Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Obsessed!

Has anyone else become obsessed with taking their pulse and/or blood pressure? I am constantly taking both my pulse and blood pressure to see if it is within normal range. I feel like I am going crazy or something, and my friends think I am super paranoid. The thing is, I do it because more often than not, my pulse is still quite slow, sometimes going down into the 40's. I am constantly dizzy (pretty much 24/7) but the doctor keeps telling me that's an inner ear issue. I feel like I am being mis...

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Scared!!

I am sooo happy this site exists!!! I have had my pacemaker since 2001 (when i was only 19 years old). For two years now I have been having these awful and scary heart flutters and have also been diagnosed as having PVC's and PAC's. Does anyone else get these super scary flutters?? Do you think I am just feeling these PVC's/PAC's? I feel like I am going to go into V-fib and die! The last time I was hooked up to a heart monitor it kept beeping and reading "multiform PVC's". Am I dying or what???...

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help ??????

I am 4 wk's into the new life of pacemaker/de-fib I feel as bad or as before I just had my 2nd adjustment in tow days this time they say it was my med.they had doubled them ( coreg )but I am taking the med as they set down. I feel that this is worth all the trouble about 3 hours a day.the rest of the time I am short of breath when i do most anything and have pressure in my chest. Befor I take the coreg about 2 hr befor i start with pressure and feel sick then must eat then 1 1/2 hr of dizziness...

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Blood pressure monitor

Hello
Because of my blood pressure being totally irregular, one minute normal then the next minute out of control, i have not been fitted with a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. Before this was put on i was asked what side is my pacemaker in. The nurse has put it on the opposite side. Any reason why this should be? I should of asked really.
On the opposite side there is the old lead still insitu from my old pm.
Regards Fluzy Suzy

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Lisinoprol reaction

I was golfing with a friend last week and after an hour or so, his lip started to swell. He thought it might have been an insect bite. By the end of the round, it really swelled up and even down to his cheek.
He went to the ER and they gave him a steroid shot and antihistomine. He went home but the next day, he felt trouble swallowing, so went back to the ER.
They surmised that the Lisinoprol he had been on for 4 years had reacted badly with him all of a sudden!!
Just thought I wo...

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SOTALOL - IMPRESSIONS?

Had Boston Scientific Pacer and Defib put in 6/6/08. Immediately out on Sotalol. They never told me that the device also "paces" your heartbeat in middle of cycle (ie I thought the pacer worked if pulse when under 50 and the defib kicked in if pulse above 185 with Ventricular Decardia.

However, a week later I'm in bed and my pulse gets "locked in" at 105 and stays there all nights with "pounding" heart. I was NEVER told that the device paces in mid range. I was told next day that if y...

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weight loss

Had my PM implanted July 24th. My question, since heart rate is now at 60 plus vs my old 30-40 rate, does metabolism improve and shouldn't we lose weight. I remember when you smoke your heart rate increases and people stay somewhat thin. I have lost 9 lbs since the implant. I have been walking half hour a day and somewhat watch what I am eating but I think I am benefiting from improved metabolism. Anyone with thoughts.

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hypotension florinef

Hi there, I'm new here and am wondering if anyone can help. My 16yr daughter had her dual chamber pm inserted Nov 07. In March 08 she had a syncope episode due to hypotension. Her Cardio prescribed Florinef - it increased her BP within a day but she battled with dizziness for a bout week after starting the treatment. He stopped the Florinef after 1 months treatment. Now, she has had a few sycnope episodes due to hypotension again, he has prescribed Florinef and increased her minimum heart rate....

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Coumadin, Plavix and Cataract Surgery

Have ICD and take 81mg aspirin, coumadin, Lipitor (*hmmn?) and since I just got a DES stent last month, now take Plavix that the cardiologists want me to take for a year. Problem is I need cataract surgery in at least one eye (probably both). Cardiologist says do NOT stop Plavix for a week or a day. Eye doctor reluctant to do surgery while I'm on the stuff. Now of course, I have an eye exam for my driver's license coming up in 6 months!

Anyone have cataract surgery while on these drug...

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Heart industry abbreviations

Pookie asked that I repost this list.
My plan is to post it every couple of months but can move it up to once a month if it is wanted.
If the club wants to put it in the Clubhouse corner, that would be ok.
It was last posted 17 July.
See the GB from ElectricFrank.
The ones with question marks, I am still unsure about the defination. As always comments, revisions, corrections etc are welcome
Later, Charlie


Abbreviations
AF or A Fib =...

