a discouraging report in that for all of us it is after the fact. I for one have enough trouble getting used to having this thing much less reading what it can cause when I can do nothing about it.DD

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physical therapy

has anyone had physical therapy for the arm on the PM side? i am 3.5 months postop and my left arm/shoulder is still a bit stiff and somewhat motion restricted. it seems that when i move in the daytime it loosens up but is stiff the next morning. any suggestions?
steve

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WHAT CAN I DO NOW

have card. appt. wed.do not like the amioderone,for mos. i said it maid me sick.what altern. do i have to tell him tomm.

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Study regarding heart failure and ventricular pacing

Hello All

The study I am refering to was done by cardiologists from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of New Brunswick
as follows:

Pacemaker study sees increase in heart failure rates
Filed under: Cardiology


Worrisome results, in a study of patients with implanted pacemakers, have been published by a group of cardiologists from the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports:

Pati...

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Reverse Placebo

The placebo effect is well known where our belief that a med or treatment will actually have an effect even though is an inert sugar pill or sham surgery.

Knowing this why shouldn't there be a Reverse Placebo Effect where our uneasy or negative feelings about a med or treatment can reduce or negate its effect?

This is important here because there are frequent posts about feeling less than human with a pacemaker, or uneasy about taking a med or meds. This can't be overcome b...

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Ventricle pacing and heart failure

Hello all:

I'm going to this issue again of right ventricle pacing potentially causing syptoms of heart failure. Don't want to alarm anyone but I have read some abstracts from some studies that indicate the possibility of this occuring. i have a lead in my right atrium and right ventricle for 2nd degree AV block. My SA node works fine so my atrium is not paced. BUT my ventricle is paced 90% of the time.

The studies seem to indicate that pacing the right ventricle, espe...

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What were they doing?

During my recent pacemaker implant, I was of course heavily sedated but woke up during the procedure to a lot of pain - it felt like something was being jammed into my chest (above my left breast). When I started talking (hello that hurts!) the doctor said that I shouldn't talk because it could collapse my lung. What I'm wondering is...what was he doing? I thought the leads were fed in through veins, so what could collapse a lung?

I read in someone else's post here about the surger...

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Anti-Depressants

Hello everyone,

I was on Cymbalta for about a year and a half when back in Aug '07 I went to the hospital with a heart rate of 30. The Cardio Dr. thought maybe the Cymbalta was causing the irregular heart rate. After 6 days of being off of Cymbalta and still in the hospital with no significant change in heart rate. I was scheduled for a pacemaker the next day. I have Bradycardia with second degree blockage.

I see that many antidepressants can cause heart irregularities.

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Pacemaker Dislocated/Severe burning

My pacemaker dropped!! I had 3 surgeries at this site (long story) I have been in pain for 3 months- I went to my cardiologist in Jan. he wanted to wait to see if the tissue around the pacemaker would heal. I have excessive scar tissue due to the previous surgeries. The burining is unbearable. They think the pounch has been stretched and is pulling ( my pacemaker is to the left of my arm pit!!!!!!!It . I am going today and I have no idea what to expect- Has anyone experienced this????

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pacemaker placement

Hi, I'm so happy I just found this site. I'm a very thin 39 yr old female, I had my 1st pacemaker put in this Jan. It seems like it is sticking too far over toward my underarm. Everytime, I move my arm, I feel it, it hurts to sleep on that side, it hurts when I use my left arm too much. Is anyone else having these type of problems?? The Dr. dismissed my complaints. Thanks for any help

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Chi Machine

I am interested in purchasing a Chi Machine for my wife. Their
disclosure says to not use with an old pacemaker. I contacted them and they described old as before 2000. My wife had her implant in 2006. No matter what they said, she is still a bit leery of buying the machine. My question is obvious. Is there anyone in this huge database that has a Chi Machine and does not have problems. I am just trying to alleviate her fears.
Thanks.

Ed

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Rate drop response

A couple of months ago I had the rate drop response turned on. I am due for my next check up to see how things are going. Since then I don't seem to have had any more event days so hopefully it is working. I was wondering if at the next check up will the pacemaker have recorded any activation of this feature.
Also I don't understand how this can work. If say my heart rate was 75 and it tried to drop to zero (as it would before the PM) and the PM kicked in at 60 bpm (my bottom rate setting)...

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repetitive motions

greetings all:
i have been reading the posts concerning repetitive movements and their effects on PM leads. obviously, the designers of the PMs took these types of motions into consideration when producing the PMs but i am still a bit concerned about the effects of these types of movements. the discussions centered around weight lifting but what about other movements such as trimming trees/shrubs with a non-power tool or raking debris, swimming etc. these are all repetitive movements that u...

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Atrial Fibrillation Attacks

Hello All - do any of you know any tricks to halt an atrial fibrillation attack, please? They frighten me so. I've a dual lead ELA pacemaker and take 50mgs of Flecainide twice daily, as well as 2.5mgs of Bisoprolol daily, and have done so since my PM was implanted in April last year. To date the A.Fib's been well-controlled. However, this last week I've suffered several episodes of longer duration. I hate the idea of taking heavier doses of medication.

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cabin crew

i'm 23 and i've had my pacemaker for a year now, was wondering if anyone knows if i can get a job as cabin crew, or is it too dangerous?

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RF fields

Hello all,just joined the group.Two short questions.I had my Medtronics Sensia L implanted six weeks ago.Do Medtronics do an info pack and is it available only in the USA? I am in the U.K. on the other side of the pond!
Any Ham radio ops on the list? I am still a bit concerned about the RF floating around when I operate on air.
Thanks in advance.
Roly.

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POTS & PM

Does anyone have POTS and a pm.
If so do you have a normal social life, working, driving
I have POTS and a pm I am 28 years old and just been to the doctors again to change my medication. I am not coping very good. Any help would be great I NEED IT
Lainie

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You know you're wired when...

You fondly named your implanted buddy.

Member Quotes

I love this new part of me, and very, very thankful that this technology exists and I know that it's all only going to get better over time.