Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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feeling out of sorts

Hi,
I had a medtronic pacemaker/difibulator placed on 2-28-08.I am at home now but have no appeitite,have feelings of my passing out as I did last week,,and some dizzy spells.My question is
this normal and are my feelings of anxiety also normal.I know a lot has happened to me over the last week but i would just like to hear from a fellow patient if this is normal,does it get better?By the way,my appetite is a bit better this morning but I would still like to hear from you guys.THANKS

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Meds for a fib

in 2004 I had a catheter ablation and was implanted with a pacemaker. Until this summer I was not experiencing a fib symptoms, however now I am told by my DR that I am in full blown afib again and he is suggesting that I may need to get the ablation done again, and take digoxin. The only meds I am on are warafin, spironolact, and Norvasc 2.5. Has anyone with a pacemaker had success with meds also. Before my ablation and paemaker meds just made me feel like sitting on the couch and vegging,...

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Multiple meds

Here's one to consider. I keep seeing posts where a person is taking 5 or 6 potent cardiac meds and still having problems. Have you ever questioned whether any doctor, even the best, can have any idea of the overall effect of these combinations. When you consider the effects these meds have on each other and the dosage adjustments needed to compensate, do you think your doctor is really spending any serious time on it. the usual scenario is to just add another drug to "see if it will help".

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palpatations

Hi been getting palps for a few days now .could a new setting on my pm correct this problem Thank you Richie

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Increasing PVC's

Hi, I just joined and started out with a question about ICD’s. It sounds like many of you are great resources so now as I read further, I also have questions about condition/meds too. I have a single lead pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome that does nothing for the A-Fib and PVC's and struggle with this at 41 years old. For whatever reason, my PVC’s are increasing but due to my age and sensitivity/reactions to many meds, my cardiologist is saying there is nothing that would be safe to treat me wi...

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calcium channel blockers

Any of you have experience with using calcium channel blockers instead of beta blockers? I recently switched and so far prefer the calcium channel blocker. The beta blockers always made me feel like I was operating at idle - I'm feeling more like the engine is running and responding to changes in demand. I have chronic atrial fib and hypertension. I'm taking both an ACE inhibitor as well as the calcium channel blocker. Pulse and BP both seem well controlled. My PM is set for a low pulse of...

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normsw

Hi-I'm new to this club/forum. I'm 75, on my 2nd pm after 6 years on the first. It's only a backup, as I have an electrical prob. leading to bradycardia and fainting, so it's set at 60.
My pulse rarely goes over 80 but I have 2 different situations:
1. When I lie down to go to sleep, often my pulse will drop to 46 to 50 for a while; deep breathing will get it back up again.
When I wake up in the morning sometimes it's also in the 40's.
2. Occasionally while working at my lap...

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Does It Ever Occur That One No Longer Needs a PM?

This is a question I'm having difficulty finding an answer to.

Does it ever happen that, after, say, a few years, whatever the problem was that necessitated the PM in the first place [in my case, heart block] simply repairs itself somehow and disappears? And that the PM is, as a consequence, removed?

After my last PM clinic visit, I was told that my PM was only kicking in 20% of the time. I think that this is a lot less than it was kicking in during the early years.

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celebrex

Hi does anyone take celebrex with their pm .Wonder if its ok .Thank you.Richard

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New pacemaker

Hi everyone!

Just joined this site as I had a pacemaker fitted last week - a BIG shock seeing as though I'm 27!

I have a history of black outs & had a loop recorder implanted a year ago. I blacked out on a packed train (I pick my moments!) last week & recorded my heart rate. When I went to the hospital on the monday for a reading they found that my heart stopped for around 20-26 seconds & i had an emergency pacemaker fitted on the Wednesday. I just wondered if anyone had...

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They Can't figure it out.

So I got my pace maker in May 2007 after 5 years of passing out with Vasovagal syncope. (Took them so long because they thought it was just because I was young women, then they thought it was allergies.) Anyways I am still taking many drugs and have my pace maker, and I am still passing out. Im not talking just once or twice I have passed out every day in the 23 days most days more then once. I was put in the hospital and I still passed out there to. Anyways I was wondering if anyone else still...

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poor circulation in left arm since PM

Hi, Has anyone out there experienced extreme soreness down the left arm and pain in the back of the head and neck, along with fatique? After the PM was put in, I felt pretty good for about 60 days, then I started getting a little dizzy when I was moving around in the kitchen making supper. After a while, I started waking up in the morning with a slight headache. I would check my blood pressure and it ave. around 140/75(approx). After I was up a while, I would walk on the treadmill for buildin...

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Pacemaker, Toprol XL and Rythmol

I thought I'd post an update on my condition, which just seems to go from bad to worse. Got the Pacemaker on December 14th after passing out twice (once while driving) and still haven't been able to return to work because I feel so lousy. So, I have a Pacemaker to control the slow heartbeats, I'm on Toprol XL to control the fast heartbeats, and I just spent another 4 days this week in the ICU at the hospital and left with Rythmol to control all of the extra heartbeats that they found through the...

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interpretation

Hi could someone please tell me what this is.My doctor said i have sinus rhythm with 1st degree av or au block?Thank you very much.

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Questions to ask my Dr.??

Hi Everyone,

I recently joined this wonderful group and have learned so much from you folks already!
I've had my PM for 2 1/2 years now and really have never known what questions to ask when I go to the Dr. or the technician.
My PM will be checked next week and I have learned here that I should ask for a copy of the printout which I will.
I did ask last time how much battery I had left.
Are there any more pertinent questions I should ask the tech. or the Dr?

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damage

Hello

I have had my pm now 5 years now,been have trouble so i went in this week to see if i have any blockest,Everything was ok there,but i was told that my heart has some damage to it,and the dr. think it was cause from the pacemaker.
he put me on CARVEDILOL,to see if it would help,go back in 2 week,to see if it has help
Have anyone every hear of this, and if so what will be done if the med not help

keith


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Beta Blockers

Perhaps someone can tell me why by reading all our messages does everyone end up taking beta blockers if they didn't take them before. Doesn't make sense to me.

I stopped taking the beta blockers for three days with doctors approval, I tested my heart walking and with a 60 resting pulse walking only went to 72 quite content with that, although not use to it.

Going up hill was another matter it went to 110. Not sure what pulse should be on exercise. Any ideas anyone.

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Problem with beta Blockers

Has anyone else experienced problems with beta blockers. I find they leave me depressed and feeling tired. Very dizzy as I have low blood pressure.

Doc said try Avlocardyl instead of Cardensiel (bisoprolol) might be weaker.

Can't wait to feel more like my old self.

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Hope this isn't a dumb question

I am not sure if this has been answered recently but I am wondering if u can originally be in complete heart block when u were first diagnosed as needing a pacemaker and then over a period of time not be in complete heart block anymore?? Last time I had my pacer check-I have had mine since Oct /06-the nurse seemed surprised cause I wasn't in complete heart block anymore. I don't understand -is this good, bad, or mean nothing??

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Medical ID braclets/necklace

I was wondering how many of you wear a medical alert braclet or necklace to alert medical personnel of the pacemaker. I am very young and don't want to wear one. The worst part about my decision is that I am an ER nurse and also a Paramedic. The way I look at it is if they have to work on me and put me on a cardiac monitor and they don't see the pacer spikes then they are not that intellegant to begin with. However I am 100% paced and I know not everyone is!! So just wondering if I'm the only on...

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Member Quotes

I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.