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pacemaker syndrome

I have had my two lead medtronic pacemaker for SSS for one year now,today my card doc tells me I might have pacemaker syndrome. I still lack the energy that I had before the pacemaker and I get lightheaded on stairs, not much stamina and I get cold very easily. Has anyone faced this problem, your thoughts or insights would be welcomed.
Thanks, Gary

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pets and infections

This continues about a friends infection. His e-mail below. Has anyone been told that their dogs had caused an infection. I hope he is in for treatment as we speak.

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hi Mike

The situation has gone worse, than I could imagine

I saw the infectious disease specialist yesterday, and he advised to remove the PMkr immediately, and I went over to see the cardiologist and surgeon, ready to plan the op.

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new member

I want to thank whoever put this website together. I received a PM three days ago and am slowly feeling better. My story begins 15 years ago when I had radiation therapy for Hodgkins disease. The reaction to the radiation came 4 months ago when I developed pericarditis. That lead to atrial fibrillation which I was put on meds for. A week ago the pericarditis returned and in the hospital my heart was monitored as pausing for 6 seconds once and 4 seconds 2 other times in the night. A PM was...

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It's been 5 day since my surgery..

Have been pretty nervous about the whole thing. I know I am going to feel better, I have that hope. The day after my surgery didn't go as well as I thought it would. An hour after I was returned to my room my incision started bleeding really bad and or course they put this pressure patch on my chest to hold pressure for 2 hours. They called it a hematoma, like a blood clot and told me they may have to go back in to clean it out. My doctor decided not to go back in. Chance of infection could be...

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Heart muscle twitching

I'm going to ask if anyone is experiencing or has experienced a "twitching" of the heart after PM implantation? Not anything that is visible through the skin, but it seems like it should! It started the day of implantation. At that time, it was an average of 200 to 500 twitches a day . . . very, very light twitching, irregular, and slower than my heart rate, and sometimes going a few hours of just being normal, i.e., not aware of any movement at the heart. My PM was set at 50 at the time, and...

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problem

i have a question i have had a pacemaker/defibrillator since june 1 2005 the specialist said it was supposed to last 4 to 5 years but it is at 2.55 and they change it at 2.4 so im kind of worried about what is going to happen he said that they want me to start goin every 3 months now and he said that im gonna have a new one here shortly so if anybody has any suggestions please let me know thank you

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Infection

I have a friend in another country with a pacemaker. I also have a pacer, have had one for 16 years. His care does not seem to be what we get here in the states.
He is having some infection problems and I was wondering if any one else has had anything similar. Below is from his e-mail.

My chest where the pacemaker is, red, with streaks running out from it like the spokes on a wheel. Also in the center of the red area is a black spot about size of 5c coin

I had a docto...

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Shoulder Pain

Hi,
My new PM has given me another problem. That of shoulder pain and limited range of motion. I am working with a PT but he thinks we will have to try something different soon as he thinks I have a "pinched nerve". If the PT can't fix this, can a pinched nerve be corrected without surgery. What could have caused the pinched nerve?
Thank you,
Don

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Jumping ???

I have been having jumps in my side but it is the side opposite side as my PM !!!! I asked my cardiologist and he told me some people live with it well I am DEFINANTLY one of them .
I would like to know if anyone else is feeling this .Plus I feel like it always happens in class or in the store . I don't know but it is weird.
Thanks , Pacemakerkid !!!

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shoulder, neck arm pain

I am currently in physical therapy because of pain since my P.M. was inserted- also a marked lack of mobility on my left side. The P. T. has definately helped with my range of motion but I still have fairly constant shoulder discomfort. Anyone else have this and did you find a satisfactory solution?
Bonnie

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Laser Surgery to Remove leads/time

I have had my pacemaker since 2000 - my pacemaker dislodged in December - it is now infected and I am in so much discomfort. I am having sugery TOMORROW - my doctor (NYC) is removing the pacemaker and leads, I also have excessive scar tissue and he will use the laser to "clean it up" - He is putting in a new pacemaker on the right side. Does anyone know how long the surgery will take ? I found a site and read that to remove a lead takes 2-4 hours!!!!! the discomfort after the surgery cann...

