pacemaker microwave problem

At work I have to microwave lunches for kids. After 30 minutes of heating their lunches, my pacemaker - heart starts fluttering. This continues for several hours. It happens every day that I heat lunches for the kids. I know they say microwave ovens are safe, but this happens only after I use that microwave oven. Am I getting too much exposure? Can this fluttering be harming my pacemaker? On weekends when I'm not at work I do not feel this happening. I'm in a small room, at work, while I'm heating these lunches - one after another for 30 minutes.

4 Comments

microwave oven or something else?

by Gotrhythm - 2014-04-29 03:04:12

Today both pacemakers and microwave ovens are better shielded, so there’s little reason for most people to worry about interference.

But “most” doesn’t mean “all.” Several contributors to this forum have mentioned having those humongous speakers at rock concerts affect their pacemakers, when they stood too close.

I tend to believe that people know what they know. They might not be interpreting what they experience correctly, but that doesn't mean it's not happening.

You know that when you stand in a certain place, at a certain time, your heart goes fluttery. The problem coincides with using the microwave.

If the cause of the fluttering is electromagnetic interference with your pacemaker, in addition to the microwave, in a cafeteria kitchen there could easily be other heavy duty machines generating strong electromagnetic fields. You say you're in a small room. Something inside the wall or on the other side of a wall could be producing a magnetic field and you could be standing in it.

An electrician with a gauss meter could check for electromagnetic fields. The good news is that even strong fields diminish rapidly over distance. Just standing a couple of feet away could solve the problem.

Good luck.

This may sound silly but...

by Zia - 2014-04-30 03:04:34

Have you tried turning your back to the microwave while it's running? That would put the thickness of your ches (however much that might be) between your PM and the machine. If that makes any difference, you may at least have some indication of what's going on.

OK - A test for you to rule it out

by donr - 2014-05-02 08:05:58

Microwave ovens have to be safe for a PM because they have to be safe for eyeballs! That's correct. An eyeball is filled w/ a fluid very similar to egg white & congeals easily under RF energy. The shielding must be superb on them.

NOW - how old is your microwave ? Does it have any cracks or worn spots in the shield around the door joint? If so, it could be leaking & be dangerous.

Try the following: Go to the microwave & SIMULATE all the motions you normally do - including sticking something of about the same weight as the kid's lunches. just DO NOT turn the device on. Set the time for 30 sec instead. See if you suffer the same discomfort.

If you do, it's a combination of working w/ your arms out in front of you OR & anxiety/fear that the Microwave is affecting you.

Try it, it's a cheap test.

Donr

microwave oven

by tarsha - 2014-05-16 07:05:39

There is research out there that suggests that microwave ovens may be the cause of cateracts that have been occuring in some young adults. This research is ongoing. Thanks for all the comments. My coworker now heats up the kids lunches and I don't have this problem. Another site said that prolonged microwave use is not good because of the leads from the PM. I guess nothing is 100% safe.

You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

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