Most Recent Messages

Shocking

Hi everyone
I had my second pm in 2005, my first one was in for 17 years and no problem at all, but my second one, well what can I say. I have not been too good since having this one, it is a Medronic, that is all i know about it. At the moment it is in my left shoulder but I am having sorness around the pacing box and a little swelling. Occassionally I get small like shocking waves going down my left arm. As anyone else experienced this.
Please advice if at all possible
Thank...

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chat

any one up to chatting tonight?

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honestly i was not drinking lol lol

i tried to post a picture of jessica and michael but ended up posting a picture of alaska lol lol only i and my technical ability. lol i will have to get john to help me to-morrow actually post a picture of them love,jessie

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Size of leads??

I'm curious about the actual size of the leads/wires that run down through the vein and into the heart. I was looking at the display of PMs and leads outside the cath lab and those leads look very large in diameter, maybe 1/16" or even slightly larger. I remember seeing one post somewhere on the PMClub that referred to the leads as being about the size of a human hair. That's a lot of difference.

Does anyone know how large these things actually are?

Thanks.

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swimming

when I swim, my left arm swells up and goes numb so I have to stop for 20 seconds at the end of each length until the swelling subsides (no blood return since they put the leads in a vein).

Does anyone else experience swelling. I don't have blood clot and this happened right off the bat six years ago when I had my pacemaker.

Is there a solution to this.

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severe emphysema

aside from having total heart block for years and a pacemaker for 23 years, i'm 63. i have now been diagnosed with severe emphysema, i' really having a hard time with it. does anyone know if this is going to decrease my mortality?

have a good day and GOD BLESS,
nelson

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Nonstandard Treatment

A 63 year old woman went to the emergency room, where she was seen by a young new doctor. After about 3 minutes in the examination room, the doctor told her she was pregnant. She burst out of the room and ran down the corridor screaming. An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was; after listening to her story, he calmed her down and sat her in another room

Then the doctor marched down the hallway to the first doctor's room. "What is wrong with you?" he demanded. "Thi...

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chat

anyone up to chatting tonight?

pat

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christmas

i received an early christmas present to-day. the other day our grandaughter jessica was crying because her grandparents are not around at this time of the year. they have been home a few times over the years but we hadn't been out since michael was a baby and he is great. my husband surprised me and got our daughter to book flights for the 23rd fro calgary. they already have cold and a back yard rink. it is great. i am sure looking forward to it jessieto me christmas is all about family and bei...

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christmas

i received an early christmas present to-day. the other day our grandaughter jessica was crying because her grandparents are not around at this time of the year. they have been home a few times over the years but we hadn't been out since michael was a baby and he is great. my husband surprised me and got our daughter to book flights for the 23rd fro calgary. they already have cold and a back yard rink. it is great. i am sure looking forward to it jessieto me christmas is all about family and bei...

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Heart Block Cured, Should PM Be Removed

I had my aortic valve replaced at The Cleveland Clinic in September. During the surgery, the surgeon found a shelf of calcium just below the AV node and removed it. The removal of the calcium shelf has eliminated my heart block and the need for my pacemaker.

My question is, should I consider having the pacemaker sugically removed? I have had the pacemaker since February of 2007.

Thank you,
Blnmakerr

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Sotalol Experience

I have Ventrical tachycardia (4 episodes so far). One put me into the ER (240 pulse), I ended up with a defib and an attempted ablation (they couldn't get to any, though).

I was then placed on Toprol XL, 25 mg. Was fine for a while, then I got hit with another Vtach at 285 bpm. So, back to the doc, he raised my Toprol XL to 50 mg, was again fine until last Friday, when once again I got hit with a Vtach at 245, then early saturday morning (just as I woke up) at 218 bpm, which didn't re...

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Antibiotics May Not Aid Sinus Infections

Here's a good article-I've been telling people this for years!


Antibiotics May Not Aid Sinus Infections

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer


CHICAGO (AP) -- Just in time for runny nose season, new research suggests routine sinus infections aren't really helped by antibiotics and other medicine that's often prescribed.

In the British study, people suffering from facial pain and a runny nose with greenish or yellowish mucous generally imp...

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Question : Medical Profession, i.e. Nursing

Hello Everyone,

As some of you may have read, I had to give up my beloved job as a Locomotive Engineer due to having the PM and the electromagnetic fields of the locomotive.

I am now in search of a new profession. I have been interested in the field of Nursing for a while.

Question:

Does anyone know if there are any limitations working as a Nurse with a PM?

Thank you for your time.

Take care,
Casey Jo

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Defective Devices

Many of us feel like we may be walking around with a disaster waiting to happen in our chests. The following excerpts from an article on defective devices will not help those feelings but it is something very real that we have to consider. The article was of great interest to me because it tells me many things about what my recourse may be in the event I get a defective device as my replacement pacemaker, which will probably be in 2008.

From the Austin American Statesman - “The ca...

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chat

hi it is 10:10 here at night i am going to chat if anyone wishes to chat maureen i got kicked off and could not post or go to message or anything. must be my computer sorry susan

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chat

hi it is 10:10 here at night i am going to chat if anyone wishes to chat maureen

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coffee and stress

Hope one of you can answer this for me. Because of a severely enlarged atria and a failed ablation, I was given a AV node ablation. Before that, I had been in afib almost continually for several months and my heart rate would go from thirties to 140. My question is this. I do not feel it because my upper heart is blocked and the lead from the pacemaker goes directly to the ventricle (the atri nowl is always in afib). Will coffee and stress cause more problems to my heart now that I have my pm.?...

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Does anyone feel like I do

Hi
My 1st PM (with only one lead) was put in DEC 1989 for Bradycardia .I had a 2nd one put in 7 yrs later .In that time I experienced SVT and was put on Digoxin .I was better for a while and then I started to pass out and went to the ER where I was admitted into CICU and the Dr said I need a new PM but with two leads now because of heart block.I continued to feel weak and even passed out a few times .I was readmitted to CICU again where I was sput on the Tilt Table and diagnosed w/ Ne...

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Magnesium

Hi all,
I am a relative mewby-Mar 07.
I don't post much stuff myself ,but I enjoy reading all the replies from the regulars to help all the people who are unsure and worried about whats to come.It's great that you continue to help out others, many years on :-)

I have done a bit of reading about Magnesium, and from what I read it is a fairly important for electical cunduction in muscles,including the heart.
Has anybody had any experiences with Magnesium and electrolyte l...

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You know you're wired when...

You always run anti-virus software.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.