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Nausea

Good Afternoon
I am new to this club as of today, and I am asking for information for my 85 year old mother, who had a PM in 2007. (St. Jude, 2 lead). She suffers from both rapid/slow heartbeat, but has responded well to the PM and betablockers. The problem is she suffers from bouts of nausea that leaves her very fatiqued, weak which takes her a couple of days to recover her strenght. We are journaling these episodes to see if there is a pattern and so for we have not found a pattern. We...

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propaferone!!!!!?

went in today to get cardio verted but of course i didn't go in to Afib so it wasnt done ( 10 mins after leaving hospital went into Afib--typical :) now the doc has prescribed propaferone to control Afib ---- i haven't heard good things about this drug----any thoughts out there!. I was also told this drug can chemically convert you and may not be a permanent thing. I'm also on a beta blocker and warfarin and was on verapamil but that was removed in favour of this new one. thanks for any t...

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POTS??

Hey everyone!! I'm a new member here and wanted some advice and thoughts on my situation. I've been to several different cardiologists over the years and don't seem to be getting anywhere. I'm too young to see an adult cardiologist and the doctors I'm seeing are waiting for me to grow out of it.

It all started when I was about 13 and I would frequently have dizzy/blackout spells. As I got older my symtoms continuously got worse. My mom is a RNC and became concerned one night wh...

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What is my PM doing?

Hello Everyone, I am new to this club and have now realised how little I know about my condition and why I have my pacemaker. I was born with congenital hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of the left ventricle. Up until I had my 3rd child I never really experienced any difficulties with my condition until about 20 years ago. I started to get arrythmia and was commenced on Flecainide twice daily which seemed to keep the arrythmia at bay. When this stoppped being effective I had a pacmaker implanted as m...

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Fast hear beats at nights

Hello! Last night my heart beated very fast. I woke up to have a rest and the HR became ok. I am wondering why it often does this during the nights.

The doctor ordered me betablockers but we later decided together that I do not have to take those because my HR has been ok.

I wonder how long period does the Metronics PM memory have data. Is there any devices available to read pm memory at home?

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Tikosyn treatment

I'm 33 and getting myself mentally prepared for yet another med change. My EP doc swears this is the last one. If this doesn't work than it's a pacer for me, which I'm at peace with. (I've tried everything, except Amiodarone which I refuse to try because of the side effects.) My EP, who is wonderfully charismatic and skilled has decided not to do the AV Node ablation/pacemaker insertion unless I get a second opinion from another EP. This reassures me that my doc really does care about my wellfar...

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Heart industry abbreviations

Not sure where to post this so I chose Conditions ...

Just a short update: Saturday will be 9 weeks since ICD install and I feel so much better now than I did at week 2 or 3 it is amazing. Last Friday I got to spend an hour with the PM tech and he made some adjustments which got rid of that winded feeling when I went up a flight of stairs.

For those not feeling right - keep learning, asking questions and being a pain. No one else is out there that is going to advocate...

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Girls Only

Time for a mammogram. I've used the search engine to check out past messages re:others' experiences, but it seems that many of the responses can't be pulled up. So, once again, how did you all manage the mammogram issue? I've read some of the horror stories of fractured leads and all...kinda scary! My PM sits under the muscle and doesn't seem too far away from the top of the breast tissue. Unfortunately I'll have to have additional views on the left side d/t an increase in tissue density...s...

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ACE INHIBITOR

I take digoxin which in the past befor I got my pacemaker gave me terrible nausea. Since having the pacemaker I fing it very strange that I can tolerate it and do not get nausea. However I also take perindopril an ace inhibitor. When I start taking this I get a painfull pricking sensation, like having needles pushed into the surface of my skin. It starts in the extremities , toes and finger tips, and as time goes by it gets worse with the sensation travelling futher up my limbs until I cant sta...

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INR testisng

Yesterday I had my PM check/doctors appointmeny (finally!)
All went well. I was told I have asout 1 1/2 -2 years left in my pm, wich is good because that's what the said a year ago. My cardiologist is the one monitoring my warfarin/INR results. I asked him if he thought I'd be on it for life or could switch back to taking an asprin a day. (which was much easier) He wasn't sure and said he'd have to look at a video of a trnsecho that I had done a few years ago first but most likeley I'd have...

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

In life we have to consider what is more important, the loss of the vanity or the gain of the life.