Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Medication

Hi, I am on a waiting list for a biventricular pacemaker and have opted to have the ICD as I was given that choice. Hopefully this will be done before Xmas.

My question is regarding the medication I am on, I am diagnosed with Dilated cardiomyopathy with a left bundle branch defect. I have been on Entresto, Dapagliflozin and Eplerenone for 18 months now. The Entresto dosage has just been upped to the next strength. What do these medications actually do for my heart? I was told that...

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Beta Blocker, Switch back

Hello All, 

I would like to thank everyone for their kind messages and advice over the last few days. 

My cardiologist finally replied this morning and advised that I directly go back onto nadolol which i was on before. It is very annoying as I could have just syayed on nadolol in the first lace, but never mind. I have taken todays dose of nadolol so hopefully that should be it for the symptoms. 

The beta blocker change was due to an increase in fatigue, which...

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Switching Beta Blockers

Hello everyone, thank you so much for your messages on my last post, i thought i'd give an update. 

It is now day 4 since i switched beta blockers, from 80mg nadolol to 2.5mg nebivolol. The first 3 days where absolutely awful, I had a racing heart, dizziness, sickness and horrible palpitations and funny rhythms. 

I have woken up this morning (day 4) and my heart seems to of relaxed, it is no longer racing and I am not feeling ill anymore. I wonder if these horrible s...

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Ache in chest

I had pacemaker fitted in January 2023. I have developed an ache in chest - especially present when walking and running - in the main heart area. I wonder if it could be related to the pacemaker in any way? 

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Beta Blocker Switch

Hello All, 

Yesterday I experienced a strange ordeal and need some advice please. 

I was told by my cardiologist to change my beta blocker that I had been on for 2 years, to a lower dose of a beta blocker. The change is from 80mg Nadolol OD to 2.5mg Nebivolol OD. 

I changed yesterdsy and the effect was almost immediate. I felt extremely dizzy, sick and light headed all day, and my heart rate, which is usually 60 ish, was fluctuating randomly from 60-110....

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Still feeling sick and dizzy

Could feeling nauseous and lightheaded have anything to do with my pacemaker settings as I had check up 3 weeks ago and haven't been same since ,I've rang hospital can't seem to find report so my dr got me another pm check in couple days, some of medication I'm on is bisoprolol 2.5 twice daily, Metformin 500 twice daily,apixaban 5 mg twice daily,atorvastatin140 mg once daily,pantoprazole 40 mg twice daily,, furosemide 40mg once daily,spiractin 25 mg once daily, Ramipril 1.25 t...

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PVCs Ugh!

Not quite 3 weeks post op with a new Medtronic Claria MRI Quad CRTD and AV Node ablation.  32 years on my St. Jude mitral valve, I know a lot about heart valve replacements.  I know next to nothing about pacemaker/ICD's and am trying to learn.

I have Grade B heart failure after 7 years of a-fib that wasn't well controlled by meds.  My EF is now 32-34%.  I have no outward signs of heart failure.  The reason for the AV Node ablation was so I could be...

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Toprol XL

New dual chamber pm 8/4/23 for symptomatic av block.  I was prescribed Toprol XL 25 mg at discharge. I don't have have high blood pressure, my pvc and pac burden is less than 1%. It really disrupts my sleep and makes me tired during the day, even if I take it at night. At my 6 week device check, the EP fellow said I didn't have to take it, to see how I feel without it, I could always begin to take again. I asked why they even prescribed it, he said it was for pac and pvcs. I...

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quarterly remote transmission

This time it was a shorter quarter as I was there Aug. 25,2023 in the  pacemaker clinic for my yearly check up of my pacemaker.   Since it was a shorter time frame was better able to track my A-fib episodes.  Noticed again when i had reactions to my food sensitivites, was the same  time as the A-fib episodes. 

In the comment section .  This time only had 191 atrial high rate episodes detected.  The longest lasted  0;04;16;37 in dura...

