I'm 28 years old. I've had four episodes where I passed out without warning over the course of several years. I've had every test known to man, and now have a surgically implanted heart monitor. My holter monitor showed my heart stoping for 2 and 3 second intervals during my sleep. Last week, I went to my cardiologist to have my monitor checked and it showed my heart had stopped for 7 seconds. He now says I have to get a pacemaker. I'm not scared of the procedure--I've had a number of operations. However, I am worried about how it will effect my lifestyle. I am planning on having children in the near future. Also, I have a pretty bad back injury that would need future MRI's. Also, I have breast implants--the only way to detect a leak is an...

 

Hi,
Ok so here is the continuation of my saga between my doctors and me. I got a call from ym cardiologist this mornig and I missed his call because I was in the middle of dealing with a patient. He left a message telling me to call between 2-5. I did call at around 2:30 and his receptionist told me that he just went down to see a patient on the floor and he would call me when he gets back. I then called my G.P because I was concerned that he was calling me with bad news since at my last G.P's visit she told me that my cardiologist won't be returning my call because unless it was bad news she would tell me what is going on and leave the bad news to my cardiologist so I immediately went into panic mode worrying about what he was callin...

 

Okay I am due for my mamogram.. so with the PM how does one do this? I have been hearing ultra sound is a better choice? Please let me know what all of you gals have done with this and the PM
Thank you :)

 

hi its me Patsy all is well with me starting to kinda feel normal again pm implant 10/28/09 i was just wondering has anyone with recent implants feel tired by the end of the day im exhausted never really been like this before pm im a very motivated person at age 48 an since pm i will go to work come home rest for about a hour then start my dinner clean up an i have nothing left in me you no girls as moms an wife home is our second job an i really like things clean an so so my husband helps with wash cause our wash machine is in basement an he doesnt want me carrying clothes up an down he so sweet but really i thought i would feel me energy since i have the energizer bunny in me any input anyone............one more question i live in new j...

 

Just got back from the Hematologist; had my bone marrow biopsy done, and boy did it hurt. He had a hard time getting biopsy and had to jiggle it around. Thank GOD its over :) My blood platelets are down more so the prednisone not working. He has me set up tomorrow for a 4 hr vein infusion of Gamma Globulin.

 

OK. It is officially 2 weeks since the eveready bunny became my cousin. I got a 2 lead PM on 1/25. I am 59 and ticking. The shoulder is finally starting to feel normal, which I realize is a mixed blessing because it is harder to remember to keep it down. Hubby said he was going to tie it down if he saw me raise it, which so far I have not. I really don't want anything to happen to those leads...I want them to stay put.
My question is how long do the steri strips stay on? I think they are growing into my skin, They said don't pull them off - they would fall off. Has anyone every had them stay on forever????. Seems like I am being alittle whiny with all that everyone here has to deal with, because overall I feel great! Bef...

 

Hi :)
Does anyone have achey legs?
blood pressure is fine and pulse is fine..legs not swollen and no red marks...
I don't underswtand the achey leg deal?
I have had my PM for 3 months and the achey leg thing started off and on about a month ago....
I suppose I better call the Dr and find out...
I just wondered if anyone experienced something like this
Thank you

 

I just found out a close friend of the family recently had a PM implant. He is about 46 years old, married with two young children. He lives in Ft. Stockton, Tx., but the nearest big hospital, I think, is San Angelo. I hear he is doing okay, I hope.

I am mailing him a note introducing him to the PM Club & urging him to join. I was wanting to send a few jokes and "cartoons" from the PM Club "Joke" forum. I printed out a few of the written jokes, but what I am really wanting/needing is the pics. of jokes, but do not know how/where to find them. I have seen one of a man carrying a car battery in something like, needing to change his PM battery ~ it was really cute. Where do I locate the "cartoon" type jokes (pics w/funnies)?...

 

Hi Everyone,
It is late Sunday here and I have had the worst weekend so far. I told you about my G.P appointment on Thrusday and she was going to look into follow up for the results of my event recorder. She sent me an email this weekend asking me how willing I am to undergo another pacemaker surgery. I'm very scared. The first one I had got very infected with staph and I ended up in the hospital for almost 2 weeks and had to have it out and on very strong antibiotics. She also told me that I'm having a-fib and SVT again so now I have both fast and slow rhythms and the a-fib is new. I am so scared. I don't know what any of this means. I am going to see her on Wednesday for follow up to our appointment on Thrusday, but still haven't se...

 

what are you questions about a bone marrow biopsy... I can help you.

 

Found this at www.hrtcare.com

WARNING -----> VERY LONG POSTING

Neurocardiogenic Syncope

Syncope (fainting) is one of the most common medical ailments encountered in clinical practice. Although frequently thought of as a condition with a neurological origin, it’s actually a cardiovascular problem - as such, a neurologic work-up is seldom rewarding. The two main causes of syncope are cardiac arrhythmias and neurocardiogenic (vasovagal, vasodepressor) syndromes. In both of these conditions, blood circulation to the brain is reduced, resulting in temporary loss of consciousness.


