Most Recent Messages in Conditions, Meds & Tests

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Weight loss with new pacemaker

I received a 3 lead ICD with defibulator for heart failure on April 4, 2023. When I was discharged from hospital, I was told to log my blood pressure and weight daily and to alert them if I GAINED more than 5 pounds a week! They said nothing about weight loss.  Weight loss has always been difficult for me. I was 196 when defibulator was implanted on 4/5/23.  I've noticed a slow but steady weight loss since my defibulator was implanted. I now weigh 189. I really haven't...

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Pacemaker and TAVR

Had my pacemaker in Feb.  no problems,  all was well until I had my TAVR heart valve on May 17th.  During my recovery I had a bleed and they had to do another surgery to put in a stent to stop the bleed.  After that, all was well.  When I went home the heart doctor changed my blood thinner because of the bleed and worry of blood clots.  Stopped my Eliquis and changed to Plavix, also changed blood pressure meds and added something for heart burn due to one of the...

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Myocarditis

Do any of you know anything about  or anyone who developed myocarditis after the covid vaccine? I'm suspecting my decline in EF from 60-65 to 35-40 within a year and 3 months was due to the covid shot! I had  heart flutters, breathlessness after the shot but many of my complaints were dismissed because some tests at the time came back normal. Now I'm dealing with heart failure, cardiomyopathy , low EF and left ventricular dysfunction , this all happened in a y...

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MRI with PACEMAKER

I am so thankful I found this resource.  When I received my PM all I was told was this is a common proceedure.  It was common to those who do this proceedure but i felt very unprepared for what was going to happen.  There was no one to talk to who had a PM, what did they feel, how did they cope and I was scared and felt so alone.  About 8 months ago I found this club.  You all provided the help and support I so needed to come to terms with this new situation.  I...

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concerns about high level of C-Reactive Proteins, Cardiac

Thought  i should post an update from my lastest blood checkup.  Have been doing them monthly since starting new supplement of Agal Oil.(similair to fish oil).  After the really lower rate last month had reduced the amount I was taking from 4 a day to 2 a day.  Now realize that was not a good idea as this is reading was 5.22 and the previous month 2.03.  Now back up to taking 4 a day and 2 nightly of the Red Yeast Rice supplement.

 The diagos...

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MRI

Last night I was searching here for information concerning MRI scans (with a pacemaker) as for so long one has been instructed to avoid magnets, not go through metal detectors etc etc, so I  was, naturally, concerned about a magnetic scan. I was told my unit was MRI  compatible and nothing to worry about. This forum was encouraging, as several members had come through scans unscathed, and I did feel a little reassured. I was, nevertheless, a very nervous patient as I sat in a w...

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Flacainide with pacemaker

I have been on Flacainide 50 mg 2x daily for 2 years. Pacemaker for 2 years! I am trying to stop Flacainide and am trying pill in pocket! Seems like I feel awful about one day  after I stop Flacainide! Then Intake one and am ok in an hour or so. I am hoping I can reduce to one 50 mg in am. I have read that taking Flacainide with a pacemaker is risky! I am on eliquis and Toprol xl 100 am and 50 pm! I get weak and short of breath on and off  Imam wondering if anyone else has...

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Sub optimal window quality with Transthoracic Echocardiograms

Hello my friends, I will ask my EP this question in a letter, since it does concern me, but thought I would ask you first for your opinion.  

Often when I get a Transthoracic Echocardiogram, I see low parasternal window or sub optimal window quality printed on my results, although generally my Echocardiograms have always been reported as normal with regards to my Ejection Fraction and Chamber sizes.  

I noticed on my last Echocardiogram th...

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Medtronic Azure Dual Chamber Pacemaker and no other medication

Hello everyone,

Me and 'Gerry' are rubbing along, ( almost literally because of the thin skin 'which is moveable' over Gerry  and according to U.K. docs doesn't need correcting.) Yeah OK.

Anyway, I've made many pacemaker friends both online and in the village where I live. Cannot believe, or so it seems there are so many of us.

One of the first questions we get to after exhausting all our pacemaker history is ... and what medication do you t...

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MRI and modern technology

This morning had an MRI to check on how badly i had torn my left elbow bicep.  In 1980 had shattered my left elbow and was replaced with hinges and screws.

