Pacemaker and Wireless (WLAN) Interference

I just bought a new wireless laptop (with radar to detect wireless networks when I'm out in the real world), because you know, I just can't wait to go out and get all hopped up on caffeine at the closest Starbucks and Google the heck out of my new wireless laptop! LOL! I also bought a wireless router to set up a WLAN in my house to share my broadband internet connection with my laptop.

As soon as I set everything up and got it turned on and connected, my pacemaker went crazy! I had to shut off my wireless within five minutes. My symptoms were: an intense burning sensation around my pacemaker, pressure on my sternum (it felt like someone was sitting on my chest!), a feeling of strangulation in my neck, and palpitations. It felt like I drank a whole pot of coffee, which (despite my joke about Starbucks) I can't really drink more than a cup a day of. If I didn't have a pacemaker, I would have thought I was having a heart attack. I turned my wireless on and off several times, and every time it was on, my symptoms returned. ( I even had my husband turn it on a few times that I didn't know about, just to see if it was all in my head; it wasn't!)

I have a complete heart block due to an AV node ablation gone bad, so I am 100% dependent on my pacemaker. I don't know if that's why my symptoms were so intense? I had to put an ice pack on my chest to numb out the pain.

I have spent the last week searching the internet for info. on all of this, and I have seen numerous complaints from people with medical devices and Wi-Fi interference. I've read several reports about studies between the two.

They all say that despite the fact that they both share the same 2.4 Ghz bandwidth (the ISM, or Industrial Scientific and Medical band), the newer medical devices should not receive any interference from wireless networks. However, they all state that they cannot guarantee anything! And they also say to stay at least 11 cm, or about 6 inches away from the wireless device. (I'm at least 1-1/2 feet away from the little radar switch on my laptop when it's actually sitting "on my lap." That's as close as I got to anything wireless that I'm aware of.)

Since this world is rapidly becoming a wireless world, I am very concerned about my future well-being as I go about my day to day routine. Wireless networks are in doctor's offices and hospitals, both of which I've been spending a lot of time in lately! I just got done wearing a Holter heart monitor for 24 hrs. so that my doctor can see if he can figure out what's going on. I'll post a follow-up with any info. he tells me.

If any savy tech-heads out there happen to read this message, and you have thoughts, answers, or solutions to this problem, PLEASE post a comment!!!

Good luck to all of you who might be having similar problems with interference!

Lisa

5 Comments

W-Fi & PM

by janetinak - 2007-10-20 01:10:44

I have had current PM (& am 100% dependent) since 2003. I was freaked when I bought my laptop & it had w-fi on it. I shut it off & called my ER's office. The response was that their office was all on w-fi & we all (PM-ers) go in to get our check-ups & no problem. Also I have had no problems in friends home with w-fi. I have not put my w-fi back on with my own laptop ('cause I love all these d... wires or am too cheap, whatever). I wonder if it is because your PM is newer or ??? Would be real interested in what your Dr. says. Please let us know. I can really relate to your fear & wish you the best.

Janet

Interesting

by ela-girl - 2007-10-20 01:10:53

Hi, Lisa!

I will have to say that I have had no problem using my laptop with Wi-Fi and no problems with the WLAN setup in my house. My husband and I are very tech savvy and have all sorts of gadgets and whatnot, and I've never experienced any computer problems of the sort. So, please let us know what you hear. I have 3 different laptops and one is brand new. No problems. My pm is a year old, and I pace right now about 30% of the time. I have a variety of reasons for my pm. Like pawgles, I have had a few instances of feeling ill by anti-theft devices and I hate going into Circuit City (in fact, I WON'T go in any more). Other than that, I feel ok.

Wish you the best!
ela-girl

Needs further investigation

by peter - 2007-11-28 06:11:29

This could be a problem with some makes and types of pacemakers. At the moment we dont know which because members are not posting the make and type of pacemaker that they have implanted. Also the actual wireless transmitter type and strength of signal may be a contributary factor. I really do think there maybe cause for concern here for some people. The real problem is that you dont know these days if you are near a transmitter.

could be faulty wifi unit

by londonsteve - 2007-12-05 11:12:30

unfortunately the only way to find out what is causing the problem is a series of trial-and-error tests.

I doubt very much the wifi card on your laptop is causing this problem, if anything its much more likely to be the base station/wifi router as that operates at a much higher energy level. but I think the most likely cause is that the wifi base station is faulty somehow and is emitting rogue frequencies that are interfering with the pacemaker.
the only way to be sure is to see what happens in the following scenarios;

-wifi enabled on your laptop but base station turned off
-base station turned on, laptop wifi disabled
-base station & laptop wifi enabled
-try sitting 10 feet away or so from another type of wifi base station in another location
-base station & laptop wifi enabled in some form of 'blind test'


you should do all these tests with someone else around to help you and keep an eye on you. preferably when you're relaxed and not worried about it, the last test is particularly important. the base station should be turned on without you knowing about it to see if it provokes the same reaction

what make/model of pacemaker do you have? for the record, I have a very old Siemens pacemaker (no telemetry) and an Apple Airport Extreme network at home without any problems, the base station itself is only 4 feet or so away from where I sit in front of the TV!

hope you manage to sort it out anyway
cheers
steve

No Problem Here

by oimaprincess247 - 2007-12-08 01:12:03

I just got my pacemaker a few days ago. I was also worried that my wireless internet would interfere with my pacemaker. Since I am a college student in Pre Law I use my computer alot. I have not had a problem yet with my computer or my wireless adapter. When I asked my doctor and the person who works for my pacemaker company(St.Jude's) they told me that it should not interfere, but he could not gaurentee anything because the technology is constantly changing. But I think you may want to talk to your doctor about it. Good Luck

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker interferes with your electronic scale.

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