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Delay setting in PM

I had my PM implanted in early May for intermittent heart block. My heart block varies between 1st and 3rd (complete) heart block. The settings on my PM have been tweaked each of the last couple months. After the first month, the technician shut off the rate response function since I have heart block and not SSS. Going into that session my pacing was 15% in the A and 99% in the V. I have felt fine since that is shut off.

During my second visit, my pacing adjusted to 10% in the A...

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Who do I believe?

I just got back from my first month follw up, I had my pacemaker installed July 5th.The doctor told me everything looked good and that I could resume doing all the activities and workload that I had before the operation. I asked him twice just to make sure, and so that my wife could hear it again. I could do heavy lifting, exercise, jogging etc. etc. He said go for it. The St. Jude rep came in after him to check out the settings and make any adjustments if necessary and we asked him if he could...

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Helpfull

I am very new to the PM life. I just got out of the hospital this morning after having a Medtronic PM implanted yesterday 8-4-2008. I stumbled across this site and have been on it for about two hours now. I just wanted to express how informative and helpfull this site is.

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Thank you for the birthday

wishes. It went so fast but had fun and went to a minor league baseball game. Karen R.

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mustard procedure and pacemakers

I was wondering if there is anyone who had the mustard procedure that has had a pacemaker.

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Electric Wheelchair

Hi all
I have just had a visit from my wheelchair OT (UK) and I am going to be upgraded from an attendant manual to an electric indoor self operated wheelchair.
One concern has arisen in that I have a pacer and its to be checked into if I will still be aok for an electric chair.
A net search has shown one site that has concerns over pacers and electric wheelchairs-the information may be outdated.
However is it aok for a pacer to use an electric wheelchair with safety?
Th...

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need help

If the doctor tries to talk me into having a 2nd pocket made and putting in an older slightly larger pm...I don't want it.
This one was put in 5 months ago and it moves and it sticks out and it creates black and blues over the unit and the lead is felt through the skin.
Surgery is scheduled on Friday. What should I be asking?
Please anyone have ideas?

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shoulder pain

I am a physical therapist with a pt that I am seeing for a second time for shoulder pain, but it is evident that her pain stems from her PM, as it moves with her shoulder, it seems to be adhered to the pectoralis muscle. The stretches and moist heat help but the relief tends to be temporary and the pain never goes completely away. Does anyone have any suggestions, any stretches? I am at the point of asking my pt to consider a second medical opinion since her MD wants to ignore the problem. I ha...

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Pacemaker virgin continued!

Ooops! made mistake in last posting! Gerry the pacemaker was eventually implanted on my right side leaving lovely scars on both side of my chest!

Anyone else had this experience??!!

Louise xx

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I'm a pacemaker virgin! feeling a bit low!

Hello from UK!

Well I am the proud (?) owner of 'Gerry' the Pacemaker from 24th July 08. Feeling somewhat low generally as four weeks ago I didn't even know how ill I was!

I was just getting a bit breathless going upstairs and feeling a bit tired.... I just thought that was me being a busy 43 year old mum of two!

So imagine my horror when a routine test showed a pulse rate of 35!!!! I was admitted into Poole General Hospital for my pacemaker procedure!

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Traveling Pacemaker

There have been a number of posts recently concerning a pacemaker migrating away from the original site. Here is reprint of a section in the Medtronics Implant Procedures section of the technical manual.

Securing the Pacemaker
A suture placed through the suture hole located in the connector assembly area helps secure the pacemaker in the subcutaneous pocket, thus minimizing post-implant rotation and migration of the device. Use normal surgical needles to penetrate the suture hole...

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new ICD for diaphragm pacing

I wanted to post this to update everyone on my diaphragm pacing issue.

After a year of x-rays, CTs and an uninformed cardiologist, I finally found out that the thumping in my left abdomen was a condition called diaphragm pacing. The lead in my ventricle was unfortunately placed so that the electrical impulse required to pace my heart was bleeding through and either stimulating my left phrenic nerve or my diaphragm directly causing this non-threatening but definitely quality of life d...

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When to start running again?

Had PM installed on July 22nd 2008. Needed due to low pulse rate from time to time and pulse pausing and passing out. Had first check up a week after installation and all was good. I have been walking almost every night about 2 miles and no problems. Looking foward to start running again. Normal runs are 3 to 4 milses 4 times a week. Anyone out there who can tell me when I can start running again? What issues if any can I expect? Should I limit my miles at the beginning? Thanks for the...

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help needed to alleviate stress about pocket change of PM

I have put myself into such a state of anxiety.
I decided to have a new pocket done for my PM.
The battery change done in Feb. has caused some issues.
I feel and see the protrusion of the lead, the skin over the PM is tender, the PM seems to fall to the left when I sleep. The procedure is scheduled for Friday but now I am thinking I should cancel. The Dr. states the PM is functioning and that my decision should be one of quality of life...
I am now thinking I should not go...

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Mustard procedure: a-fib


I was wondering if there is anyone who had the mustard procedure and had a pacemaker in. What were the reasons for the pacemaker . I have been in a-fib for the last 37 years, and it has never effected me in anyway. My heart rate is now 47-50bpm and at night it goes as low as 28bpm. They now want to put in a pacemaker because of my low heart rate. They also want to try and change my heart rhythm, but no one has ever suggested that before. I was wonder if there was anyone who had the same th...

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pain people are saying

my daughter had no pain when she got her pacer, alittle uncofterable she only had pain when she 1st got a event-moiter inplanted before the pm..

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Will my bump go down??!!!

Hello again!

I had my pacemaker (lovingly called 'Gerry'!) on 24th July and was just wondering.......... silly question I know....... does the pacemaker always protrude through the skin???

Obviously I am still very brused and swollen, but...... as I am on the small side (up top!!) it looks like I have 3 boobies!! Hope I haven't embarrased anyone here! I guess I am expecting some sort of miracle that my pacemaker will become flatter!!!

Can anyone please adv...

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freaken out

my teen daughter has had a pm sence she was11yrs old an now she is going on a trip to dever she will bw on a plane far away from me i live in wisconsin ,milwauke i am ganna freak out while she is gone she has never been away that long but at a friends house omgi no she will be ok with frinds an there parentsbut its the scare of being so far away from me how should i cope with it?

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PM Report

I too am confused by my first report...as far as pacing...my report says..AS-VS 13.5 %
AS-VP <0.1%
AP-VS 86.4%
AP-VP <0.1%

So is the pm working 13% or 86% ...I am totally confused...I thought that I understood it ...as pacing 86% but am not quite sure after reading the last answer to this...thanks so much...vtlaney

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I am having second thoughts

I am 69 and have what has been diagnosed as tachy-brady syndrome. They want to put a pacemaker in to control the slow heart rate and they are putting me on a medication for the fast heart rate or as they call it a-fib. Other than getting a little dizzy and tired i haven't had to many problems. I am afraid if I get a pacemaker that I will not be the same as far as energy and doing the things I do now. Thanks for any help you can give me
tcole1939

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Good luck with your surgery. It will improve life amazingly.