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Please wear the stupid sling!!!

I am having two leads fixed tomorrow, so please wear the sling, even if they tell you its okay to "use your arm' after one week. I really tried my best to follow the instructions of the people who supposedly know best, but now I am having my doubts. both my doctor and the nurse that checks the device after the first week said use your arm, live your life. maybe they should know what that entails. i took their advice and know now that after just two weeks, a lead had come out, of course no one wo...

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heartrate

hi, I have my pacemaker set at 55 beats per minute.

when it is only showing 54 beats per minute I get worried.

how can it be less that what it is set for?

i was told this is not serious.
any help is appreciated, I had bee told previously that it should always at least be the amount it is set for.

thank you so much, therese.

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Swelling and tingling

Hi Everybody,
I am new to the pacemaker world, just got my implant on the 27th of June. I have a duel chamber biotronik cylos. I have expieranced very little pain from it, however I have a couple of symtoms which scare me.
I sometimes get swelling in the feet, not alot but noticable enough. I also still have nasea and seem to never really be hungry. I also sometimes get tingling in my feet, hands and face.
Are these normal reactions to the pacemaker implantation or should...

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SERIOUS PROBLEM

I SEEM TO REACT DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS WHEN MY DEFIB GOES OFF. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO THEM--ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING.

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Birthday question?

where do you list your birthday. I thought the previous message was for me. I think there are two KarenRs here. Karen

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Light Boxes?

Hi Guys,
I know this is putting the cart before the horse! but I have just purchased one of these S.A.D. lights..I have read a fair bit about them.... and living in the UK a country that has more than it share of grey miserable days I thought this might be an investment in my health ....I just wonder if any of you have used one and did you think it was worthwhile or did I put my money down the drain!!!!
Wish you all a great weekend take care.... Peter

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see?

I’ve decided I need to change my life around. So, what you are reading is an on-time birthday message to pacemaker member….

BELLY321!!
Happy Birthday on this day of June 30!

You didn’t give me your year! lol jk that was optional.
I hope you enjoy your regular lifestyle activities of swimming, gardening, sleeping…..or all of them (not at the same time; that could get ugly….imagine sleeping while swimming)

You should take up horseback riding. Here, a p...

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Am I late??!

Blast! Yes, I am. My apologies.
I like whoever coined the phrase “better late than never” :)

Let us travel back in time shall we?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAREN!!
KarenR.: June 28, 1958

You win a teddy bear for being born!!
Here you go:

()".'."()
( (^) )
(ö) (ö)
Disclaimer: not a real bear

Karen enjoys writing, reading, gardening, and most of all, shoveling snow

take care,
~valerie

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Fluid Build-Up Over PM?

I was wondering if any of you have had fluid gather over your PM right after surgery. Maggie has some squishy-ness over her PM. It does not seem infected, just squishy.

Can anyone relate to this situation?

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Hysteresis, one more point

I looked up Hysteresis to further clarify points already made. Hysteresis means "delay", in this case, delaying pacing to maximize the hearts own ability to beat.

For instance, if the lower rate is set to 75, then the hysteresis rate would be 65 or 70 to allow the heart to take over functioning on its own, if it can.

Hope that clarifies the issue further.

Warmly,
Barbara Blocker

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Hi Smitty!

Hi Smitty - Although I have been hit or miss the past few weeks I had not seen a posting from you in quite a while. I was concerned that maybe you were not well. Then this morning there you are telling us all about Hysteresis. Thank you! You are right - that doctor needs to be kicked in the seat of the pants. Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill and then sending the patient off to try to figure out what was just said. Will these docs ever learn to speak in "patient language"? I...

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my husband

Dear pacer and ICD friends,

I just wanted you all to know that my husband lost his battle with heart disease last night. He was very very sick and just couldn't do it anymore. I want to thank you all for being such a great support and source of information while I was searching for answers for him.

Please keep up your good work and stay strong. God bless you all.

Kathy

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Weightlifting alternatives

I just had my pacemaker replaced a few days ago. My doctor told me that I should not have been lifting like I have been after he talked to my family after my surgery. I never was told any restrictions before and now no overhead presses (military presses, bench press or inclines) as the repetitive motion would stress the main lead and possibly fracture it. They replaced the secondary lead when they replaced my pacemaker. I have lifted all these years (I am 45 years old) and I have competed in...

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Big changes

Hi all, I have had my biventricular pacer ICD since March 2006. It has been running very well, with it pacing my ventricles 98% of the time, but it has only needed to take over my pacing 40% of the time and the events have been minimal. In the past 6 months this has all changed, it is now pacing 89% of the time and I have had over 100 svt's each interrogation. I have also developed angina. (This is relieved by the patches and the spray) My main concern is that there may be a blockage in the...

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Ref: (1) week check up

Had my 1st week check up on June 27 (Wednesday) I was
told everything look very good. I was told my PM had 31%
active kicking in to raise my heart rate up, I didn't ask
if this was ok. Anyone out there could comment on this
I would appreciate it very much. Thanks Gene

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Doctors report evidence of "anniversary reaction"

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
Thu Jun 28, 9:08 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A woman whose defibrillator activated one week to the hour after her father died, and recorded the event, may provide the first documented evidence of "anniversary reaction," doctors reported.

The defibrillator acted as a pacemaker, perhaps saving the 50-year-old woman's life. Its function of keeping a precise record of when it was activated made it possible to establish the preci...

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I am now a new member...yay

hello everyone,I have been wanting to thank dave and smitty for their comments, but even though I have been logged in, I was unable to comment or post. I joined a couple months ago and have had trouble with this site. thats a shame because I have enjoyed reading what others experiences have been like. So, I just "rejoined" and it let me post a message so maybe this time around I will have better luck. Thank you Dave and Smitty for responding to my comment last week, your info and advice was ver...

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Protection

I am a nurse who sees many pacer patients. I am curious-is there any type of protective shield that can be used so a patient can use power tools,etc.? Any info would be helpful! Thanks!

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What is Hysteresis mode?

I got my pacemaker in April 2001. I was constantly in bradycardia and had vaso-vagal Syncope and Orthostatic hypotension with dizziness, vertigo and lost of consciousness. Since then I feel much better, but unfortunately those symptoms did not disappear. My lower rate was set at 40, the ADL at 95 and the upper rate at 140. After 1 year the lower rate was changed to 60 and the upper rate to 120. Today I had a new checkup and the PM was switched to hysteresis mode on.
Can you tell me what is...

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From Oz

Hi Folks

Seems ages since I did a posting. Have just scanned through catching up on all the latest. We have gone from drought to flood here in Oz. Last night on the news it showed massive floods in the state of Victoria. (Where rewired Aussie lives) I felt so sorry for the cows stuck in a great sea of water.

We are in the middle of winter having passed the shortest day. I am off to Hobart on Wednesday for my pacemaker check at the Hobart Heart Hospital. My husband ha...

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You know you're wired when...

Born to be Wired is your theme song.

Member Quotes

It's much better to live with a pacemaker than to risk your life without one.