Most Recent Messages in Coping

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Anxiety After Being Zapped By Defib

Any advice on getting over those anxieties after being zapped? In an ideal world you want to forget about having a defibrilator
and I was in that state of mind for a couple of years after it was fitted until I got zapped. The positive side of being zapped for me was at least I know what to expect if it were to happen in future. I do find myself feeling for my pulse from time to time which is a habit I want to get out of. In addition my libido/sex drive has dropped. I take a beta blocker (so...

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need help with a fib nuka

Dear Nuka,
i can empathize with you and any of us who have had to endure the anxiety and discomfort and occassional dizziness that accompanies a fib. Before my PM i would prefer having a flutter or reentrant atrial tachycardia over a fib because i just didnt function as well.(And i am a full-time physician who can't just call in sick easily.) i have gone for many days in a fib and i do not recommend it. you could be cardioverted and feel better quite immediately if things cannot be contro...

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Need help with a fib.

Hi All,
Since a change of medication a few months ago I am generally doing well except... I have had two of the longest episodes of a Fib that I have ever had. The first lasted 15 hours and the one last night was 12 hours.

All night long my chest rocked around like it thought it was at a Saturday night dance. I finally converted back to normal rhythm about 11 this morning. What a relief!!!

My question is this. Does anyone have any special coping techniques they use wh...

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follow-up on "scared beatless"

thanks for encouraging words. received a medtronic enrhythm PM and av node ablation and am two days post op. My only concern is( and I am seeing ep doctor tomorrow) i have a lesser rate of about 50 walking around and i feel dizzy and yet when i lie down the rate goes up to about 90 which seems like the opposite should be happening. I am concerned and wondered if anyone has experienced this and, oh, by the way, can this be changed by the ep doctor?

VIOLIN

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Symptoms

Hi.

My name is Roger and am a candidate for a pacemaker.
I currently take Atenolol for PVC's and have a slow pulse rate
currently in the forties. My major problem occurs when I am sleeping, when I will awake with extreme discomfort in my chest. My heart seems to function normally during the day.
My recent EKG and stress tests were negative apart from the PVC's. I am also able to exercise during the day without any difficulty, if it wasnt for the sleep problems I would...

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Still Nervous!

This last August had Pacemaker inserted as I had heart failure..I only knew at the that time,it would help regulate heartbeat..I have been doing well,checkups are great,but at times I get little pain in arms,and neck,and I get panicky thinking I am having heart problems..Since I am a new kid on the block,am wondering if anyone else had this experience..I dont know what to expect,or if this is normal?Aalthough I must say I feel great,walk without tiring,can now shop the malls,etc..My life has bee...

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Questioning the use of a second pacemaker

Hi everyone
After having a PM for some 17 years, it was decided to change the device, (not because it needed it because of the battery) but because the hospital did not like a pm in situ for that long.
The old one had just 1 lead, this new one has two leads.
They did not take the old lead out because they said it was too dangerous, infection might set it, burst arteries etc.
What happens if i need another pm, i already have 3 wires in situ now and i should imagine not much s...

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beta blockers (feel sick)?

Hi Allan (41) edinburghj

Just started on bete blockers about 5 days ago and i have had aches and pains and diahoria ever since .I dont know whether to blame the beta blockers or not as my girl friend had a bout of same symptoms last week.

Does anyone else have same experience

Allan

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abalation not right routefor afib?

Allan (41) edinburgh here three weeks today since pm implant

I spoke to my heart surgeon /doctor( on phone) about my racing heart and return episodes of afib.And he told me beta blockers maybe the next step and when i asked him about the abalation route he said that that would not be appropriate as having afib and sick synus syndrome with a pace maker it was more likely to be unsuccessful.

Only thing is i would really like to double check with my pm technician if my afi...

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Feelin' like a Weenie...

Gee, I thought I'd be 100% better by now ( 1 month post-op ), but seems I still have days I feel like a "Weenie" (Sorry Oscar Mayer no hard feelings). Anyway, I still have some days that I feel pretty anxious about all of this, especially since I must start back to work on Wednesday and I am a busy nurse.
I have days like today, that I have skipped beats (seems more prevalent if my GI system is acting up, where I feel kind of bloated, this in turn makes me feel a little SOB and am more awa...

