Most Recent Messages in General Posting

Post Message!

reverse shoulder replacement on left shoulder near pacemaker

I did the search on this site.  Came up 2 different people from 2018.  Was wondering if anyone recently has had one done.  The reason for me as have arithris and torn rotator cuff.   Would like to be without pain.

Did see one doctor and of course asked how many and how is it done.  He said incison is more to the left of the pacemaker.  And a different cautiztion is used.  Plus he uses some thing called Arthrex a new device.   Am not sure...

Read More...

Soon to be member, I think

Hi All,New to the forum. 62 year old male. I am currently scheduled to have a pacemaker implanted on 11/21. I have no Idea what kind. I currently have a Boston Scientific loop monitor. I was diagnosed with bradycardia back in May. It's kind of frustrating. I'm probably in better physical shape now than I had been in years. Over a year ago I started working out 4 to 5 times a week on a home elliptical machine and lost over 40 lbs. 

Read More...

Bluetooth Ear Buds

After having my ICD for a couple of months, I finally got around to using my wireless ear buds for a movie on my iPad. I was watching the movie and I discovered that I could hear a low level beat in the background. I thought it was part of the soundtrack at first but when I paused the movie the sound continued. I realised then that it was my heart I could hear in the buds. My questions are: has anyone else experienced this and do the ear buds affect the ICD. I haven't used the buds again...

Read More...

Pulse Oximeter

Subject: Pulse Oximeter:

Last August the ER doctor found my pulse to be 30 bpm. Until this point, I had no interest in what the pulse does, I knew I had one and that was good enough for me. My painful sciatica was completely ignored, as I was hospitalized for Bradycardia and overnight observation.

My sciatica was the result of sitting around for seven weeks with an arm sling while recovering from Popeye bicep surgery. I did not know it at the time, but I was in for 6 months of PT...

Read More...

ICD and driving

If you get a ICD implant after an  electrophysiology study , are you allowed to drive an RV?

Thanks

Jpj. 

Read More...

Pharmacy Closures in the UK

My local news has run stories recently which report on pharmacies / chemists closing down in the UK, often leaving just one of two high street shops available for prescriptions / advice and products in many towns. 

This seems strange because I understood that the Government in the UK have been pushing patients to use pharmacy services as an alternative to phoning the GP for many common problems.  

Can anyone tell me why the pharmacies are closing against this backgr...

Read More...

I’m thankful for my pacemaker

I have been ill since Sept 15. I've had coughing, chills, vomiting and high fevers. My pcp sent me to the emergency department three times. There were various theories including viruses but no definitive answer. Finally, on Oct 23, I was admitted. I was there for five days of 68 tests including bloodwork, ct scans of the abdomen, pelvis and chest. I had chest xrays ekg, echocardiogram, and tests for everything you can imagine. 

I had an infection and it was elusive. A team of s...

Read More...

Painful PVCs

I will be posting a strip from my Samsung watch in the gallery. I have had PVCs as long as I can remember, like everyone else. Most of the time they are just a single thud that I feel in my chest, but every once in awhile I will get them in a pattern. I do have symptoms when it is a prolonged episode of them. Since my ablation I have been having these prolonged episodes much more often in what I'm assuming are bigeminy and trigeminy. This particular run of them was actually painful, which...

Read More...

92% paced in atrium

Hello! My EP informed me that my atrium is now pacing 92%.  I understand this to mean that my upper chamber is only beating 8% on its own at the 70bpm pm setting.  Is there anyone else experiencing a similar issue / decline?

Read More...

From pacemaker to Defibrillator

Just had a pacemaker check and was expecting a possible date for battery change.

Instead, I was informed that I may be switched to a defibrillator.

My initial response was a firm NO.

After decades of severe arrhythmias, I had decided a long time ago that having a final cardiac event was likely the only bonus to this electrical problem.

Am I correct in assuming that a defibrillator would prevent a final cardiac event by kick starting a failing heart?

Dont get me w...

Read More...

