Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Staph infections????

Ok here is what happened to me this week and I need some feedback about this so feel free to share your thoughts.

I am involved in a community social group. We do different things within our community, donate needed items, raise money and giggle a lot. It's usually a lot of fun. We meet at a different home each month. The woman who was hosting the meeting announced at the end of the meeting that she had contacted a staph infection and was under treatment for it with some pretty strong...

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Unfelt episodes

I recently went to California on a trip. While out there on 19 July 2009 at around 10:30 eastern time my ICD had an episode for 42 seconds. I never felt it. I was told this at one of my pacer checks. Has anyone had any experiences like this? Thanks for your time.

Jack

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My story

Thank you for answering my question about my pacemaker going off on every beat of my heart.
I havent been to Dr yet to ask my questions. My heart problem is it is out of rythm so they shocked it once and it worked for a week . I went in hospital to try new drug betapace.The third day Dr said lets try a shock and maybe it will work????? Well I did not come right back 6 sec out ended up in ICU heart rate 37!!!!
Sooooooooo now I have pacemaker. I was tired and out of breath and I am still...

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Hate taking meds!

I am up to the following five(5) meds to date:

Levothyroxin 1/Am................sluggish thyroid
Lisinopril 1/AM.................blood pressure
Sotolol 1/AM, 1/PM.......Beta Blocker
Coumadin 1/PM................Thinner
Simvastatin 1/PM................Cholesterol

I drink 4/oz. of milk before taking the meds(excep...

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It clicks

Received a St. Jude model 5826. Continuous pacing. Only two of three leads connected due to Dr. having difficulty placing third in left ventrical. Went home next day. Got kicked in the chest by it multiple times. Went to ER. Cardiac enzymes showed heart attack. Got it tuned up. It still clicks especially when I bend over. Also had to go back on Toprol . Don't feel to pleased with results. Are they "normal"?
Carole

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Statins AND heart block?

I was (and still am) healthy when my heart block occurred out of the blue. But I was taking a statin to reduce cholestorol for a few months before it happened. Statins are known to be able to damage muscle including heart muscle. Has anyone had their problem like me out of the blue? Could the statin have caused the heart block??

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Do I or dont I

I have had a bad cold for 2 days now, no fever but chills sweating, cough, cant talk loud ect.. So do I hang loose or break down and go to the Dr. cant really afford to go just to hear "Drink more fluilds and rest" but now starting a little short of breath

Thanks in advance
DENISE

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Mild shortness of breath

Had my ICD put in 3 weeks ago. Heart rate prior was around 53, pacer set at 70. When I hike up hill, gte winded much quicker than prior to pacer. Any one else notice this when pacer set higher than their normal heart rate?

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Carolyn65

This question is in re: to A-Fib/Coumadin/Warfarin/INR's/INR scales of 2.0 - 3.0: I read a comment from SMITTY to Schneidmiller re: PM/Coumadin/Warfarin/A-Fib ~ What can anyone tell me ~ maybe SMITTY can comment also ~ I started w/"flutter" in my teens ~ 2 years ago I was told it was A-Fib ~ this year I have had the "paddles" used twice to stop/start my heart for the A-Fib for it to just go back to A-Fib ~ I was on Flecanide for about a year ~ obvious to my Heart Dr. that med. did not work & he...

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feeling like **** and extremely frustrated

Ok so you all say its not the pacemaker its the programming. If it feels wrong then it needs to be changed. Well I have been to the cardiologist almost every week since the first of this month with them making changes. So now what... they have talked to the reps, multiple techs have interrogated, and EP doctor has made his recommendations. So now what? I feel like complete crap. I had what they thought was pericarditis.. have been in the ER the past two nights... one being with chest pain...

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Back from the hospitol

Well, I just spent three days in the hospital so that I could be put on Sotalol. Got out of the hospital on Wednesday and went into a-fib for 2 hours on Friday. Guess we will see what happens next.

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Pain killers

Hi there!
I am scheduled for hip surgery soon. I had a PM put in 2 months ago and all is fine, except the hip. I also have rheumatoid arthritis and am currently off meds because of surgery coming up, but in some pretty good pain. One of my Drs. prescribed 7.5 hydrocodone/Acetaminophen for pain 3 times a day. Upon getting home and reading the label noticed some of the side effects are arrhythmia and slow heart rate, not to mention difficulty breathing. Is this safe to take or should I...

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SHOCKING STATE OF AFFAIRS

Yesterday in the papers and on the News at ten on television it was reported that the UK is desparately short of drugs and 50 different drugs are becoming very difficult to source. Apparently because of the collapse of the value of the pound it is more profitable to sell drugs which are made here to other countries, leaving uk patients to suffer. Patients are having to go without their medication. They include cancer drugs ,pain killers , epilepsy drugs, blood pressure drugs, antidepressants etc...

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Meds and Placebo's

Saw a recent article about problems with placebo's in clinical trials. Seems that placebos' for some strange reason are becoming more effective.Same old sugar/starch pill. In the last 5 years they have become twice as effective. This is giving the drug companies fits. They get to the stage III trials and their new multimillion dollar drug isn't any more effective than the control. It isn't that that the drug lacks effectiveness. It's that the placebo is too darned effective.

So maybe...

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Heartbeat in my ear

I notice that once in awhile I can hear and / or feel my heartbeat in my left ear. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Only other noticeable symptom is slightly hacking cough when I talk, which was something that happened a year ago just before I had the PM implant.
Thanks for any comments, thoughts?
Have a good day all

Peggy

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Svt to Heart Failure( go figure)

Well hello my pacemaker family. I am so sorry I have been MIA; I come on everyday but usually don’t sign in... Well Now I have to because I have a problem.
Got my Adapta Pacemaker installed In June of 08 and Was feeling Great until Feb of 09 Had bout of A fib and everything went down hill from there, I had and Echo before the pacemaker and after the I got it installed to maker sure it all looked good. Then In May I started to get SOB and then real fatigue Went in HR average was 120bpm. DOcs...

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Home INR Monitoring

I was wondering for all of us on Warfarin (Coumadin) for atrial fib if anyone is doing home INR monitoring? I know the requirements and have done a lot of research on it and am thinking about it. The people who run the our local INR clinic may be RNs but they really only know to follow the guidelines set up by the physicians and the person I'm dealing with wants my INR between 2.5 and 3 even though my providers and I have agreed that 2-2.5 is better for me. I've had a relative who died of a brai...

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Flouronef

Does anyone have experience with taking this drug to help increase salt retention to help with dizziness and light-headedness?

I have been taking it now for about two weeks and I'm also one week post PM (metronic) .

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Hair Loss

Has anyone had problems with hair loss since being on heart meds like Coreg? I have noticed an increase in hair loss when I shampoo. The nurse practitioner says it isn't connected with my meds. They did some blood work to check the thyroid and it was normal.

I never had hair loss BEFORE I began the Coreg.

Thanks,
Shelia

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EKG Interpretation...


Since the inception of my heart condition and subsequent device implant I’ve tried to educate myself as to the ins and outs of my condition.

So with that in mind, have you ever had an EKG and wonder just what it all means? Well I have and I don’t think I’m alone.

I know there are several folks here that can interpret an EKG better than the physician they’re paying to do it. Most of us however are not that fortunate and need a little help.

I found a th...

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You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

Member Quotes

We are very lucky to have these devices.