Most Recent Messages in Complications

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Short tachycardia episodes following pacemaker

Can I get some thoughts from people?  The bottom line is my husband and I are trying to make a decision about whether it is sensible/safe for me to travel to the other side of the world on a six week holiday to Europe in October – 6 months post pacemaker insert and 12 months post SVT surgery.  Tickets are in short supply which is why we are making a decision so early if some are wondering.

The backstory is that my SVT ablation for tachycardia was successful. I had been a...

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wrong exercise caused the pacemaker to dislocate

I did a wrong exercise and stretched the musculature where the pacemaker is implanted.
Now I feel discomfort like prickling on the skin and I feel that the pacemaker is loose. When I move my arm, I feel it compress the skin. Doctors say that the pacemaker is working normally and the electrodes too, but they don't pay attention to these discomforts I'm feeling, much less give a solution.
I would like to know if anyone has experienced this and if there was a solution.
Gra...

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Sore shoulder

Recently I have been suffering with shoulder pain near my pacemaker, which was implanted 6 years ago.  This one was the second one as the leads from my first pacemaker somehow got crushed between my clavicle and shoulder causing jerking of my shoulder and causing the pacemaker to basically short out.  Now, as I said, I am having pain after six years of no problems.  Any one else?  Any suggestions

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DIFFICULTY BREATHING

Before my heart's electrical system was destroyed with a drug--Armour Thyroid, I had good aerobic capacity.  Now whatever I try to do I am breathing hard or out of breath.  My 2 lead St. Jude PM is capped at 130 which is all the EP would give me.  I use to play pickleball well but now I can barely play and often with pauses to catch my breath.  Even household chores like mowing the grass or vaccuuming are problems and require me to rest often.  I'm 80 years ol...

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Symptomatic

To my Sinus Node pause friends, 

Well here I am, creeping up onto my year anniversary...July will be one year since my pacemaker install date. The first month was the worst, tons of PVCs, pacemaker pacing throughout the night when I'd try to fall asleep, several adjustments, complaining, trying to figure it all out...yadda. 

I have thus far just come off the best two months since the install, I almost thought I've been cured of Sick Sinus Node Syndrome, and then....

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3rd wire

I had a icd pacemaker implanted in January and now I  have to have a third wire implanted.

anybody experiencing this?

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Pacemaker Flipped?

Hi, Think PM flipped over in pocket. Acute issue. Cardiologist/Center on-call are NOT calling back. It feels weird. Implanted 4/2019, have lost about 50lbs in past 18+ months (44yo F, Chronic Pericardial Effusion, unrelated to PM, treated with Colchicine.) 

Past month has gotten weirder, will turn sideways and get caught on my bra or tank top- DISCONCERTING! But it seems like it flipped. Bra feels tight where it didn't, I don't want to manipulate or touc...

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AF and high blood pressure

Hi 

I was fitted with a duel chamber pacemaker just over 2 weeks ago - for complete heart block / bradycardia, with a pulse of 37 , I also was suffering A/F and blood pressure was managed with 7.5mg Ramapril 

However -post implant my device has gone into AF mode and set a base rate of 70 bpm. My blood pressure also went through the roof hitting 160/120 once but always in excess of 100 dystolic 

Ramapril increased to 10mg and it hasn't made any difference-...

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Entresto, Any experiences with this medication?

I was on Losartan 25mg for a while and I was feeling okay with it, recently my cardiologist put me on Entresto 49Mg, half a pill twice a day and stopped the Losartan, I felt good for three or four weeks, but now I am very dizzy almost every day, the nurse for my cardiologist told me it is normal and stop one of my blood pressure pills, Bisoprolol 10Mg (I was taking twice a day) so now I did stop that pill and taking only one at night. But this morning I am very dizzy and my blood pressure is...

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PVC causing low blood oxygen

After  Covid my blood oxygen has been up and down. Each time it drops my oximeter shows I am having PVCs. I am trying to wean off oxygen. Device check showed the PVC but the technician could not adjust to completely stop the PVCs.

