Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Tiny Veins...

Hello, all...been a while since I posted, but just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts on what happened to me yesterday. I went to work and had a headache. I asked a nurse at work to check my BP, and it was 138/102. She gave me half an aspirin and rechecked the BP in about an hour. It was 142/106. Checked again later, it was 150/110. Anyhow, my BP is usually low or drops (I have orthostatic hypotension), so a trip to the ER was next. At the ER, my BP jumped to 206/138, and then slowl...

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NCS and Gatorade

I am 24 years old and have been living with Neurocardiogenic Syncope for 17 years. I had my pacemaker implanted 9 months ago to address asystole during episodes. I consume gatorade daily to alleviate symptoms. During a recent episode in the last week, my doctor recommended that half of my fluid consumption should consist of gatorade to raise my blood pressure. I am consuming roughly 3-4 liters of fluid daily and I am not taking any medications at this time. The gatorade is helping, but I am a li...

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No PM yet...SVT, Heart Block, AV Node Ablation

I am a newbie and I do not have a pacemaker, but I have a feeling I'll be joining the club pretty soon!! I want to start off by saying that I am 22 and I have been having problems for a little over a year now. I was diagnosed with POTS and IST last June when I started passing out all over the place. I have always been in a sinus tachycardia or SVT. The SVT got pretty bad and I had a SA ablation last August which did wonders for three months and the lovely SVT came back. Starting around October I...

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MIBI Test

My cardiologist has ordered a MIBI test for me due to some dizzy spells and occasional chest pain. I'm a little nervous about this one and would like to hear from others who have had a MIBI done. I'd like to know what to expect and what complications can arise.

I don't contribute often to the site but read the posts every day and enjoy hearing about how all of you are doing.

Thank you,
Nuka

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Systolic Heart Failure, Chronic

I have DCM and on my paperwork, I just noticed it says: Cardiomyopathy, Idiopathic; CHF, Systolic Heart Failure, Chronic and Mitral Regurgitation, non-rheumatic. I've had ICD implant. In simple terms, what else do I have lurking in there besides the DCM???

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All about ABLATIONS

I just found the coolest website entirely about Ablations- both radiofrequency and cryo-ablation, for every reason known to man as to why ablations are performed and everything else about them.
I've had 5 of them both with radofrequency and cryo for every reason they list on this website. I wish I had found this when I was having all of them done.

Top notch website designed solely for ablations. WOW....
If you've been through them, are about to have one, or know someone who...

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Insomnia & Pacemaker

I am having insomnia for almost six years now. I decided last year to have a pacemaker because my heart rate was also low. Nine months after my pacemaker has been inserted, I continue to suffer for my insomnia. I am so worry that my current insomnia will reduce my pacemaker lifetime, as I am always awake, and tired (due to lack of sleep). Please any advice to recomfort me. I exercise every day at least for 45 minutes
Thanks

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Midodrine

Hi everyone after having a pm fitted about 5 weeks ago due to Neurocardiogenic Syncope but unfortunatly its not doing what they thought it would as im stilll having dizzy spells etc and my pm is only kicking in at night whilst is sleep. So they have decided to try me on some new drug called Midodrine thats not licenced yet in England. Just wondering has anyone heard of this drug before or taken it .
Mel x

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This is funny

I just found a small portable recorder that I thought I had lost. Put some batteries into it and played back my last recording. It was made while I was in the hospital waiting for my original implant. The conversation was with the cardiologist and started with my asking him questions about the surgery. He felt that the initial part of the surgery would be easy given my physical condition and being relatively thin. They he got into his concern about finding a place on my heart wall that would res...

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PJRT

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of changing EP's which required that I get a copy of my records from my old EP. So of course when I get home I read what was in my records and came across something that was never mentioned at any of my appts. Have any of the members here ever heard or been diagnosed with PJRT (Permanent Junctional Reciprocating Tachycardia) I was very surprised to find that I had that arrythmia as well as the others. I researched this PJRT and it is very uncommon (1...

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verapamil----FAIL!!!!

