Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Found a Great New Doctor!!

I am so thrilled I went to another doctor. First thing he said was I should have NEVER been prescribed Cartizem. I was right, the other doctor was wrong.

I felt so validated. He listened to every word. I am scheduled for a right and left Heart Cath Tuesday morning. He said I a may need a pacemaker but he needs to check my pressure anyway.

Thursday I called the former doctor and asked for my records to be faxed over; especially my heart monitor strips. They said I ha...

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help

Hi all, new to all of this but what i have read you people know what you are talking about.  I had my pacemaker & defib put in, in 06.  Doctor talking about a new one in May.  Here is the problem:  I stay tired all the time, try to go for a walk; can’t, try to play golf; can’t, all I really want to do is sit on the couch and sleep.  Can anyone help me?  Thanks, coolone

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What's causing my confusion?

Hi.
I have had my ICD since 2005 and since then have never really been the same. I suffered an enlarged heart and eventually Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Atrial fibrillation (AF or A-fib). My Ejection Fraction in 2005 was 15, but has since increased to 32 =) ...but it's still low. =(
I'm taking Carevdilol (Coreg) 12.5 mg x 2-times a day, Digoxin (Lanoxin) 0.125 mg x 1-time per day and Lisinopril 20 mg x 1-time per day. (I used to be taking blood thinners and lasix).
Anyways...

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Info on new blood thinner


This info on the FDA web site today.

RECOMMENDATION: Pharmacists should only dispense Pradaxa in the original manufacturer bottle with the original dessicant cap. Do not repackage Pradaxa capsules in standard amber pharmacy vials. Patients should not store or place Pradaxa capsules in any other container, such as pill boxes or pill organizers. Open only one bottle of Pradaxa at a time. Once the bottle is opened, the product must be used within 60 days. Read the Medication Guide...

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Epilepsy

Does anyone have epilepsy and know whether the epilepsy is caused by or connected to your heart failure. I ask because I read on web md that one of the symptoms is confusion or lack of concentration from lack of oxygen getting to the brain. Any neurologists or cardiologists? Please help a sister out. Thanks.

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God Help Me!

God help me, the doctor won’t.

My heart doctor just prescribed me Cardizem CD (diltiazem).

I look it up and it says “Do not use this medication if you have certain heart conditions such as "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker), low blood pressure, or if you have recently had a heart attack. Great! I think I have a block, I know I have a low heart rate and very low BP.

Five days on a heart mo...

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URGENT...Flecainide problem today

Hi all
Thank you for all your replies to my Flecainide question yesterday. I have just got home from work (UK) & read your replies. After the day I've had on the drug today, I am SO pleased to read your comments & realise that this drug is serious stuff. Here is what happened...........

Took the 25mg this morning, thinking I'd be ok as the half dose was fine Sat & last night. BUT I found that on walking to the bus stop for work, I was getting chest pain all the way. Didn't know...

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Have contacted Dr

Hi again........just to let you know I have just e-mailed the registrar at the hospital about my problems with the Flecainide today & have also not taken anymore of the drug tonight. My husband insisted I got in touch with the registrar, hubby very worried tonight about my chest pain today etc.

Don....a registrar here is a Dr next in line under the Consultant. We have House Officers/Senior House Officers (junior Dr's). Then registrars/senior registrars. Then Consultants.

Th...

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Another Flecainide Question....

Hi again all
This is day 2 on the Flecainide & I just need some advice please. For those of you who have taken it, how long does it take to work? Did you feel strange when the dose wore off? I'll explain.........

The Dr told me to take just 50mg in the morning to start, as I've reacted badly to previous drugs. Usual dose is 50mg twice a day, 12 hourly.

Because I was so scared about taking it yesterday, I cut the 50mg pill in half (I have a pill cutter!) & took 25mg...

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Scared + update

Hi all
Firstly....THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who replied to my 2 recent posts on Flecainide & then my question about whether you would chose to have a pacemaker instead of medication etc. I can't thank you enough for all your encouragement & support over this...I have been SO distraught this week since finding out on Monday that my atrial arrythmia has come back. Reading your replies has given me lots of hope to continue on with this "battle" & not give up.

The latest news i...

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Does everyone take alot of meds with a pacemaker?