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EF lower than 6 yrs ago

Hello!  It's me again.  Please indulge me as y'all might have answered this previously but I am perseverating about the results of my most recent echo.here's what is happening:

1.  I see a new to me cardiologist tomorrow .  I need to know what questions to ask.

2.  I got my 3rd battery Medtronic dual chamber 2 weeks ago.  Echo was 16 days ago.

3.  Last week I visited a friend.  We played pickle ball, went biking and kayakin...

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I have "Dilated Cardiomyopathy" Stage III CHF with no coronary blockages....Anybody else ?

I am (New) to this site, just joined...looking to connect w/others...I am Stage III CHF and have "Dilated Cardiomyopathy" with pacemaker n defibrillator...I am 58 and have had HF since 50 yrs old...

Hi I am from Mississippi and was 50 yrs old when I was diagnosed w/CHF....Heart got weaker 5 yrs later and I got a pacemaker and defibrillator in 2020....I am Stage or Class III HF....Looking for people with similar experience and friends to connect with 💞

My diagnosis is &qu...

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Amiodarene

My cardiologist wants me to take amiodarene 100mg two times a day for  2 months then reduce it to 100mg afterwards.    He originally wanted me to take more at first! I told him that im reluctant to do that. He's insistent because I had  an episode of V tack in august!  He wants me to take this to PREVENT another possible episode. My heart rate and blood pressure are very normal right now.  Sometimes my blood pressure runs 95/66, 113/70. &n...

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Remote Setting Adjustments

Can anyone advise whether or not there is any way that the auto self test on my device can be turned on and off remotely? 

My device is a 2272 Abbott Assurity PM.  

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Magnet over pacemaker during surgery

i got my PM 2 months ago and I have a minor cosmetic surgery scheduled next January.  My plastic surgeon asked me to get approval from my cardiologist which he willing did in a letter to approve the surgery.  He noted that a magnet should be placed over my PM during surgery.  I was surprised because I thought PM wearers should avoid magnets.  What am I missing?

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Panic Attack Like Symptoms

Good afternoon-

I became a proud owner of a pacemkaer in June of 2023.  No prior history other than a span over four days of " fainting episodes" which ended with a period of "flat lining". (20 seconds). Overall I am in fairly good health weigh 140 lbs, drink very little, did drink caffeine.  Lead an active life, but don't do a lot of cardio exercise.  My initail recovery went well.  I am now back to work and doing what I do.  I had my ch...

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Risks of long-term RV pacing - episode 2

In my earlier post "Risks of Long-term RV Pacing", I was enquiring about the risks of long-term RV pacing for someone like myself who has total heart block, but a functioning sinus.

As the discussion developed, several contributors with SSS joined the discussion to add their own, very welcome, Qs & As. This leads me to ask whether there is any difference in the risk level for heart failure between the two groups. I.e., does it change anything that the signal to pace my RV...

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CT scan and contrast

Hi All

Having an abdominal CT scan with contrast next week for an issue totally unrelated to my biotronik edora 8drt. My 1st ct scan since I got the pm last year due to complete HB.

Intuitively, and medically as well (I am in the medical field) I know neither the ct nor contrast will affect my pm. I guess I have to hear it though from my fellow pm wearers. I probably should be more concerned for actually needing the ct scan in the first place (haha) but I am more focused on t...

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Risks of long-term RV pacing

I have total heart block, but my Sinus Node is working OK. Consequently, my Biotronik Enitra 8 PM is operating in Right Atrium Sensing/Right Ventricle Pacing mode: effectively bypassing the AV block.

This is now working well and I was feeling optimistic about the immediate future until I read recently about the risks of long-term RV pacing! Various unpleasant sounding consequences, including heart failure and death, are apparently possible. My pacing burden is necessarily 100%.

I...

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What’s next

If the protocol is ICD pacer, Coreg and amiodarene, Whats next?  Ablation ? 

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Results of echo

Hello again, everyone.  Thank you for all the help you have provided to me in a different ..thread?  
I know I will be getting the info I am asking here sometime today but waiting is not my best trait so here's my question:

My 14 Yr old dual chamber Medtronicpm went  into safe mode Aug 15th.  I wanted to get the battery replacement asap and it is scheduled for tomorrow, Sept 7.  I had the echo yesterday and the report said I have mild regurgitation in t...

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You read consumer reports before upgrading to a new model.

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My ICD/pacer is not a burden. I still play tennis and golf.