So I tried off of metoprolol for 2 weeks with transition to verapamil. Well I guess I can add this to the very long list of FAILED medications. Didnt control my heart rate, didnt control my blood pressure. You know I have been doing the "weight watching" for 3 weeks now and have actually gained weight the past two weeks which makes no sense whatsoever considering what I have been eating. Well I believe I got my answer today. I woke up today with swelling in the feet and my eyes felt like go...

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Home INR Monitoring

After finally getting this process set up I'm so pleased. Yes, under the Medicare guidelines I have to stick my finger weekly but I believe it will help keep my levels steady (all the studies show it's much better for managing INR levels) as I can adjust my diet some if needed so my level doesn't go from too high to too low! It's so much better than going to the clinic and sitting and waiting and they're always behind so you have to plan at least an hour. I'm in control of my time and yes, I hav...

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Scared!

Hi.Thank you for your replies to my post on Saturday, when I was finding it really hard to stay positive. It is reassuring to know I'm not alone & that others have felt the same way.

Today I received a copy of my clinic appointment letter, from when I saw my EP last week. Here in the UK a letter is sent to the GP & a copy to the patient. It really scared me to see written in black & white that my "condition has deteriorated & they have been unable to control my arrhythmia with medicat...

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Update on Rate Response

Hello to all,
My visit to the pacemaker clinic this morning was a huge success. This was a follow up to a treadmill test last week which revealed that although my pacemaker was working well and pacing the ventricle 100% of the time the atrium was not working well and was not able to keep up with the demands of exercise. The ECG showed that while I was on the treadmill my heart rate rose to 113bpm and then suddenly dropped to 60bpm (my lower limit). I managed 4 minutes on the treadmill and c...

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Radiation Rate from X-Rays and CT

I recently saw a report on radiation with a point system assigned to x-rays and CT Scans and the dangers. I mentally tried to count the number of x-rays and CT Scans I've had in just the past 11 months. I know of 7 x-rays and at least 4-5 CT scans. The report states there are no dangers from Echos and MRI (which we can no longer have). I have several different doctors and one never seems to know what the other has done or what tests have been ordered. I am being overly concerned? Anyone know an...

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verapamil

Are you.. or have you been... on verapamil before.. If so what dose and did it work for you?

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CT Scans

Does anyone recall my concerns about the CT scan? Well, I'm still not having one (can't take iodine) but I found some interesting information about the test and radiation! Here is the link.

copy and past in your browser to link to this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100614/ap_on_he_me/us_med_overtreated_radiation

I am going to question every medical test that requires radiation.

Have a great day!
Pacergirl

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Puzzled about rate response

Six months after having my pacemaker implanted for complete heart block I was still having difficulty exercising (swimming, walking and cycling) I was easily out of breath, often lightheaded and the most simple physical tasks like going upstairs or hanging out the washing left me exhausted. (I am 49 and otherwise very healthy!) I didn’t feel much better than before the PM, although there were some differences: my fingers and toes were warm for the first time in my life, my lips had lots more col...

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Outcome of EP Appointment Today

Hi. Thank you so much for all your support,prayers & encouragement regarding my EP appointment today. I saw my EP. He checked my ECG then arranged for an urgent exercise/treadmill test to be done while I was there. Normally you would wait weeks but it was done urgently within an hour. Very impressed. It showed my arrhythmia is still there, although suppressed to a degree with the Ivabradine, but not completely.

From the results he has decided to do another EP study & possibly an ablat...

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EP Appointment Tomorrow

Hi. Thank you for reading & replying to my post earlier in the week. I am seeing my EP tomorrow & I think he will be discussing the sinus node ablation + pacemaker. I have made a list of questions to ask him but I do feel quite anxious about the appointment as it is quite scary. On the other hand, I have felt so unwell since my IST symptoms came back 3 weeks ago that any help/advice he gives will be very welcome.

I live on the outskirts of London. I am being treated at a big London te...

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You invested in the Energizer battery company.

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I live an extremely normal life now and my device does NOT hinder me in any way.