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Three weeks after pm implant and still getting racing heart and afib at night

Allan (41) edinburgh,

I dont know what to do as almost every night when i try to go to sleep i am gettine bouts of afib and a racing heart

Should i be on beta blockers?
Or should i press my doctors for abalation?
Does abalation cure afib?
What are the pros and cons?
If anyone can help with some answers i would really appreciate some advice.
As when i had my pm checked up last week the technician was so layed back and said you are in afib less than 1...

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scared!!!!

I just had a pacemaker and ICD and Defrib put in back in 2005. I had dual valve replacement in June 2006.

SInce then, I have been having difficulties coping with it for several reasons.. i am young and it made me think about life in general meaning I want to live my life to the fulliest. But for some reason, its not letting me sleep properly at night so I have been taking Ambien, Innovance medicines to help sleep at night.

So with the big move to another country and get...

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Just a quick update

Dear All

Just a quick note to everyone that has given me and my family so much support the past 5 months.My father Kenneth and all the family as still doing very well. My father has been suffering the past two weeks with somnolence this is the side effects from Radiotherapy, but today we have all gone out again as a family and have had a nice family time.

Fingers crossed and living and being happy one day at a time.

Love
Debbie

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question

Has anyone ever had to have their pacemaker repositioned because they have lost weight. I have lost 65 lbs and my pacemaker is more prominent. It rubs on everything and I can feel it if I sleep on my stomach. I've had the thing for 4 years without many problems, but this is starting to bother me.

Peggy

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Worst months ever!

I was working and a graduate student until Labor Day. I have never felt the same since. After two hospital stays nobody seems to be able to give me a straight diagnosis. Still, I experience the following symptoms:
▪Terrible nights sleeping. I can feel my heart rate accelerate with any change in position. At times, feels like my heart is beating irregular, or pauses for a moment
▪Tired / fatigued. Some days I sleep all day
▪Significant drop in activity leve...

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Had two week check up feeling much better

I went to see my rep two dats ago
Must admit I had been feeling angry about lack of information made available about my pacemaker so i think i may have come across as rude to the guy at first.
But he really opened my eyes to everything.And i must have been in there for at least 45 minutes.

I now know that i am in a-fib less than 1 % of the time
and that my pm is doing its job.I have my af suppression leads turned on.When I asked him about turning down the wattage he exp...

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Peace of Mind...

Hi everyone, it's me Carol, PM recipient of almost 1 month. I've posted before over anxieties, arrythmias, and just coping in general with this new addition to my life. Just wanted to let you know that I'm doing pretty well, still coping as best I can . I have good and "could be better days". I did develop a friction rub, had an Echo done, and everything came out ok per the doctor, luckily I don't have any chest pain or unusual SOB.

One thing my EP did to help calm some of my fea...

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Anyone to CHat

Anyone,,,,,

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Dual chamber st jude medical with af suppressor dr2550

Alan (41) from edinburgh

New to club Had pacemaker in less than two weeks.

Is there anyone out there with same pacemaker as me ?

is it usual to leave the atral suppressor section of this device swithced off for first month?

How does it feel when it is switched on ?

Does it help with af?

How chronic is af?

and Is the maze operation the only way to completely get rid of it?

I had my first technicians appointme...

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Alan(41)edinburgh had a-fib last night

I am ten days into having my pacemaker and everything has been going fine appart from yesterday when i checked my pulse with one of those stupid watches and it gave me two readings below thirty so of course i panicked thinking my leads had come un done so i called my surgeon who luckily advised me that my pacemaker clinic was actually that morning.

So i went along and they checked me out and everything was ok they said my a fib was at 1%.( Is that good or not?)

I have a tw...

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You know you're wired when...

You can hear your heartbeat in your cell phone.

Member Quotes

A pacemaker suddenly quitting is no more likely to happen than you are to be struck by lightening.