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police work

i am a police officer and just had a PM placed 3 weeks ago. I now have low blood pressure that makes me light headed and dizzy sometimes and my vision sometimes gets a little blurry. My doctor said they can only blunt my symptoms but they will never really go away. I am unsure if I will be able to return to work. I am just windering if any other police officers have a PM and how it affects their job?

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My PM and Ectopic Beats

Hi Pacemaker Experts

Going to start off with my question: CAN A PACEMAKER IN ITSELF CAUSE ECTOPIC BEATS?

Since I had my Medtronic Dual Chamber PM fitted on 4th Feb for second degree AV block I've had strange beats/thumps in my chest and throat. These have now been diagnosed as ectopic beats and they have been trying different PM settings to stop it happening.

I was only being paced less than 4% of the time in AAI<=>DDD Mode set at 60ppm and gettting thousands...

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PM/ICD PRESSING ON A MUSCLE

Hello I hope Harley 63 gets this message, thank you i took your advice and went to see the surgent this week. Had pm/icd replaced 3/27/08, been experiencing pain under my arm pit for 5 weeks. They told me the pm is pressing on a muscle causing the pain 24/7. They told me they can go in again and move it under the muscle, I do not want to go thru surgery again, infection risk is high, they told me it would settle in within 4 to 6 months it should drop down once it does. Dealing with it and have t...

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Masters Swimming

Hi all,
I have been involved with Masters Swimming since the early 1970's. I became attached to my PM in March 2005.
Would any of you doing swimming work-outs tell me about any changes you have had - compared to pre-PM? If you did experience any changes, how did you adjust?
I would greatly appreciate you comments. Thanks for your time and help.

Richan

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recalled pacemakers and defibs

hello how many people on here have a bad pacemaker or defib on recall i had the 6949 medtronics with the bad wire has any one filed law suits about this issue i had mine removed since it did'nt work any way
i was just asking if any one has heard any thing from thier lawyers or medtronic about this
thanks

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defib is moving

I had a pacemaker for 9 years with no problems. in feb. 2008, i had a defib inplanted. 3 weeks later it moved out of the pocket, down near my armpit. very painful!
the Dr at first reccommended leaving it, but it was painful to move my arm to the right, pushing against the Defib there. my second consult with him he said he will fix it. do it over ,and put it back up where it belonged.
so, I returned for the new surgery. it was pulled out and the pocket was stiched up smaller to keep it...

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got my PM adjusted

Thanks to those of you who encouraged me to get my PM adjusted. It turned out my last reading from the PM verified what I was telling the doc: I increased from 2.6% usage to 6.9% and it was almost all between midnight and 5AM. The thing was turning me into an insomniac. They lowered my bottom number from 60 to 50. They said they can still adjust 1 more thing if they need to. Already the relief is great. Sleeping well makes a big difference!
Thanks!

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Complications after surgery

Hello,
I had my PM implanted in February. I needed the physical therapy to increase range of motion. I am finished with that part which helped a lot; however, I still can't raise my arm without pain due to a pinched nerve.
Has anyone else had this problem after having the PM surgery?

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New to site

Hello all, I just had an icd implanted for brugada syndrome and just have a few questions about some issues. The device was just installed on 5-6 and I can't sleep on my left side without feeling the pacing or at least that is what I think it is. I did lift my arm above my shoulder by accident and had severe pain. Just wondering what damage can be done, can the leads have been jeopardized? Or is all this normal?

Thanks for any help,

J.R.

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Running and Weightlifting

Hi everyone,

My cardiologist insisted on a pm after I passed out one day in April, '08 because of a low heart rate. I think it was because I took my metropolol pills to control atrial fib, too close together. My pm is set at 50 bpm.

Prior to this, I was running thirty miles a week and engaging in heavy lifting in the gym. (I am 69 years old and have worked out all my life) My question is: Dare I eventually go back to heavy dumbell presses and curls or should I fear injury a...

