Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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What's a pacemaker jacket?

Stilljohn asked where to find them. I don't know what they are.

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Day 2 with the pacer

Hi again,
I guess I'm an official member now. Surgery went well. They thought they were going to have to go back in and make the wire longer because when they took the xray standing up it looked like the wire was dislodging. They did a bunch of diagnostic testing in a bunch of different positions and decided it was fine. It is day 2 with my pacer. This has been the 2nd morning I have woken up with a hert rate of 50 rather than 30. What a relief. I have to admit I am pretty sore. Ho...

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Tanning Beds

Can you use a Tanning Bed if you have a PM?

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Insomnia and Light headed

Hi

Just wanted to know if anyone has experienced insomnia. I go to bed feeling shattered but as soon as the light is out I cannot sleep. No particular reason, PM is behaving.

Any suggestions ?

Also I know my blood pressure goes low but awful light headed today, also any help would be gratefully received.

Jules

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Returning to work.

Hi Just read your message and I also have had an ablation and am l00% dependent on my pm for my lower heart to function. I dont know from your message how long it has been since you have received your pm for I know they tell you to lay low for 6 weeks after it is done. I kept mine in a sling for that long even at night. I have had mine for over a year now and any questions I have about what i can be around I always direct to the 800 number that was given in the book that came with my biotro...

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Need for definitions/acronym list?

Especially as it seems many folks come to this site needing very basic information - I think it would be good to create a place to capture and store such information. Probably under "Information" as a section of "FAQs". Has this been discussed in the past? There is the search function, but I think we need a simple place to look up the meaning of terms many of us use in the posts. Maybe it could be handled ala Wikipedia with any of us free to help provide the words?

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returning to work

i just received my pacemaker(dual chamber) was in for an ablation to correct VT and things didn't go exactly as planned and am now 100% dependant in the lower chambers of the heart. i was so greatfull to stumble upon this site, it has given me so much information. My question is about returning to work, I work as a baker and use industrial size ovens and mixers and was wondering if anyone might know if this would cause interference with the PM and if so what the consequences might be. Any inform...

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Thanks for the post Jessie!

Hi All!
Well the tumor is gone!! Let's celebrate! No cancer so I'm on cloud nine! Thanks for the post Jessie and for all you my PM friends for your thoughts and prayers! A very special thanks to Karen for suggesting the test that lead me to finding the tumor. I'm still in the hospital they are still having some problems getting my electrolytes stable so Im still passing out when I try and move around but the docs are telling me its just temporary till Im stable. At least Im allowed on my...

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FIVE DAY OLD BOY GETS PM

In yesterdays papers in the UK it was reported that a 5 day old baby boy born 6 weeks premature and who was diagnosed with heart block whilst still in the womb has been fitted with a pacemaker.This was fitted at the Bristol Royal hospital for Children. He was not expected to survive . He died 3 times after pacemaker implantation but now is going home after 4 weeks. The pacemaker was inserted in the left stomach area just above the belly button. This will be moved at a later stage to the usual po...

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Electric shock...

Hi,

Today, while moving an adjustable light I received a little electrical shock. First one since the implant of my pacemaker. I don't think it did anything to me.... but it got me thinking. What if I received a big shock?

Anyone experience a shock and problems? I am a "newbie" so I am clueless. My "owners manual" doesn't cover weird things like this!

Thanks in advance.

Swedeheart

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confused

hi its me again firstly thankyou to all who gave me some feedback it was reassuring to know that it takes time to get back to normal. also im wondering if anybody knows what the aai pacemaker actually does ?thats what i have and also have an artieral lead what part of my heart is this in and what is it doing?? (i have my pacemaker because my heart rate drops to 30,s) uneducated about this i know but i dont get my check up till end of the month.. thank xx

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dematologist appointment

I'm finally going to see a dermatologist next week for my hypertrophic (similar to keloid) scar pain. After my pacemaker surgery last October things seemed at first to progress normally but at around six weeks post-op my pain started to increase. At the end of January my IM prescribed Neurontin for nerve pain, which helped tremendously. At this point my pain is limited to the scar itself. So, CathrynB and others, is there anything I need to know to specifially ask or bring up at this appointme...

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Catching My Breath

I am in my 6th year with my current pacemaker. This was my 3rd implant so I am facing my 4th soon. My last check up was over the phone yesterday and I questioned the fact that in the past week I have been having to "catch my breath" as I feel fluttering in my upper chest. Thursday I am going to have my upper lead fully checked as the nurse thought maybe this lead was acting up. I only pace 25% of the time in the upper lead where my lower is 100% pacing.

Anyone else out there have this...

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50 yo doctor sick sinus syndrome

Just to let everyone know I am a doctor and still don't fully understand what I am having done. I had fluttering in my chest and took a holter monitor test that showed numerous pauses of 4 seconds. So today I am having a PM put in. I never had dizziness or fainting and my pulse never goes below 60 that I can feel. So I am rethinking the necessity for this thing. Plus I wonder how much it will affect the symptoms. I hear everyone say they have more symptoms after the PM. I am putting my trust in...

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sapphire

our friend to-day had her surgery for the adrenal tumour. her daughter sent a message and sap will be back to-morrow. thank you for all the prayers for her. you are just wonderful people. jessie

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Clinical Trial of MRI-Friendly Pacemaker

Has anyone had the Medtronic EnRhythm MRI SureScan (MRI friendly pacemaker) implanted? I realize that they recently started the U.S. clinical trial for the device, is anyone here part of the trial?

http://wwwp.medtronic.com/Newsroom/NewsReleaseDetails.do?itemId=1170952028478%E2%8C%A9=en_US

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95445.php

My doctors would like me to be able to have MRIs because I require them more than once a year for existing conditions. I plan...

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GO FOR IT SMITTY

Hi Smitty. I read your comments on your reluctance to go for a biventricular pacemaker. I do think the doctors are right in thinking you really need a biventricular pacemaker. Just because your experieces with your current device have not all been positive, it does not mean that there is room for considerable improvement that a biventricular pacemaker would give you. The doctors have probably realised that the device you have is not quite appropriate for you. I too had a very low EF sometimes do...

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After My Run

Hi

Have been cycling as you all must know, I bore people about it, but today I thought I would go for a longer run. I went about 2 miles, felt OK when running, legs a little like jelly but I haven't run since last September/October.

Since coming back home my heart went down slowly and reached the lower level but I feel slightly weird, anxious, and heart slight faster than normal but not dramatic. Do you think this is nerves or just getting use to the running again.

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Sleep Apnea

Does anyone have sleep apnea? At my last pacer clinic visit they saw my heart was racing at night up to 150 bpm and now I am getting tested for this soon. I was wondering how people have made out with this, even though I don't think thats the problem. Thanks in advance,
Boatman

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Spring sneezes

This is going to sound crazy but here goes.
It is spring, and the pollen is everywhere! I find myself having violent sneezing attacks. When this happens my chest hurts a little. I don't know if hurt is really the right word cause it isn't like pain pain. It is more like a cross between pain and discomfort. In addition to that, I live in an apartment and every time the people upstairs drop something it startles me. The same thing occurs then. I get the pain/discomfort in my chest. I...

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You know you're wired when...

Your device acts like a police scanner.

Member Quotes

My cardiologist is brilliant and after lots of trial and error got me running. I finished this years London Marathon in 3hrs 38 minutes.