Most Recent Messages in General Posting

Cost of ablation

Anyone have experience with the cost of an ablation? I viewed my bill yesterday online and was blown away at the amount. Anyone have any guesses or experience?

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Pacemaker since 3/2021

I've had my pacemaker since 3/2021. It was sudden, my husband noticed one night out of the blue that my speech was off, I wasn't making sense. He quickly dialed 911. The paramedics came and found my heart rate to be plummeting to 27. I was quickly transported to the hospital and given a temporary pacemaker to "buy time" and then roughly 4 hours after I was in the OR again for the placement of my permanent pacemaker.  I woke up feeling drunk. I don't drink, nor smoke...

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covid 19 vaccine

I have a Metronic pacemaker since 2019.  I had the covid 19 vaccine yesterday  Oct 4,2023, called Spikevax by Moderna US, inc.   Had it at my local gocery stores pharmacy.  The pharmacy tech ask which arm , I said i have a pacemaker.  She then said the right one.  Felt a tiny pinch an she said all done.

On the really short drive home wondered if I got the full amount.  Well i have to tell you about an hour later, had a metalic taste in m...

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Bedside monitor

I have a Medtronic Azure pm with a bedside monitor.  A restless sleeper with sciatica, I frequently get up during the night, walk around, and end up on the living room couch for half the night.  Am wondering whether my monitor can do its thing if I'm in the next room about 30 ft away.  Anyone know the range of these monitors?  Thanks!

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Which manufacturer and what can a pacemaker do to help?

Hello everyone, one member has suggested it would be helpful to have a discussion about 

what a pacemaker can and cannot do to help control an arrhythmia?  

I would like to add 

and if we had a choice, which pacemaker manufacturer should we choose to help with the task? 

We know already our pacemakers successfully treat Bradycardia and Heart Block and help with conditions like Heart Failure.  We also know that...

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Vaccinations

I had my double, Covid booster and seasonal flu, jabs yesterday.

I'm keeping ectopics at bay at the monment with 10-mg Bisoprolol daily and so far, it seems to work.

Until last night. Heat rate dropped to below 40-BPM and oxygen showing 70%..

I'm not going to jump to conclusions, but it is rather coincidental.

I'm erring on the fact that with two sore arms, sleeping was going to be difficult and stressful. I did take one optional amitripyline tablet so can&...

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Pacemaker

I have Biotronik evity 8 duel chambered pacemaker does anyone know if it shocks my heart if it slows up or is that only defibrillator 

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Update on new pacemaker settings

I have 2nd Degree AV heart block.

It has been a week since I have moved from minimal pacing (13%) set at VVI40 (my ventricles will not beat any less than 40bpm) to DDD 100% pacing.

My heart thuds stopped immediately. The long wait before pacing (1.5 seconds on blocked beats) is now gone. So that is really good.

I feel a little less fatigued but not a step change so let's see how that progresses.

Exercise is more complicated. I have now done three runs at these new...

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Not a good year

As bad as last year was, I was hoping this year would be better. So far it hasn't work out that way. The year started out with the implantation of my pacemaker in January. That turned out OK as I was feeling better after years of fighting almost constant AF. Spring arrived and there was still hope for a good year.

Then May came and I had my annual CT scan to check on the cancer I had so far beaten for 9 years. Well, my luck ran out and a mass was discover in almost the exact same sp...

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Flecainide

Hello all, hope all is well, I have a question about flecainide for afib, I went to see an EP about 5 months ago who suggested I have an ablation for my paroxysmal afib and at some point remove my pacemaker because of my low percentages which was very much concerning to me so I opted for a second opinion. This other EP from the boston location came highly recommended and said ablation would be a last resort so he put me on this medicine and lowered my pacing rate to 45. He also stated to leav...

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BPM

I have had a PM for a year.   Without the PM my heart beats in the range of 28-32.  The PM is set for no lower than 60.  This morning I woke up and it was beating at 48 BPM.   After about 25 minutes (and a cup of coffee) it was up to 66 BPM.  Should I be worried.  I feel fine once it get up to speed.  I have a cardiologist appoint at the end of this month.

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Usefull links

A couple of useful links

https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ectopic-beat

https://bpac.org.nz/2017/beta-blockers.aspx

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Pm into 3.5 year old

Hi all, 

questions about 3.5 year old- he has complete heart block and his time for a pm has come! Because he is small (3.5 years old) the leads will be placed externally on the heart (if that makes sense)- any tips on the recovery period? How many stitches? any tips on how to prevent a toddler from raising his elbows above shoulder levels etc for 6 weeks. I shudder. Any tips on how to recognise issues w the pm in such a young kid - his language is a bit behind, so don't be foo...

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Airport security

Hello, I'm new here and so glad I'm on this forum.  I feel a little lost no one in my family or my friends have had a pacemaker. 

My question is: how to handle security at the airport.  I live in California and probably security at airports are different in other states.  I do have my pacemaker card.  But, what's the procedure?

Thanks, Kari

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Atrial Bigeminy

Hello from New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment

I recently have become acquainted with the term Atrial Bigeminy.  For some months I was pretty sure I spent a good deal of time in A-fib.  Had all the symptoms plus my Kardia Mobile confirmed.  Even my doctor was convinced after reviewing my phone log of possible A-fib events of which there were a good number.

However, very very few a-fib events showed up on my home monitor report or in office interrogation.  Almos...

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Aveir™ DR dual-chamber pacemaker availability US

Hi all,  have any one here heard since its FDA approval in July when this new dual chamber leadless PM will become offered on a more general level around the US? and will it also be offered to younger/middel aged patients since it has a retriveable function? From what I have been able to read some of the doctors in the trial believe this is doable. Br MG.

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3 year old - congenital heart block

Hi all!! 

First post for me- and first off I am delighted to have found this site and have read all posts I could find regarding complete heart block. Before I ask my questions I will recount some of my son's story- and mine, to give reassurance to anyone that may be frantically googling for information after being given this diagnosis of their unborn child during pregnancy.  (Jump to last paragraph for the questions)

That is what happened to us- CHB was found d...

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Swelling

I had a CRT-D device implanted 3 weeks ago. Everything seems fine except for some swelling above my collar bone at the base of my neck. An ultrasound sound was done and a blood clot was ruled out. At my post op earlier this week my nurse said it may have been caused by an injury when my arm was moved during surgery. This really doesn't feel like a muscle injury. Has anyone else experienced this type of swelling after an implant? 

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New to the club.

I've been a part of an online heart valve replacement community for many years, so when I found I was getting a pacemaker/ICD implant and AV Node ablation, I was glad to see there is such an active group for this new experience in my heart-walk.  I have had a St. Jude mitral valve for 32 years.  7 years ago I got atrial fibrilation.  The doctors felt, due to my heart history, that cardioversion and/or ablation would not be successful, so for the past 7 years they've tri...

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New To PM And Have Questions

Hello everyone. I know that many of you have had you PM for a while and I'm new to the process.I have posted on here once about regrets a few days after my implant. Everyone who responded to me was very friendly and I want to say I appreciate that. Now I have questions and even more questions. Yesterday was my first follow-up after surgery and they removed the bandage and staples. The implant site was healing real nice and other than the emotional effects after surgery, I was having physi...

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You know you're wired when...

You prefer rechargeable batteries.

Member Quotes

I finished 29th in London in 2 hours 20 minutes 30 seconds which is my fastest with or without a device so clearly it didn’t slow me down ! I had no problems apart from some slight chaffing on my scar - more Vaseline next time.