Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Heart attacks

I was talking to my PCP today and was told that sometimes people with PMs are at a higher risk for heart attack due to blood clotting on the leads and traveling to the heart. I kinda thought that was just for the first few days after having it implanted. I have had several DVT's and a lung embolism and since I am already on coumadin I thought I was protected some what from clots. I am now 10 weeks post op. Also I have some terrible itching over the implant sight and it gets sore towards the...

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Back in the Lab!

Anyone out there using Probiotics? I was using a 1/billion capsule and recently moved up to 10/billion. I am a Gold Card holder at GNC. I'm taking quite a few supplements along and around my meds. How about L-Carnitine?

Gary

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Coumadin

I recently sent in a pacemaker reading. They called me back and said that I had 18 episodes of Atrial fib, half of them less than 30 seconds, but some lasting up to 4 minutes. I have had a pacemaker since 2002, I had a new one implanted in May 2009. I was originally diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome. I am 81 yrs old. My doctor wants to put me on Coumadin now, so far I have been taking 81 mg aspirin daily. What are some of your experiences with Coumadin? Will I have a lot of bleeding pro...

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A-fib in short, intense bursts

Anyone else have this issue and what is your doc saying about it.

While they didn't pick it up when they had me in the hospital originally and they are thinking it may have been something that has developed since the pacer was put in my pacer tech saw where I am having very intense but very short episodes of a-fib. Very short meaning none have ever lasted longer than a minute and most are less than 10 seconds but very intense meaning some have been clocked at close to 300 bpm. Right...

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Magnesium, Potassium & PVC's

Hi all,

Just wanted some advise please,

I suffer from alot of PVC's and was wondering about trying Magnesium and Potassium suppliments to try and help with the PVC's.

Does anyone else take these suppliments, i have bought some Magnesium in 250mg and Potassium in 99mg.

On the bottles it says take one a day, do we need to consult our doctors before we take them.

Thanks Hayley

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ERCP

I seem to have a problem with my duct in my liver and they are doing a ERCP om monday. Has anyone had one of these done and can let me know what it involves. Thanks so much.

With warm thoughts from snowey Iowa
Denise

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Classic Near Death Experience

I've only had my PM for four days now. It has been very useful and informative to browse around this site.

My question is about the one, very classic, near death experience (NDE) -- about 15 seconds or so of asystoly (e.g. syncope, flatline) -- that I experienced at the point of cardiac conversion some six months or so before the PM installation. It came complete with the feeling of being in a long tunnel of fast moving stars leading toward a bright white light. My legs gave out from...

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nucular scan test ?

hubby due to have this test on friday well part 1 on frday and second part on monday has any one had this test and is it safe to have with a pm and merchanical mitral valve ,thank you for any advice

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2 Beta Blockers?

Just had a PM installed on 11/18. Went for follow up this week. Dr. added a second beta blocker, Nadolol on top of my Inderal LA. Has anyone else beenon 2 beta blackers at once? To my understanding, it is contraindicated. It has not helped my tachycardia and now my BP is sooo low. I feel like I'm going to pass out but can't. Would appreciate some feedback on this. I have a call intot he dr. now.

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New to site with new PM complication

When looking on the internet for info about a recent DX I was given, I stumbled on this site. I can't seem to find the info I am looking for. Perhaps, u can help?

St. Jude PM was implated in 2004 when I was 31, following an ablation I had in 1997. I hoped the ablation would control my crazy heartbeats of 220+, but my heart was damaged during ablation. I survived for long time w/o PM and had 2 kids. But alas, it did not last. I was in 3rd degree heart block with a rate of 30 when...

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Insurance

I am between a rock and a hard place with my insurance co. and my medications!

I have been taking a name brand medication for more than 2 years. At first we tried the generic form and found too many side effects and the medication proved ineffective for me. So my Dr. switched to the name brand version and I evened out and am doing fine. Stable. Great!

Well now my insurance co. says oh wait! you haven't tried the generic within the last 180 days so we will only give you the...

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"flat" heart rate

So I went in for my second visit with this new cardiologist (fired the first one). He was very perplexed by my readings. I am still having a fair amount of activity intolerance with feeling like I am exhausted from walking very short distances. I know that I am still having a lot of racing of the upper chamber. They are trying to get my PM programmed right so that he can catching these episodes and record them so he can see what I am doing before and after the tachycardia. Him and his tech...

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why do i still feel tired?

my pm is implanted about a month ago. but the prob is..i still feel light headedness after walking about 300 m. i feel dizzy..n tired. my heart rate is still normal. so there shouldn't be any problem wif the pm rite? but why do i still feel tired? even when i don't go out..i feel dizzy n tired at home in the evening. it's like there is no difference. im jealous wif those who hav a big difference after their pm implantation. shoul i wait longer? wat if there is still no difference?

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food restriction

hi im 19. got pm for complete heart block.it's congenital (wat the doc said)..anyone wif the same case? is there anything i cannot eat ? any food restriction? coz my doc didn't say anything about dat..

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High Pulse rate with Newbie

Greetings from a newbie:

I got my pm- Boston Scientific model 60, with 2 leads on Tues,
11/24/2009. Yes, I am brand new and have much to learn. I have high blood pressure and heart skipping beats and low
pulse. PM hopefully solving the skipping probs, the high blood
pressure probs remain. The tech at hospital said my pm was
pacing 95% of time when first checked the morning after implant.

Last night my pulse rate (checked with good BP machine) was
hi...

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Fasting and Meds

Hello all,

Been a while. Had pm put in back in june. I am on ace inhibitor and beta blocker. Has anyone out there ever fasted while on these meds. I am thinking a water only for a day and a half?

thanks
dino

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H1N1

So, I called to get an appointment to get the H1N1 vaccine...the screening nurse called back and besides not having a clue about what my inplant is, she said that she would have to call back because she "wasn't sure that I have a heart condition". Seriously. Like for real. One of the reasons why I couldn't get an appointment was because I haven't been to my primary since December...I've been to the cardiologist 14 times since July (and had 2 surgeries), but I don't have a "chronic" illness b/c...

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heavy metal detox

Hi All
I have PM for heart block. recently told I have high levels of mercury and that may have been the cause. have come across a powdered volcanic rock called zeolite. it is negatively charged and claimed to attract the heavy metals in the body (which are positively charged) which are then excreted.

my question is will the zeolite effect the metal components of the Pm and leads?
kind regards
Jan

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Fludrocortisone

Hi Guys,

I'm being treated with a single chamber pacemaker and have been since 1999. I had no complications or problems until this year, when I started experiencing dizziness and loss of consciousness again (like before I had my pacemaker fitted)

After various tests including another positive tilt table test and fitness test and blood tests galore the doctors have decided I have (I think) postural hypertension. They are now treating me alongside my single chamber pacemaker...

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more investigations

morning all ,hope you all well and have a lovley day ,
well we went for a cheack up at hospital yesterday with my hubby cardio doc ,hubby has a mitral valve replacment and a pm has had them just over 15 months ,as mentioned in previous post he has been having some cheast pain he had a strees ecg yesterday while we were at hospital and only managed 1 min as out of breath an felt faint ,
now the cardiologest has orderd a test in 3 weeks time were they inject him with somthing to make hea...

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This is my second Christmas with my pacemaker and I am so happy to be with my family.