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Rotten taste

I am new here, so HI to everyone. My PM was installed in Aug 2005. Ever since then I've had a rotten taste in my mouth.I've talked to my Dr. and Heart Dr. about this and they say they've never heard of it. Does anybody else have this problem????? Thanks!!

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PacemakerPlacement

Hi Speedy
I wrote an article to comment on your problem but it didnt get printed for some reason. I am from Grand Rapids and I had my ablation done through West Michigan Heart with a Dr. ElMuche. I wondered if we may have had the same Dr. and would be interested in connecting with you. I have a two lead pm and am 100% dependent. I have been having the same problems you have with my arm hurting etc. I also have a sack of fluid under my arm apparently caused from the pm pressing on my cla...

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new icd patient

Hi.

just had icd impamted yesterday(3/31/08).
still sore and getting used to it. any tips etc...?
thanks.

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Thinking of you Billie and Brian

I have just heard that Billies husband Brian is very ill and in hospital,They were due to start their holiday this weekend and I had been looking foward to seeing them.
Our prayers and good wishes go out to you Billie and Brian as we wish Brian a speedy recovery.
Love from your pacer friend Kay

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About the Risk of Heart Failure Study

Okay, did the research...

This study was conducted in 2005 (which is why it doesn;t show up in the March 2008 journal.

To me, an important element in this study is as follows:
(Direct from the published report)

"In reviewing the records, we observed a significant increase in heart failure related events, including hospitalization or death, as early as six months after pacemaker implantation,"said Dr. Freudenberger, who also is director of the heart transplan...

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Pacemaker dislodged/Surgery Thurs.

Pacemaker dislodged/Surgery Thurs.
Comment posted by kathy22 on 2008-04-01 08:25.
I went to my cardiologist in NYC yesterday - the Medronic pacemaker that was implanted in 2000 (see above for reason for 3rd surgery). I have a mess on the left side - the burning is from my collar bone to the top of my breast. I cannot move from one position to another without severe burning/pain - I am having surgery this Thursday to put a new pacemaker on the right side and "clean-up" the left side wh...

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IST

Can Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia be detected during an EP Study or is it just the diagnosis given when all other forms of tachy are ruled out?

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Heart Failure!

I agree with DD. It may well be true that I am at a higher risk of dying from CHF now that I have a pacemaker, but it just so happens that without my pacemaker I would actually already be dead.
I am happy for you Robin if you are either not with pacemaker or only atrially paced, but for many of us there were no options in whether we got a PM or not. I have had two extra years so far, to watch my son grow up a bit, that I would not have had without this wonderful bit of technology and hope i...

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coping with changing medication near death

Thanks for the people who wrote to me. It is good to talk to people who have some problems like me.

I am having lots of problems at the moment. I have POTS aka postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. what happens to me is that I have very high pulse, norm is about 120 - 150. I blackout a few times a week, it use to be 10 - 15 times a day before I got the pm. My whole life changed, I lost all my friends because I could not keep up with them and now I am 28 living at home with parent...

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Heart Failure

Your report on pace makers causing heart failure was very interesting but I dont see how any of us who had no choice could do anything about it,This is a discouraging report in that for all of us it is after the fact. I for one have enough trouble getting used to having this thing much less reading what it can cause when I can do nothing about it.DD

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physical therapy

has anyone had physical therapy for the arm on the PM side? i am 3.5 months postop and my left arm/shoulder is still a bit stiff and somewhat motion restricted. it seems that when i move in the daytime it loosens up but is stiff the next morning. any suggestions?
steve

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WHAT CAN I DO NOW

have card. appt. wed.do not like the amioderone,for mos. i said it maid me sick.what altern. do i have to tell him tomm.

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Study regarding heart failure and ventricular pacing

Hello All

The study I am refering to was done by cardiologists from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of New Brunswick
as follows:

Pacemaker study sees increase in heart failure rates
Filed under: Cardiology


Worrisome results, in a study of patients with implanted pacemakers, have been published by a group of cardiologists from the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports:

Pati...

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Reverse Placebo

The placebo effect is well known where our belief that a med or treatment will actually have an effect even though is an inert sugar pill or sham surgery.

Knowing this why shouldn't there be a Reverse Placebo Effect where our uneasy or negative feelings about a med or treatment can reduce or negate its effect?

This is important here because there are frequent posts about feeling less than human with a pacemaker, or uneasy about taking a med or meds. This can't be overcome b...

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Ventricle pacing and heart failure

Hello all:

I'm going to this issue again of right ventricle pacing potentially causing syptoms of heart failure. Don't want to alarm anyone but I have read some abstracts from some studies that indicate the possibility of this occuring. i have a lead in my right atrium and right ventricle for 2nd degree AV block. My SA node works fine so my atrium is not paced. BUT my ventricle is paced 90% of the time.

The studies seem to indicate that pacing the right ventricle, espe...

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What were they doing?

During my recent pacemaker implant, I was of course heavily sedated but woke up during the procedure to a lot of pain - it felt like something was being jammed into my chest (above my left breast). When I started talking (hello that hurts!) the doctor said that I shouldn't talk because it could collapse my lung. What I'm wondering is...what was he doing? I thought the leads were fed in through veins, so what could collapse a lung?

I read in someone else's post here about the surger...

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Anti-Depressants

Hello everyone,

I was on Cymbalta for about a year and a half when back in Aug '07 I went to the hospital with a heart rate of 30. The Cardio Dr. thought maybe the Cymbalta was causing the irregular heart rate. After 6 days of being off of Cymbalta and still in the hospital with no significant change in heart rate. I was scheduled for a pacemaker the next day. I have Bradycardia with second degree blockage.

I see that many antidepressants can cause heart irregularities.

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Pacemaker Dislocated/Severe burning

My pacemaker dropped!! I had 3 surgeries at this site (long story) I have been in pain for 3 months- I went to my cardiologist in Jan. he wanted to wait to see if the tissue around the pacemaker would heal. I have excessive scar tissue due to the previous surgeries. The burining is unbearable. They think the pounch has been stretched and is pulling ( my pacemaker is to the left of my arm pit!!!!!!!It . I am going today and I have no idea what to expect- Has anyone experienced this????

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pacemaker placement

Hi, I'm so happy I just found this site. I'm a very thin 39 yr old female, I had my 1st pacemaker put in this Jan. It seems like it is sticking too far over toward my underarm. Everytime, I move my arm, I feel it, it hurts to sleep on that side, it hurts when I use my left arm too much. Is anyone else having these type of problems?? The Dr. dismissed my complaints. Thanks for any help

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Chi Machine

I am interested in purchasing a Chi Machine for my wife. Their
disclosure says to not use with an old pacemaker. I contacted them and they described old as before 2000. My wife had her implant in 2006. No matter what they said, she is still a bit leery of buying the machine. My question is obvious. Is there anyone in this huge database that has a Chi Machine and does not have problems. I am just trying to alleviate her fears.
Thanks.

Ed

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I love this new part of me, and very, very thankful that this technology exists and I know that it's all only going to get better over time.