Most Recent Messages

Signs Please (Pacergirl)

Hi All,
just as a matter of interest... I wonder reading pacergirl's /Susie's demise (battery life) ...if the members that have had their battery changed ... would like to comment on how long their's lasted plus their % of pacing... but I do stress "a matter of interest" also did you have any symptons.
Peter.N

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My name

Wow how did I typo my own name... Anyone know how I can fix it to CoolHandLuke?

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MSN Messaging and all that Jazz

Hi Pals

Just to let you know Pookie and Harley and others that Jordan, my grandson, will be "fixing" my computer for me this weekend.
Hoping to chat with you soon. Luv ya all Billie

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Anyone had fluid around the pacemaker?

My 21 month old son has inflamed tissue and fluid around his pacemaker. He has had it in since he was 2 months old. Although at 5 months it was moved to it's current location on his right side.

Has anyone had fluid around their pacemaker? Do you know what it was caused from? Was it infected? I don't believe his is infected because he hasn't had a fever or anything. Everything is fine, except he looks like he swallowed an orange whole!

I'd like to have more informa...

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scarried

my daughter has had her pace mker sence she was 11yrs old an now she is 15years old an we went to see the dr yesterday an they said she used it way to much.... more then they thought !omg!!.... she used about 75% of the battries they said that wasnt good but she has to see a specil dr. now on monday an i thinik she are ganna have to change it or do something else bevause it didnt last very long i am so scarried for my daughter.... does anyone no why the pacer didnt last so long ,do you think it...

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Thanks for the encouragement

Thanks for some great comments and encouragement, as I am new to this heart thing. It's also good to know that these meds can improve the heart functions. I guess I will feel better once the implant is over. My girlfriend said she will too. She said if I die, she will kill me!! which I thought was pretty amusing.

I do have a few questions about the ICD and recovery. In general, how long does it take to recover fully from the implant? My doc said no golf for a month... why didn't this...

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stuart

Hi
I have been fully paced for the last four years , over the last six months the surface veins around the pace site in my chest have started to swell up and now the veins in my left arm are also increasing in size
I have had ultra sound checks for blood clots and nothing was found
Anybody out there got any ideas as to what might be the cause

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Signs please

I would like to ask if anyone could enlighten me of the symptoms of a pacemaker battery running low. Or an even better question is... Just what are the signs that a PM battery is running low, if any?

I have phone checks every month now, but the tech. won't/can't tell me much. The only thing I know is that I am tired and that I am in the last year of battery life. It is being depleated much faster than anticipated. I have only had it since 2005! My resting rate is set at 60. I hav...

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1 stitch left!

Hi everyone,

It's been almost 6 weeks since my ICD implantation and I am doing great. I don't mind the ICD at all and am getting used to the look and feel of it there. I am gradually getting my strength back and becoming more active.

I just realized today, though, that there is one of my supposedly dissolvable stitches still in the incision. All this time I had thought it was a very stubborn scab, but I looked at it with a mirror today and then had my Mom look at it, and w...

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Questions?

  • by h-d
  • 2008-06-20 04:06:41
  • Coping
  • 1691 views
  • 8 comments

I am struggling with the decision to have a pm implanted now or wait for a while. I have some questions for my doctor but thought maybe some of you would have some suggestions on what I should be asking.

First let me give you a little back ground. I am a few years away from 40. I have been having chest discomfort for the past 6 years. About 5 years ago I had my gallbladder removed and that seemed to help a little but the chest discomfort never went away but I had shoulder pain as...

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Amiodarone

My EP doc and I are running out of options for my irregular heart rate. (read my post-AV Node ablation below for more info)
I appreciate immensely my doctor's willingness to try everything possible before pacemaker implant, but now he wants me to try amiodarone. Yikes! The side effects for this drug, I believe, are not worth it, and it doesn't seem like a feasible option for me. After reading the serious side effects of amiodarone, I think I would rather just go ahead with the AV node ablat...