Has anyone with a pacemaker have a similar occurance?

 

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Irregular Heartbeat

Just wondering if it is normal to have irregular heartbeats off and on, but then, it goes back to a normal heartbeat.  No SOB, Pain, or Fatigue, just irregular.  I just feel just a little "different" when it is happening.  

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Holding My Breath

Hi All!

I'm not sure if anyone experienced similar but looking for some feedback. Two weeks ago I took a Pulmonary Function Test. While taking the test I was asked to hold my breath. I noticed I immediately felt something wrong in my chest. It felt like panick but it also felt like I had to breathe like NOW or I was going to faint. So today I decided to hold my breath and both times I IMMEDIATELY felt like I was going to faint if I didn't breathe. I felt awful afterwards as well...

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I’M A FOOL

I have a dual chamber pacemaker that was installed in July to combat Sinus Node Pauses. Healthy heart...multiple echocardiograms, stress tests, EKGs, blood work over the last 15 years with a clean bill of health for my heart...minus my wonky nodes of course. I was told to go back to normal activities. 

Over and over I fall for PACs and PVCs. For years now I've suffered from both. This week was no different, the worse case that I have been through. Starting Monday I was feeling...

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Worried

Hi there, 

has anyone ever felt a pulsating on their skin on the pacemaker side? 

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PVCs

Hey team, 

anyone on here live with PVCs? I've had them for years and years...going through 4 echocardiograms within the last 10 years, cardiologists chalked them up to being benign. Usually lasting a few minutes to even 8-12 hours of interrupted beats...they sure seem like the end is near and scary...

How do you all cope with them, and have you had them for years? 

I do have a dual chamber pacemaker that was installed in July 2021. I bring the PVCs up to cardi...

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ICD Complications

Hi all, had my Medtronic 3 lead ICD implanted Nov 26th 2021. 

Since having it I feel worse than before. Short of breathe, irregular beats at times, trouble sleeping, depressed. I had swelling and nerve pain in left arm and neck which has eased slightly. Feel as tho it has made life worse not better. At 4 week check up I was told 3rd lead may be hitting nerve to diaphram. Has anyone else had similar things happen and can offer some advice? Thanks 

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Muscle twitching over pacemaker pocket site

Has anyone had any experiences with a muscle twitch on the chest wall over the pacemaker site?  I started to get a strong and visible muscle twitch over that area.  It seems very positional as it seems to only happen when I'm laying on right side and goes away if I lay on my back or left side.  I had a fractured lead four years ago due to subclavian crush syndrome, for which the new replacement lead was placed in a manner to prevent this from happening again.  I h...

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St. Jude Recall? ..scary

I am 100% paced and my device is 3 years old. My device was recalled because of possible moisture penetration. My battery went from 9.5 yrs to 3 months in a very short time. I had my device changed asap by St. Jude/Abott.. any one here go through a device failure or know of the protocol on this? My Merlin notified the Cardiologist  stat. All opinions appreciated 

 

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Vein blockage caused by pacemaker leads

Hi my dual lead pacemaker was fitted in August 2019. Since it was fitted I had had problems with my arm and veins around the pacemaker site. During the last year my arm has become swollen blotchy and blue in places. My shoulder and vein in neck are also swollen. I have been diagnosed by a vascular surgeon as having a very rare complication of having a pacemaker, in that the leads have blocked my vein. I have had venoplasty and venogram. I take daily blood thinners and wear hand and arm compre...

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Update on I want a pacemaker for Christmas !

Hi,

I was finally given the clearance to get my new pacemaker and it was inserted a week ago on the right hand side of my chest. You would not believe how exciting this is for me after weeks of severe infections, several operations including the one to remove the pacemaker, which by far was the worst operation. I still have recovery to master and adjust again to having a new pacemaker but at least I can now start to look forward to living life again. 
I am seeing my cardiologi...

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To tell you the truth I never even give it a second thought. While growing up it never stopped me from doing anything and to this day my girlfriend or my kids need to remind me that I have one!