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please help

hi im 27 and have just joined the site after having my pacemaker fitted 3wks ago. im concerned as i still feel nt much better i am dizzy /foggy/unsteady all the time have headaches blurred vision feel detached from reality and ive had had this for 5yrs i ended up having a pacemaker as when i had my appendix removed they found my heart rate was low and had 24hr recordings after that which was showing my heart rate dropping to 37bpm to 49bpm to 117bpm. im so tierd and want to get on with my life a...

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Problems performing

Hi,
Have any men with a new pacemaker, say within 7 months, had any difficulty reaching a climax while having sex? Ever since I received my pacemaker, I haven't been the same. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Thank you. Bill

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Bi Chamber Pacemaker

As per my earlier posting as I am suffering from extensive breathlessness which became noticable after my Dual Chamber PM was placed, I am now told that I am to have a new BI Chamber version to try and stop this. Has any one else had this problem? I do not have heart disease per say just AF... But I now feel like the walking dead most of the time.. Has anyone else had a problem with the way their own heart reacts to the artificial paceing beat....As it would appear this is what is causing my pr...

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If its going to happen, it will happen to me!

I have a long history of medical problems eg. ovarian cysts, hysterectomy, bowel rupture resulting in 2 failed colostomy's and a functioning ileostomy up till 2000. While walking my dog in the park about 3 years ago I had a sudden episode of really rapid heart rate. I went to the doctor the next day and was fobbed off with it being a panic attack. This I knew was not what had happened so made another appointment with my regular GP and she referred me to the local hospital cardiac clinic. After m...

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STRANGE ACTIVITY

I have St Jude IntegrityAFxDR Model 5346 for complete heartblock fitted 6 yrs, no probs todate. 2 weeks ago I returned from holiday on Airbus 320( never used these before) and at end of flt felt unwell and for 2 weeks to today have had AF type palpitations in chest throat and top of tum, went for checkup today and was told that it was malfunctioning and only pacing in one chamber and all the data had to be rebooted? and the pacer reset. Consultant is sending info to St Jude but I am flying (737)...

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Pacemaker dislodged/Surgery Thurs.

Pacemaker dislodged/Surgery Thurs.
Comment posted by kathy22 on 2008-04-01 08:25.
I went to my cardiologist in NYC yesterday - the Medronic pacemaker that was implanted in 2000 (see above for reason for 3rd surgery). I have a mess on the left side - the burning is from my collar bone to the top of my breast. I cannot move from one position to another without severe burning/pain - I am having surgery this Thursday to put a new pacemaker on the right side and "clean-up" the left side wh...

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Heart Failure!

I agree with DD. It may well be true that I am at a higher risk of dying from CHF now that I have a pacemaker, but it just so happens that without my pacemaker I would actually already be dead.
I am happy for you Robin if you are either not with pacemaker or only atrially paced, but for many of us there were no options in whether we got a PM or not. I have had two extra years so far, to watch my son grow up a bit, that I would not have had without this wonderful bit of technology and hope i...

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Study regarding heart failure and ventricular pacing

Hello All

The study I am refering to was done by cardiologists from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of New Brunswick
as follows:

Pacemaker study sees increase in heart failure rates
Filed under: Cardiology


Worrisome results, in a study of patients with implanted pacemakers, have been published by a group of cardiologists from the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports:

Pati...

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Ventricle pacing and heart failure

Hello all:

I'm going to this issue again of right ventricle pacing potentially causing syptoms of heart failure. Don't want to alarm anyone but I have read some abstracts from some studies that indicate the possibility of this occuring. i have a lead in my right atrium and right ventricle for 2nd degree AV block. My SA node works fine so my atrium is not paced. BUT my ventricle is paced 90% of the time.

The studies seem to indicate that pacing the right ventricle, espe...

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You know you're wired when...

Like the Energizer Bunny, you keep going.

Member Quotes

I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.