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Medication for PVCs - Diltiazem

Hi

Since my dual chamber PM was put in at the beginning of February for second degree heart block just at night, I have been having thousands of ectopic beats when I am resting - PVCs. My settings have been changed several times and now I am on a 'guardian angel' setting - back up VVI at 35 bpm. So I am only sensed and paced in the ventricle - nothing in the atrium. This has improved the situation but not got rid of it. When I asked if these extra beats could be dangerous, he said...

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AV Node Ablation

I have had irregular heart rhythms for 8 years now. Flutter, a-fib, SVT, atrial tach, v. bigeminy...you name it. All meds I've tried over the years have failed to manage my symptoms, and I've had 3 failed ablations with the last one resulting in phrenic nerve damage. My EP doc and I are running out of options, and I fear a AV Node ablation with pacemaker implant looms in my future. This will either be the best or worst thing for me. I wish there was a sure way of telling, but I know I can't cont...

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New to the group, being implanted on 6/26/

Hello, My name is Charly, I wrote a while back about being FED up with this whole 4 ablations, topped off with the meds, no sex libido thing. Well The doc finally stated that its time to put the pacemaker in. I have SVT vs AT with bouts of A-Fib. I have had this problems for over 8years. So when i go to the appt today, she says well we maxed out on Flecanide, and diltizam. So its time. I wanna place it next week. I was like WHOA... I used to say how I was fed up and wanted a pacemaker, but now...

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IF YOU ONLY KNEW.........

Hello People.

Reader's Digest offered two dozen doctors a chance to tell it like it really is, and general practitioners, surgeons, shrinks, pediatricians, and other specialists took the challenge. Some wanted to be anonymous; some didn't care. But all of them revealed funny, frightening, and downright shocking things that can help you be a better, smarter patient.
I'm only going to post a few of the answers given by some physicians, just to give you all a taste of what goes on...

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Abnormal Heart Sound

Hello! I just got a pacemaker implanted June 10, 2008 and all went well with the surgery. I am a 24 year old female in otherwise good health, with a dual-chamber Medtronic pacemaker implanted for extended periods of asystole occurring during episodes of vasovagal syncope.

I was just wondering if anyone with a dual-chamber pacemaker has experienced any abnormal heart sounds that have not been explained with testing (chest X-ray, echo, EKG, lab work, etc). I had all of this done and not...

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Medtronic lead recall/sprint fidelis

  • by bunnykin
  • 2008-06-19 01:06:38
  • 1003 views
  • 0 comments

Hi PM/ICD friends,
For those of you who have like me an ICD ventricular lead on recall, either models: 6949, 6948, 6931, 6930; If you have the time or if you haven't looked into the Medtronic site, there was an update of Sprint Fidelis lead Performance etc. Letter was dated May 7, 2008. ( Letters both to Doctors and patients). Do go into the appendix II, III and IV; Interesting to know that Alert from lead fracture given to patients have been noted to be: (under the Advance Notice section)...

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hello again!

Alright just a lil recap my name is Rachel and im 22 year old female. I just got my first pm in jan 08, for a-fib and rapid rate. I have a few ?'s. Im going to vegas in september......i cant wait! Oh back to the ? Im a factor 5 (prone to blood clots......which doesnt help with the a-fib) I was wondering if you guys would know.....im unsure if i should fly or drive?!? I talked to my doc and he said it was kinda equal. So i wanted to see what you guys thought? I know driving for long times and cau...

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Cops with pacemakers still working?

Hi, I'm having a pacemaker installed next week, I see a lot of firefighters with pacemakers. Are there any cops in the club with pacemakers? I'm curious if you are still working Hoping so....

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checkup by phone?

I have an appt. to have a checkup by phone next week. Since this is the 1st time ,I am not sure what it is that is being checked. The battery of the pacemaker or me ? If they are checking how I am pacing can they also change settings by phone? I am asking because I have been experiencing extra beats since my new lead was implanted on May 22. I had a holter monitor test about 10 days ago but so far have not gotten the results. The extra beats are annoying but I am not sure whether I shou...

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You know you're wired when...

You have rhythm.

Member Quotes

I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.