About a couple of years ago when i was first told i have Osteroporis, thought i should have an x-ray done to make sure the bones were still intact.  The orthro  doc at that time mentioned maybe i would want the long screw removed.  In my mind that sounded like much pain and crunchy sounds.

Now it seems that...

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Ejection Fraction

Hello everyone,

Hope you all are having a good day. I am using a different account to post this as my last account is having some issue while logging in.

This is on behalf of my mother who is 55 yrs old. On December 1st she had her st jude's dual pacemaker inserted due to bradycardia. She did end up with frozen shoulder which has almost recovered now. For the past month she said she felt a bit uncomfortable due to feeling a sort of pressure and tingle in her legs and hands fro...

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Question posted for a friend: bradycardia

Hey y'all,

My friend had a halter monitor a while back and it shows her HR dropping to low 40s.  She's young and healthy etc.  The originally suggested she follow up with a specialist but I guess she didn't.  I am not super familiar with pacemakers for Brady when your otherwise healthy?  I also know sometimes different blocks can show up later and slowly over time but as my case was so different not super familiar with the conditions.  You guys alway...

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Crestor ( rosuvastatin) 5mg

I've been taking this statin for a month and half now! I've never had red swollen gums. I've never had any problems with guns or teeth!   I noticed a gum is red and swollen above a tooth.  Does this statin cause swollen gums?  Has anyone has gum issues with this medicine? 

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Pacemaker and beta blockers

My doctor has prescribed Corbis 2.5 after I rushed to the hospital for some symptoms similar to what I used to experience before my pacemaker implantation surgery. I am new to beta blockers and Not sure about how I will be living with all these. What long term effects I am going to have . I am 28.

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Pacemaker constantly firing

Hi, I'm 57 and had a DDD pacemaker inserted in 2018 for 2:1 AV block. I had ongoing issues with paroxysmal SVT and my cardiologist put me on flecainide 50mg twice daily last October. I'm also taking bisoprolol 5mg and lisinopril 2.5mg once daily. I've been feeling great on this regimen of medication and the SVT subsided since starting flecainide. However, over the past couple of weeks my heart rate is constantly dropping below 60 so my pacemaker is literally firing all o...

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Polypharmacy & De-Prescribing

Following on from the recent medication poll I enclose a couple of articles to consider when taking lots of different medications. 

My question is how many medications do you take and have you ever considered that any of them may be 'unnecessary' e.g. are no longer helpful or could perhaps be replaced with an alternative, possibly less invasive or damaging treatment? 

Would you consider an alternative treatment, for say, sleep hygiene rather than a sleeping...

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blood test results for the past month

This is an updated blood test results.  So you do not have to go back to the last one i posted 30 days ago.  The numbers are lower just not quite there yet,  The high out of range are getting closer to being in range.

The doctor said these   results are from  the foods I was eating 2 to 3 months ago.  Have been eating better since then.  Hopefully the next blood test in about 30 days or 6 weeks will show how much better i have done.

Saw...

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Low BP reminder to me

Hi All

I have been a life long fainter w heart block, got a Biotronik edora PM last May and its been working well. Generally my HR stays below 60 and stable except of course with exercise. More of a comment here that I am wondering if anyone else has experienced. Have always had low (sometimes extremely low) BP. Mostly orthostatic, getting out of bed, standing too long, etc. Fortunately my episodes are very transient,quick quick so I don't really think about it too often.

Howe...

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Remote monitoring and atrial fibrillation

Hi friends,

At my checkup this week I was told that back in mid January I had a 3 hour episode of heart flutter.  The nurse/technician said, this means you need to be on an anti-coagulant'.  They were going to forward the report to my gp for follow up.  I have two questions: for any of you on an anti-coagulant, are there any side effects?  Second, I have a Medtronic Azure, is it possible to use an app with it so I can check for any further episodes of flutter/fib...

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Carotid artery ultrasound

Tried to tell the cardiologist when i saw her this past March.  That i was not scheduled until 2024 by the vascular surgeron, every 2 years.  But she would not listen to me.  

 The results this time  for  both  no significant stenosis of the common carotid <50% stenosis of the internal  and <50% of the external.  Good blood flow to the brain.  Come back in 2 years.

Lesion Morphology: in the right is heterogenou...

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You know you're wired when...

Your ICD has a better memory than you.

Member Quotes

I'm 43 and have had my pacemaker four weeks today. I'm looking forward to living another 50 years and this marvelous device inside me will help me do that.