Slight lightheaded feeling

I had my Medtronic pacemaker put in April 3rd after passing out numerous times on April 1 and the hospital said I was suffering from 3rd degree AV heart block.  Things are going pretty well but every once in a while after sitting for a period of time I will get up and for a brief second or two feel slightly lightheaded and then I'm fine.  Does anyone else have this happen to them?  I'm thinking that might be the pacemaker kicking in when the heart beat slows down becaus...

Read More...

High heart rate

Up until now I have had no reason to complain. I am 85 years old  with Abbot 2172 implanted 15 March 21 due to going A Fib 3 times. I woke up this morning feeling real dizzy. Checked my BP was 129/94. HR 115. No sign of it going down. 
The real kicker is my wife and 2 girls just left for Jamaica for a week so I have the house to myself. I'm going to put a call into the Cardiac unit to see if I can get in there today. Or. Call an ambulance and go to the ER. 
Timing...

Read More...

New pacemaker up date

I am now just 1 week and 6 days into my dual chamber PM. Things are ok most of the time but I get terrible pain on the site of the implant when I first sit up/ stand up after waking. It passes off after a couple of minutes and I am left with an ache in the shoulder area. It feels as if the device drops  under gravity as  I rise up!! I still have some swelling and I am trying to keep my shoulder moving but that is painful sometime too. Anyone had any experience of this. Thanks&n...

Read More...

Leadless?

Good morning all,

Are dual chamber leadless pacemakers now routinely implanted? Or are they still being trialed?

Thanks.

Read More...

Agentx86

Haven't heard from AgentX86 in quite a while.  Used to post and reply a lot.  Last post was in July.  Still around? 

Read More...

Not pacing correctly during exercise

I'm a 59 year old male and had a St Jude PM2272 pacemaker implanted 5 years ago.

I play racquetball regularly and my heart rate averages approx 140 bpm during play, pacemaker is set at max 160. During the last few weeks I noticed something was not right and started to feel slight dizziness during play. The heart rate on my watch was holding steady at around 100 bpm when it should have been 130-140. Any ideas on what may be going on?

Thank you.

Read More...

Cardioversion

It seems I have developed persistent atrial flutter. I have been paced for complete heart block since Feb 2010, then in Jan 2023 was outfitted with a Medtronic CRTD since it was discovered that I had pacer induced heart failure. The Crt only helped bring my EF up to 40 to 45%. 

Now it seems I have developed persistent atrial flutter and my doctor (EP) will perform a cardioversion in about 2 weeks when I have been on blood thinners (Eliquis) for 4 weeks.

Can anyone tell me wha...

Read More...

New Pacemaker

Hi,

I am now 3 weeks after PM implanted for complete heart block after TAVR.

Should I be feeling anything due to the pacemaker, in any way?

I'm less out of breath, I assume due to the new aortic valve. But, otherwise I'm not aware of any physical sensation, slow or fast pulse, either good or bad.

Thanks.

Read More...

6 week Post Op Check Up

Hi, yesterday I had my 6 week check up of my CRT-D implant. I thought I'd share my experience with you on this forum so that others will know what to expect although I'm sure other hospitals do things differently. Also I'd like to hear your comments if you have them.

I was seen on time and after checking that the wound was fine, the 'header' was placed on my shirt above the implant. ECG type stickers and leads were placed on my body at various locations. The technici...

Read More...

Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI) for Afib with Complete Heart Block and PM in place

Hello everyone I hope your day is going well.

I had initial cardioversion in 6/22 that reverted to Afib by 10/22, and finally got dual chamber  PM 3/23.  Another cardioversion in 7/23 reverted to Afib after a month in mid August. Talks of ablation began which is now scheduled for 10/24/23 two days from now. It’s a little frightening to think they will be on the left side, where any small particle could cause a stroke in my brain. One of the thing...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

You run like the bionic woman.

Member Quotes

Yesterday I moved to a new place in my mind and realized how bad I felt 'before' and the difference my pacemaker has made.