Among the arrhythmias causing syncope, tachycardias (fast heartbeats), particularly those of ventricular origin, ra...

 

Hi again.

I was just remembering one of our members asking about headaches after having his/her pacemaker, some of us even experience dizziness and the feeling that you're going to faint.

Well, here are 2 articles that help explain what Pacemaker Syndrome is.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1502063


http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/159706-overview

I'm in the helping mode today :)


Pookie

 

Just trying to help out the newbies.....


Now that you have a pacemaker (or soon may get one), you may be wondering why you need one and how a pacemaker works. Your artificial pacemaker is a modern marvel; it's medical science's solution to the electrical problems of a slow or irregular heartbeat. But before you can understand how your pacemaker works, you first need to know a little about your heart. Basically, your heart is a pump made of special muscle. It pumps blood to all your body's cells. This is vital, because the blood carries oxygen and nourishment to keep your cells alive and healthy.

Your heart beats (pumps blood) because special cells in your heart (the heart's natural pacemaker, called the si...

 

Managing Your Pacemaker

Do your part in managing your pacemaker. You may have to have someone help you, but there are certain things you'll need to do to manage your pacemaker successfully. These include:
Understand your acceptable heart rate. Before you leave the hospital, discuss with your doctor the specific maximum heart rate above your pacemaker rate that's acceptable. Discuss the programmed lower and upper rate for your pacemaker, too. Talking about this with your doctor early in your treatment will keep you from worrying unnecessarily.

Take your pulse and keep a record for your doctor. Counting your pulse is a good way to check that your heart is pumping correctly. Every time your heart beats, it pumps bl...

 

Hi everyone, with so many "newbies" lately I thought it might be of some help to repost some really informative articles I found.



Found in today's American Heart Association Newsletter:

When taken exactly as prescribed, medications can do wonders. They can help prevent heart attack and stroke. They can also prevent complications and slow the progression of coronary heart disease. Make sure that your doctor knows all the drugs you're taking, including over-the-counter drugs and natural supplements. Discussing all the drugs you take will help you prevent serious side effects and help the medications have their desired effects.

In this list of medications used to treat arrhythmias, we've included ...

 

Hi everyone, found the following information from the Mayo Clinic Website.....and it's understandable!! yippee.

Ejection fraction is a measurement of the capacity at which your heart is pumping.

During each heartbeat cycle, the heart contracts and relaxes. When your heart contracts, it ejects blood from the two pumping chambers (ventricles). When your heart relaxes, the ventricles refill with blood. No matter how forceful the contraction, it doesn't empty all of the blood out of a ventricle. The term "ejection fraction" refers to the percentage of blood that's pumped out of a filled ventricle with each heartbeat.

Because the left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber, ejection fraction is usually ...

 

I thought I would like to have a question answered by some one about chest X-Rays of PM & leads. A number of years ago I had a routine chest X-Ray and caught just a glimse of my X-Ray as the nurse walked by. I asked her if I could see it as I already had irritation started around my PM pouch.

Now, this particular test was not for checking PM positioning or leads. The nurse was happy to let me do a thorough look at the X-ray. The definition was excelllant, looked good to me, too good.
As being in electronics all my life, I couldn't believe seeing every circuit component on the circuit board inside the PM???? This was on my 3rd Medtronic Enrthym PM. How could one get this through a Titanium enclosure?? It has bug...

 

Just had my pacemaker put in last Tuesday and my shoulder feels so achy and my chest is achy too especially when I first wake up or if I laugh (so better not do that!). It's so hard to sleep normally and I think that is why I feel stiff because I'm on the couch, then in the bed, then on the chair.... I'm afraid to sleep on my left side for fear of moving my pacemaker. Also I am so paranoid about moving my left arm for fear of the leads coming out and when I laugh too I'm afraid they will pop out. How do they put the leads in to secure them? As you can see, I'm getting a little paranoid. Oops...one more question....It said to take the bandage off in 3 days and shower and that if there was a butterfly bandage underneath those, to leave...

 

Hi,

Was just wondering if anybody had their PM implanted under their left pectoral muscle? And do they have complete range of motion to that arm?

I had mine implanted in Oct of 09 and still cannot raise my left arm above my head like my right one without having pain, Was wondering if it gets better? Thanks Carol

 

This post has nothing to do with a PM. I just came back from a show put on by John Edwards the psychic. He has the t.v. show called "Crossing Over". My wife and I attended a group reading today. It was fascinating to see him work. He is able to talk to people who have passed and reconnect them with living family members. I was somewhat of a skeptic until I saw him work. If anyone has an opportunity to see this show it's well worth it. You'll be amazed. He was able to read quite a few people today. One guy who was read said he wasn't a believer until today. John Edwards was able to connect him with family members and loved ones who passed. He said the psychic was correct on everything. It was a very emotional show. I wasn't re...