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pacemaker has been dormant for a while...choice to remove?

I'm 70.  10 years ago my heart just decided to stop for several seconds about 4 times over a 7 hour period.  I received a basic pacemaker to get me going when my heart slowed.  I've had every test in the book with no reason ever found for this happening.  Coincidentally, at the time I was going through a recovery from several months of thyroid fluctuation (all natural, I never took drugs) that my endocrinologist theorized may have contributed to my heart having tro...

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Pacemaker and covid

How does one with pacemaker recently implanted cope with Covid 

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Question about sensations during ICD self-check

Hi everyone,

I'm a new club-member and was recently implanted with a Boston Scientific Resonate HF ICD. Whenever the device runs a self-check, I feel a fluttering in my upper chest that extends up through my esophagus to the base of my throat. It's a very unpleasant feeling and has startled me a couple of times while I was driving. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm going to ask that the self-check feature be disabled when I go to my 3 month follow-up, but in the mea...

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Painful to the touch at implantation site

Good morning!  My son is 5 weeks post op, and 11 years old. His pacemaker is placed into the muscle tissue on his chest, so I get that it takes time to recover, but is it normal for the implantation site to still be sore to the touch after 5 weeks?  The skin is healed nicely, but if he just wipes his hand over the PM to wash the skin over the top it still feels tender. I'll check in with his doctor too but just like to get a sense of how other's have recovered too.

&nb...

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Paddling the ICD

Hey all. 

8 months on from having a latest Tech Medtronic ICD put in, recovery seems to have gone quick and most all seems normal.

The question I have is now when walking on level ground, I can, as before, pretty much walk indefinitely. But add in a gentle incline, or stairs, where the pace is the same, but the difficulty of excercise has increased, I find myself quickly out of breath. Such that I need to slow way down, or stop for a quick recovery break. Recovery is quick an...

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Dealing with Hot Humid and Cold weather

Hey all! Another question from me! Looking for any feedback any of you may have with regards to dealing with weather extremes after getting a PM or ICD.

So about 8 months ago I had an ICD inserted to deal with hereditary AHCM. Previous to the procedure I had never, ever had any symptoms of having a heart issue. 

The recovery process when very well and quickly. 

What I am wondering, is suddenly now, I am having much more difficulty dealing with both hot humid condit...

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Things to avoid ??

I had a single wire for 3 years ... now I have an ICD wire .

i never worried too much about getting around stuff that would effect me ... now there is threat of a shock __ new ballgame .

what do Yal think of this :

 

Avoid devices that interfere with pacemakers

Cell phones. ... 

Electronic cigarettes.

Headphones. ... 

Household appliances, such as microwave ovens, major appliances, electric blankets, and heating pads are usually s...

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Tattoo

Does anyone have experience with a tattoo around the pacemaker area ? Can it be done ?

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Channel 5TV

Might be of interest to UK members.

Channel 5 last night (Monday) new series A&E Crash site emergency.

Patient had suffered cardiac arrest while driving. Very poorly and touch and go.

When stable, had angiogram and fitted with pacemaker. Quite good coverage of the whole procedure from opening the device package to pushing and shoving to get it in.

Despite worries of possible brain damage from loss of circulation, made good recovery.

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Boston Scientific L331

Hi , I had a Boston Scientific L331 implanted 4 weeks ago , I am an Ex elite cyclist who now coaches and competes in Biathlon . 

Looking for advice on settings , I notice that when I am cross country skiing that my heart rate lags 20-30 seconds behind the effort., I have to slow down a little the for my HR to catch up with the effort. 

any advise ????

Thanks  Chris

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Misplaced leads

Has anyone had any experience with misplaced leads?  Can leads be ‘slightly’ misplaced? i.e. still making good electrical contact with myocardium but protruding enough to irritate the pericardium?

CTscan shows my RV lead near apex but cardiologist noted “brightness of lead can cause some artifact about where lead actually ends in myocardium”.

My surgeon put in extra long leads to accommodate my athletics, but now I’m reading that long leads can a...

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Feeling pretty good lately!

For the first time since this whole journey began, and definitely since I was shocked on Dec. 4th, I have been feeling pretty darn good. The PTSD from the shock was pretty interesting to navigate for awhile, every little thing set me off and I spiraled down the rabbit hole with new symptoms daily. But I think I've worked through most of those issues and once again am feeling encouraged and positive. 

Anxiety is underestimated, cruel, and not at all descrimitive. It can mimic mo...

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Cold weather and heart failure question

I'm curious about how everyone else handles the super cold weather. Since about the time I was diagnosed I have had a difficult time dealing with cold weather. I love snow, I love going outdoors in the winter, but it's hard to breath. The colder it is, the worse the pain is in my chest. It feels like lung pain to be honest, and pretty much covers my whole chest area. I can't stay outside very long if it's below freezing, or I get even worse pain. Does anyone else experience th...

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Hair clippers?

I'm new here.  I had my ICD implanted in 2021.  I had multiple "therapies" in the month of December.  With a little more research, I have been educated about the possibility of a false shock or not operating correctly due to the magnet field of other devices.

Has anyone heard of someone receiving a shock while getting a haircut from the clippers?

Thanks in advance.  

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The beta question

In 2007 I had a bypass - they gave me the heart patient cocktail : beta blocker , Crestor , aspirin , and fish oil 

i have taken that stuff like religion since . The Beta blocker slows down my heart rate ...

could this be the cause or a factor in my hearts AV node failing 3 years ago ???

Now that I am paced what do I need it ?  Tje device controls my heart rate ...right ?

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Pacemaker Physical Limitations

Hi, I recently had a biventricular pacemaker implant (3 weeks ago). 

I volunteer at a local food pantry driving a box truck to pick up food donations from the local Walmarts and Sams Club. This requires loading and unloading pallets of food with a manual pallet jack. Some of these pallets weigh over 500 pounds loaded.

I obviously haven't done this during my recovery from the surgery and am wondering if anyone else has had this experience of pushing and pulling heavy loads...

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Pain

If "no pain no gain " is a thing I am set for some HUGE gains with my new pacemaker !!!

the took my 3 year old one out and replaced it -

Removal which I was awake for hurt and now recovery hurts !

glad it's over and I'm excited for my expected gains !!

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Irregular heartbeat

Hello, my wife has a two-wire pacemaker. It was stuck due to AV block condition. AV block condition becomes more evident under medication. Recently, a sequence like this started to occur in your heartbeats. One, two, three strikes, some waiting and one hard strike. Our doctor said it was due to extra systoles; But my wife nearly always feel them. She is very uncomfortable with the situation. Started taking 2.5 mg concor and 150 mg rhytmonorm. Medications provide some relief; but it can't...

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Pacemaker

While checking my blood pressure .machine says irregular heartbeat it that normal as I've got pacemaker?

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Backpacking with S-ICD

Hi there,
First time posting, new member of the club. Got a S-ICD implanted a few months ago and have been struggling finding backpacks that are compatible, or hacks. I'm sure this question is somewhere on the forum but wondering what others have done. Specifically about long distance backpacking packs with some weofjtt. It seems the device is right on the money spot. 
 

I don't want to let this thing prevent me from doing safe physical activities. I know my...

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