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PAROXSYMAL ATRIAL FIB-AND BETA BLOCKERS

How long do people life with paroxysmal afib before it gets worse?

Does living on beta blockers prevent you from doing physical exercise as i am only 41 but i feel breathless when i do any kind of what i would class as heavy exercise - cycling or running up stairs?

Does your heart change radically in the first year after implantation?
(I wonder about this as your heart would have been stuggling with the too slow bradacardia not being oxygenated enough while you sleep t...

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Head and giddy spells

Well I am nearly four months after my PM. Energy slightly elevated but keep getting lightheaded also and this is very hard to explain, a feeling as though my head has a huge pressure, it only lasts seconds, but is worrying me slightly.

The lightheadedness is daily, I am on no medication, any suggestions please? Don't really want to try and explain this one in french to the doctor, could be there a very long time.

Thanks Jules

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got checked

hello fellow pacers, just writing to tell you that i got checked this afternoon and all is fine, no leads have dislodged or come loose. Jenny(she is great and very understanding) who checks my pm said that it was all fine and that i have probably worked myself up into believing there was something wrong. I've been told to chill out, stop worrying if i can help it and if there is any problems then thats what they are there for so ring them. They also said it might be my medication that is making...

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Has anybody gained weight after pm

After I got my PM I had gained over 40 lbs, and i'm having a hard time to loose the weight, I try to work out but I get tired easily, sometimes i don't even have energy to get out of bed, what can I do? has anyone had the same problem? I try to eat healty, sometimes i don't even have time to eat, and I haven't lost an ounce.

please help

Debbie

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Heart failure

Does anyone know anything about a pacemaker causing heart failure after shocking the ventricles for a length of time? Or does anyone know of a site that I could read into about this? The reason is, my son said that he read somewhere about this happening but he couldn't remember the magazine name where he saw it at. He was reading a magazine in a dr's office while waiting. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Pacie

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Irregular heartbeat 16 months later

Hi,
Is it typical to have irregular heart beats with the pacemaker? I had my Medronic put in 16 months ago- been doing fine. I was at the Dr. (not cardiologist) yesterday and the nurse said my pulse was 60 (what the pacer is set at) but very irregular fast and slow. Is that because it is a natural pacing beat or? She said to let the cardiologist know, but it is always a hassle and I do not need another Dr visit.

Thanks,
Tom

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About to take the plunge!

I am 78 years old and have been slowly recuperating from congestive heart failure in 2004. My cardiologist says I am now a candidate for a pacemaker - since my heart condition has improved considerably, but the rate fluctuates to as low 30 bpm at times. The procedure is scheduled for 5/16. Anyone have any suggestions or words of encouragement? Don

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anxiety

Hi its louise again,
I've been a bit silly and posted a message under my comments......sorry but the reason i was writing was because i haven't been feeling very good the last couple of days. Tuesday i lifted my arm above my shoulder level while putting my arm through a sleeve, didnt even think about it until i'd done it! Ever since i have felt like i have had the same symptoms as the day i got admitted. I haven't fainted but my heart has felt like it was racing, i've felt dizzy, anxious th...

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Arm Pain

Hey everyone it's me again. Well since I talked to everyone last time I had to go back in and have 2 leads put back in that had come undone. WOW, I wonder if this will ever be over. I am having alot of pain in my left arm and shoulder. Has anyone had any problem like that? It only been 6 days since I had my second surgery and I go back in the see my doctor tomorrow. I had a friend that had knee surgery a week ago and he went back to see his doctor a week later, he was complaining of pain a...

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What is it like?

When I got my pm it was just accepted in my family and those around me. Unfortunately when I fel so ill it just fell on deaf ears and I went though a very personal lonely time. My doc ignored the symptoms I was presenting with and it was all sorted out one morning in emergency. After that I changed my doc. I had been going to him for about 6 months when he asked me the question: "What is it like to have a pacemaker?" I was taken aback as no one had asked me. I could have hugged him. Is t...

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You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker interferes with your electronic scale.

Member Quotes

I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.