Most Recent Messages in Coping

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What's happening??

I had my pacemaker implant last October for AV heart block with bundle branch block. My initial symptoms were two episodes of fainting or near fainting 10-15 minutes after my run. In fact, I was already cooled down. Initially, my cardiologist thought I had a vasovagal episode, but the 24-hour monitor and event monitor revealed the heart block. I had been training for a half marathon scheduled for this Sunday, which was okayed by my cardiologist.

Last Sunday, after a 10 mile run (a...

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Going for a PET scan next Weds

I have been told to be there at 7:00am, and bring a good book because it takes 5 hours to complete.

I hope this will tell me if one area of my heart is truly necrotic or just dormant. If dormant, that makes me a bypass candidate.

Wish me luck,

Stumpy.

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Is this normal?

My ICD was implanted three years ago. I felt very secure knowing it was there to help me. At first I was concerned about what I might feel if the defibrillator fired. But as time went by I became even more comfortable with the idea that I had this wonderful device to help me. About a month ago however, the defibirillator fired when I was asleep. After I got to the ER, on my doctor's instructions, the device continued to fire 23 times. I was given additional medical to help regulate my heart r...

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Its Only a Pacemaker Get on way It

Hi was at the doc today and got told this Its Only a Pacemaker Get on way It . I felt hurt am I to get over this in like 4 weeks?

.

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Thankyou

Just a BIG THANK YOU for my support today with you all here we will all get by the bad days .KPF

THANK YOU
X

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leaving a high pay high stress career

Hello all,

I have spent the last 20 something years doing software sales and sales management, before surviving arrest and v-fib in December. I realize that my new life can't handle the stresses and strains of such a high pressure lifestyle.

Is anyone in a similar position? How are you coping with the change to your life? I am thinking about going back to school to study something totally unrelated to technology, I feel like doing something like that might be a good thing t...

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I'm 22 and getting a pacemaker

I am 22 yrs old and during a recent ER visit for what I thought was appendicitis, I found out I have 3rd degree/complete/AV heart block. Drs have no idea what caused it, but they have narrowed it down to its not Lyme Disease and its not Congenital.
I started off not having symptoms, and now I have mini "episodes" of dizziness and shakiness and severe episodes of trouble breathing, shaking, dizziness, and chest pain that ends up turning into a panic attack.
The Dr's are telling me th...

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Hey, can you answer these questions?

three weeks after surgery, I finally went to an aerobics class (kept my left arm down ?That did feel great!1
But it still feels as if it (pacemaker is right under my collarbone) is "pushing" out..bulging...it hurts then!
also, this isn't as chronic, but i still feel very strange feelings behind my knees, and sometimes in my left elbow (nerve type irritations) Was a nerve damaged in the installation of the pc?

When can we "lift' the left arm? do regular stretches???

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2 'shocks'.

Hello everyone
It's not been a good weekend.I got 'shocked' twice Saturday night.I spent the last 12 hours getting tested.The doctor could not find anything .
Now at home I'm waiting for'it' too happen again.I guess I have too stop worrying about it.


Take care everyone

seeker581

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Help me with my anxiety

Ok, Ashley got her pacemaker the day after Christmas. I am still freaking out on a daily basis, hourly basis even about her passing out. I am so scared it is going to happen again. I am afraid it is going to affect my work if I don't stop worring about it 24/7. I feel anxious to spend every minute with her afraid it might be the last one. Has anyone else gone through this when their kids first got their pacemakers or do I need to go get help with this?

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anxiety, weight loss

I am writing for my mom, who is 89. She had a pm implanted early 12/08 and she feels she is "not herself". Has always been calm and easy going. Has lost weight since pm, depressed, and quite anxious. Dr. prescribed remeron and xanax, but the combination makes her so sleepy. I try to be supportive and reassure her that she will feel more herself with time. She feels that she should "make" herself feel better and becomes more anxious and frustrated. Have read the posts of people experienci...

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Heart skipping and jumping since pacemaker

Hello again,
Thank you for the responses, especially Angelie, very helpful. I can see this is a terrific site for new folks who are afraid and wondering if they are the only ones having problems. I am hoping that my heart will settle down in time. I did call my pacemaker clenic and they want me to come in for a check since it has only been 2 weeks since the implant.
Does anyone have experience flying- are the machines you walk through a problem? I fly next week and don't know if I s...

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discomfort

How long does the discomfort last after having a PM put in? It’s been about a month and the seatbelt still makes it feel sore as well as just a lite touch. I also saw a lot of people talking about not sleeping well, I haven’t slept well for a while either and thought it was from the beta-blocker. But it sounds like it could also be from the PM it self. Although it seams to be worse after they increased my metoprolo to 200mg a day. 100mg in the am and 100mg in the pm.

Ron

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small lump, info please

Hi all, a few days ago I went to get a checkup on the old PM. I’ve had it for almost one month now. When I got home from the Dr. I found a small lump that I hadn’t noticed before, otherwise I would have asked my Dr. when I was there. It’s just to the left of my breastbone, about 3 or 4 inches from the PM site. If I push on it is just a little sore. I don’t know why I would have this because it’s not where they cut me. If someone else has this or if someone can tell me what this is I would appr...

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Spoons theory

I came across this recently. A helpful way to understand and explain how long term illness affects you:

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/navigation/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf

Cheers,
Mark

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Helping A Depressed Loved One

Sometime during our lives depression does rear its ugly head & I found this article that might lend some help if ever needed.

thanks
Pookie

Depression: Helping a Depressed Loved One

When depression strikes, the depressed person isn't the only one affected. Everyone around them -- family, friends, and co-workers -- feels the impact of their depression.

Helping a loved one cope with depression can be key to his or her recovery. But it isn't always g...

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Freak Out

please help i've had this 13 days, trying to be very CAREFUL not to lift my left arm, everything else, ok, back to walking dogs, treadmill, and am so thankful not to be "dizzy" anymore (bradycardia) BUT I CAN'T STAND HAVING IT UNDER MY COLLARBONE!!! JUST THE THOUGHT MAKES ME SICK!!
the bandaide came off last night, healing well, but it's sooo big!

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first checkup tomorrow

Well, tomorrow is my first checkup with my Dr. since getting my PM. I assume he will do some adjustments on this hunk of Titanium in my chest. I don’t know how they do the adjustment but I’m kind of looking forward to it. Hopefully I won’t be as tired after he makes the changes. I’ve found that I have more energy when I get home from work since the PM. But I also find that I feel like taking a nap more often than I used to, since getting the PM. I don’t know of it is because of the PM or maybe d...

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Still very anxious

I appreciate the responses about getting the lead fixed, But what I really want to know is if anyone has had this kind of anxiety after getting a pm. I did not suffer from anxiety before the pm. Now even with medicine I feel like I am going crazy with anxiety. I am considering getting the pacemaker taken out. I appreciate the feed back Carmen

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Help with info

Hi All

Today without thinking I raised my arm are over my head, just two weeks after having PM put in. What should I be looking for if I damaged anything? My Dr. told me under not circumstances should I raise my arm above my shoulder. I did it without thinking and not sure what to do now or what to look for. I can't be the first to do this.

Ron

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You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

Member Quotes

Pacemakers are very reliable devices.