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Anyone Use a Coated PM?

3 attempts to keep a PM implanted have all ended in an inflamed incision area, appearing that tissue eroson is inevitable. Several bacterial cultures have all come back negative.

I called St. Jude this morning, and the tech said my Doc could order a "coated" generator.

Has anyone used a coated generator to prevent tissue inflammation/erosion , and did it help?

What type of material is the coating? PTFE (Teflon) perhaps?

@60bpm, is your pouch working O...

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At the risk of being called a nutter!!

Hi to all,
I have this wierd thing that goes on in my head from time to time ..mainly when I am in heart failure and water retention.

For example if.. I have an afternoon nap as I "nod off" I seem to have people in my head talking about all sorts of thing that I know nothing about... I seems to start with just a thought and then all this nonsense... it must only last a few seconds because I wake up as soon as I am "off" ...SOB and my heart all over the place.... and it feels hor...

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The contraceptive pill

Hi all!!!! I havent posted a message on here in a while, Have been doing well though and cant believe that it has been nearly 6 months since having my pacemaker fitted!! I have got used to a lot of the feelings i get now with my pm and although i do still think of it everyday, i have accepted its just another part of me now.
Any how what i am posting on this site now is probably a strange question, But does anyone know if i am allowed to be on the contraceptive pill? The night before i got...

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more counselling needed

hi everyone ive been bowled over by some of the stories i have read here. so many people have gone through so much it is hard to think that they just keep going.i thought once i had the pacemaker fitted it would all be over and done with operation wise. in three days i go in again to have more procedures done i wasnt expecting to have to do this again.i suppose i hadnt really thought about it.i had to make the decision to have one very quickly and i had no counselling . when all said and done...

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pookie and princess come to chat?

thanks jessie

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End of Life Issues

Sorry if this is a morbid topic but it's one I've given alot of thought to. I wonder what happens if say you have a terminal illness and you are nearing the end. I have an ICD/PM and it concerns me that I won't be able to die. I've heard some stories of people who struggled to die due to having these devices. My husband & I prepared our medical directives in 2004 while updating our wills. They are pretty general and I wonder if I should add something relative to this unforeseen event in my life....

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Thank You

Hello Folks,

Thank all of you that commented and offered encouragement or advice in reply to my recent posting. I shall be eternally grateful. I am looking at my options and unless an unexpected problem jumps up I will be making drastic changes in my care so far as my pacemaker is concerned.

I will continue to read the postings here because to tell the absolute truth, I have learned much more here than I have from all of the people I have dealt with regarding my pacema...

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Surgery?

I have had my second pacemaker and batteries implanted four years ago. Now im a senior and high school and will be off to college next year. My doctor said there are four years left on my battery but is unsure about the leads. Do you guys think I will be able to make it through my first couple of years in college without needing another surgery. Basically how long should my leads last if I take REALLY good care of them???

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Going back to work Oct 7

Hi all surgeon has released me from my Aug 1 hi risk bypass. Cardioligist releaseing me to go back to work Oct 7 with restrictions. What I dont understand and I dont know if it is going to matter or not maybe someone can answer. I work in a plant that makes tires, the dept i work in is the pressroom where the rubber is heated to 350 to 400 degrees to form the tire we have 30 presses that make two tires at once. both doctors when all this started where agianst me working in such a hot invironemen...

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Thanks, I love you guys

Hey, I just want to thank everyone who commented on my post about my complications. They were so inspiring and just what I needed! And ela-girl, your message made me feel great. I still heart Gershwin... and UVa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went to Old Navy after school and I will just say that trying on clothes with a Holter was an interesting experience... The fitting room attendant probably thought I was going to blow the place up! Anyway, my mom rescheduled her appointment so now I feel better. Than...

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After all this time...

It's now my turn to take care of myself. One of the things about having a family is that as a parent, we tend to put our lives on hold. Well, it's my turn now. I get to meet with the EP surgeon this week to arrange to have my device removed. It will have been implanted for three years come November and I have tried to get it out since the middle of November, three years ago. So finally it's my turn.

The surgeon has already said that both lead extraction and generator extraction will m...

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Newbie Question

Hello all. I'm 2 1/2 weeks post op and all the interference with my PM is getting on my nerves. It seems like everything in the house makes this thing go crazy. The taste of metal is another thing. I have that a lot. I had my post op check and they gave me the phone device. We set that on top of the fridge and it like turned the darn thing into a big magnet. Our microwave went out. We moved it to another room and the microwave came back on. My chest hurt and my hr was messed up for sev...

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Lightheaded then nausea

I have had my pacemaker for exactly 2 months. Before the pacemaker I had bouts of syncope and my cardiologist (after several tests) said I had complete heart block. This past week I have had 2 episodes of something that felt similar to the syncope, but instead of fainting I get sick to my stomach. I was wondering if anyone had similar situation after having their pacemaker put in? do you think it is heart related?
scared!

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I love ya'll

I seriously don't know what I would do without ya'll here. We're just having a energizer bunny blast! LOL

By the way, ya'll. It's been 6 weeks since implant, and I ran a mile last night. I would have ran longer, but for once in my life my legs couldn't keep up with me and I had to stop. 6 weeks ago, if I had tried that my pulse would have been around 200bpm. I just cannot tell ya'll how lucky I feel to finally have had a doctor actually care enough about me to help me out. It's been 8...

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Interesting......

I read some where that most leads are made from silcone wrapped platinum........hmmm.........

I have some major BLING inside my chest. And people say that I should be more "girlie" and wear more jewelry. I'm so blessed that I wear my jewelry on the inside.

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I had a dream

I had a dream last night that a government mastermind has started placing GPS transmitters in pacemakers for some kind of human experiment and now they're watching my every move.

ever watch the movie, 'Enemy of the State'.

Hee, hee,
Angelie

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I never knew 55 could be so great!

To my wonderful dear friend Peter N, my Pacermaker friends, the Pacer Chicks and the really electrifying ICD folks.... THANK YOU! for all the wonderful Happy Birthday wishes!

Each and everyone of you are so special to me! It has been a beautiful day for me which began early this morning with a quick look at what was going on here... there it was wonderful posts from my friends.

Thank you everyone for thinking so kindly of me. Being 55, double nickels, is fantastic! I...

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uncle's problem

my uncle has had a pacer for a couple yrs and now he has been retaining fluid in his legs and b/c sob, docs turned up his pacer and he said he's fine. what does it mean that he has swollen ankles and that the dr is just monitoring him. i think its chf and he doesn't want to tell us. he eats out alot and is pretty active but tires easily and is pasty looking. any help? thanks

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I'm New, heart feels like it's in my throat...

My pacemaker was installed 12 days ago. Overall it's been a good experience, but I'm feeling like my heart is beating in my throat this afternoon. Similar to my first pacer check when they ramped up the beats to 90. But my pulse says it's running at 60 bpm.

The other thing that has been bothering me is that sometimes it hurts to breath deep, like a case of indigestion.

Have others had these kind of feelings?

I am a runner, and wonder if these symptom...

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Low Heart Rate


Hello Friends,

I guess it is time to give what may be my final report on my low heart rate complaint. To refresh any memories that need it, I have been complaining since February 2007 about a heart rate that drops into the mid-40s about 90% of the time with physical activity in spite of me having a pacemaker with a low set point of 70. Then there are times when it will just up and drop into that range when I am doing nothing more strenuous than pecking on this keyboard or watc...

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You know you're wired when...

Your heart beats like a teenager in love.

Member Quotes

This is my second Christmas with my pacemaker and I am so happy to be with my family.