I just got my pacemaker on Mar 8th after being admitted to the hospital on the 3rd with a heart that had gone nuts. It took several days for them to get it under control and back into some form of rythym but it didn't work for long and the heart would speed up to 170 then stop...they finally put in a pacemaker but the AF was still bad. After almost 3 weeks in the hospital I am home but have to take alot of medication to keep the heartrate down. Does anyone else have to do this? I don't see m...

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confused!

Ok, everytime I have a question I get more answers here than from my doctor so I have another one.
I just got a copy of my medical records because I have been thinking of changing doctors. When I was looking through them I noticed that when I got my pm almost 2 yrs ago, the reason said sinus node dysfunction(which is always what I've been told) but lately on my pacer checks for about the last year it says 3rd degree heart block. Ok, unless I am wrong those are 2 completely different things...

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First Symptons and Tests?

Forgive me for asking more questions. I want to understand how you were diagnose and what you went through because I think I need to change doctors.

1.What were your first symptons?
2. Did your doctor know right away or did it take 21 days on a heart monitor.
3. Did they start with heart monitor or nuclear stress test and/or ultra sound?
4. Did nuclear stress test or ultra sound show anything?
5. How long from when you started having symptoms until diagnoses?

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New At This

I am new to this! I have had my ICD 7 days. About half the people I know are on meds (The device" lets" them take meds) The other half say they don’t "need" the meds because they HAVE the device. I would like to hear from people who DO and DO NOT take meds. What kind? and what to expect. (What has been your experience?) Thanks. Rubi

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Did you have trouble getting diagnosed?

I had open heart surgery 5 years ago. I'm 56.

I am extremely dizzy, exhausted, can't sleep, confused (off and on), short of breath and have occasional angina. I've been in bed for weeks. They don't know what is wrong, Nuclear stress test is normal.

I have to go to a hematologist ever few weeks because I battle anemia. When my iron gets low my heart get bad so I have blood transfusion and iron infusions. I assumed all the symptoms were anemia. BUT after blood transfusion a...

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How to understand Heart Rate?

For those with Bradycardia--is your heart always slow or half and half or 80/20?

I do not have a pacemaker. My heart rate is often in the 40s and I have all the symptoms so I assume I have Bradycardia.

But often my heart rate is in the 70s. How often does it need to be in the 40s to be treated? I get my heart monitor tomorrow. Today I took my BP several times. In the morning it was in the 70s. Afternoon 40s and now 50.

Making dinner tonight was exhausting. I sa...

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Question....would you...?

Hi all
Further to my post yesterday about being upset that I’m being put on Flecainide, despite an ablation last July...now that I’ve thought about things overnight, please can I ask your advice on this?

Knowing what you do about having a pacemaker, would you have rather spent your life on anti-arrythmic drugs & not had a pacemaker.....or would you risk having a further ablation knowing you could end up with a pacemaker?

Sorry...it’s har...

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Anaemia

Hi
My doctor said I have mild anaemia ( HB 107 ), but my iron levels are ok and as I have a B12 injection every 3 months he does not seem to know to do about it. I am very fatigue all the time. Do you know if the serum B12 level is ok can you still have B12 deficiency?

Thanks Roy

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VERY distressed + Flecainide

Hi all
I am VERY upset & distressed right now. Been to see my EP this morning. Had a cardiac event recorder on for a week last week & got my results. Basically my atrial arrythmia, that I had an ablation for last July, is back! So having been through various drugs (beta blockers, calcium channel blockers & Ivabradine) & then the 5 hour ablation last July.....which did get rid of my arrythmia until around December (that's when my symptoms started to return)....my EP wants to try me on a d...

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How do you know that the pacemaker works too much?

I am a 32yr old active male with a pacemaker since August 2010. I have AV block III and a slow resting heart rate of around 35 (before the pm). At first they put me on a minimum of 40 bpm and I felt a little better, but was still having some small dizziness episodes. The doc then put it on a minimum of 50 and I felt better for a few months. However, since i have been going through a rough time before getting the pm (high stress job as well as 2 family members dying within 6 months and then in ad...

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You know you're wired when...

Muggers want your ICD, not your wallet.

Member Quotes

I am not planning on letting any of this shorten my life. I am planning on living a long happy battery operated life. You never know maybe it will keep me alive longer. I sure know one thing I would have been dead before starting school without it.