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I just got a call from my cardiologist... my other message for today was somewhat of a vent session on my apparent lack of "care" with my current doctors. I had left a discouraged message for him after my last appointment when it was clear that he really wasn't feeling well and told me he had Covid the week before. Well... I guess he felt bad about that because he called me just now and said he wanted to talk over my concerns with medications and my EF. What I wrote in my messag...

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Doctor frustration

I wonder just how many people on this incredible forum are as frustrated with their medical care as I am? In November I was doing well, and all of my doctors were fine with the idea of me coming in after a year if all went well and there were no complications. Then came the complication of getting a shock for a serious A-fib that could have taken me out if I didn't have a defibrillator. That caused a rash of new appointments and another echo of which didn't result in any new news. On...

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SPO2

Hi everyone,

I just bought a Wellue O2 ring to wear during the night. I'll probably return it due to accuracy issues, but thought I would ask here first.

I am paced at 60-130, and use CPAP.

According to the graphs generated by the ring, my pulse will dip down to 46. If I am paced at a minimum of 60, is it possible for my pulse rate to go down that far below? I trust the PM more than the ring.

Thanks.

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Medical Mariijuana

Does anyone use THC to relax ?

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Solar Flares and Pacemakers

Question of the year for me... since solar flares have become a common topic lately.. I am beginning to wonder if anyone has information or wondered if solar flares can affect pacemakers? 
 

If solar flares can affect pacemakers or disrupt it... isn't this a conversation we should all be having with our doctors just incase? 

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Fear

I live with a sense of fear ever since a bypass 17! Years ago .

There isn't much time o don't think about and when I get little twinges I notice and wonder 

 

can I think into being what I fear most ?

 

does anyone else live with such fear ? How do you manage it ? 

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Here I am again ..

Well here I am again .... In 2007 bad a 5x bypass .44 years old .
2019 my AV node stopped working so I had a pacemaker installed .
This year i learned my EF rate was 30 - heart failure in April .

Now its 2024 and I just had a new PM installed with new wires - one is a "shocker " then other pacing the LV 

scares me to think where or how this all ends !

 

what brought me in this time is chest pressure that never went away - not pain but...

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Question about Carvedilol

I've been taking a relatively small dose of carvedilol for over a year, 6.5mg twice daily. Two weeks ago my cardiologist wanted me to go to 12.5mg twice daily of which I'm tolerating well so far, but I gradually got there instead of just doubling the dose. Now he wants to double it again and I'm nervous because a lot of people don't tolerate the higher doses. What are some of your thoughts and experiences with this drug? Did any of you tolerate it well in the beginning but hav...

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Increased HR, any ideas please?

Hello there I hope you are all doing well,

 

I have been experiencing some strange symptoms for a couple of weeks now and i wondered if any of you have had similar experiences, or have any ideas as to what could be going on. 

 

My heart rate keeps randomly increasing from its usual 65 ish beats to around 95 beats. It stays like that until I eventually go too sleep, and this could be for hours. I'm not quite sure what is causing it? when it happens i...

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Is it the pacemaker?

While I was on, I figured I'd post my Bardy monitor results.. even though it leaves me with more questions than answers. In the summary it says "Although pacemaker indication states yes, there were no instances of pacemaker activity." The next line states "Symptom episodes of Ectopic Atrial Rhythm and AT may actually be atrial pacing." Maybe I'm not understanding correctly, but these seem like completely contradictory statements..  He did say in office th...

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Curious about young PM recipients.

I'm 35 and on week 6 of having a pacemaker and I'm just curious about how many other younger folks have a pacemaker or older folks that got theirs when they were my age. I'm also curious why you needed one so early in life, my circumstances are out of the norm since my heart is healthy but my nervous system is out of wack. I just ponder if my situation is as uncommon as I am led to believe. My doctor said besides a few babies who needed a pacemaker at infancy I'm his youngest...

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Pacemaker induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Good morning everyone,

I'll try to make my question brief, despite the lengthy subject title.

I had Medtronic dual lead PM implanted three months ago (along with a TAVR, the day before). I am 100% paced. 74 years old.

I had an echocardiogram last week with my local cardio. He called me in to discuss it. My ejection fraction went down enough that he was concerned  and is scheduling a nuclear stress test to determine if my 80-90% clogged coronaries need stenting. The...

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Antibiotic pouch

I just had a different Medtronic pacemaker placed December 27th and am having some strange pain beneath the surgical site that gets worse when any amount of pressure is applied to it. It's definitely not infected so I was wondering if it could be the antibiotic pouch breaking down or if anyone else has had similar pain? I'm hoping it goes away because it's very uncomfortable. 

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Leadless Pacemaker Opinions

Hey everyone,

If we haven't met I'm Abi and I am hoping to get some opinions about leadless pacemakers as I am likely going to be getting on on the 19th.

I need to get a new pacemaker and my cardiologist is suggesting I get a leadless one (the most recent medtronic). I was hoping to get some opinions from anyone who has one on how they like them. My cardiologist walked me through all the benefits and risks so I am really just looking for patient experience I have...

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Sleeping on left side

Should I be able to sleep on my left side?  I get some pain in my ribs but there is no PM there...

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Atorvastatin

I am 64 years old, had my pacemaker in July 2019, and I have never have problems with cholesterol in my life and my cholesterol levels are normal. The Pharmacist wanted to introduce me to 20mg atorvastatin per day, knowing that this tablet will lower my cholesterol levels more. Has anyone having the same issue or what advice can anyone recommend? It would be highly appreciated. 

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Follow up Pacemaker care. Remote Monitoring - does it work for you?

Here in the UK, some hospitals still only provide home monitors to patients with a serious heart condition or dangerous arrhythmia that requires close surveillance.  If a pacemaker patient is stable, they might only receive a routine in person annual check instead.

Fortunately, most of us today have some form of home monitoring which when working well can certainly help to save time, money and give our doctors early warning of a deteriorating heart condition or of a pacemaker malfu...

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Periods of High Heart Rate

Hi, I have been experiencing high heart rates often and for long periods of time. I checked with the remote monitoring team and the data looked good with heart rates of 50 to 60 but occasionally of 120 to 130 but that is expected I am told. I asked about arrhythmias as I feel a flutter when running high. I was told that there was no tachycardia or AF at all right across the range of bpm. They also said that the increase in bpm was being driven by my heart not the device. I went to my loc...

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Lump in the throat?

I'm on week 7 of having my pacemaker and recovery is going alright for the most part. The past 2 days though, my chest has been tight and I have a sensation I can only describe as a lump in my throat. It's right under my Adams Apple on the same horizontal as my collar bone. I felt fine for the past 3 weeks and this is new. I figure it might be normal so I thought asking around here would be a good idea before freaking out.

I have never had an ablation, I have no signs of any inf...

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Pacemaker

Well my 10 year old pacemaker tried to do me in. 
little did I know one of the two leads had frayed.....I was having mini blackouts which I thought was strange.

i had a PM checkup which revealed I had over  2000 events....yes 2000..... events.

i wasn't happy with the manufacturer as i should have been notified this could happen.

Thankfully i have a new PM now and everything has settled down.

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