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checking pm

hi everyone ....its me sounding stupid again but am i suppose to have a machine at home to check my pm with a landline last time i was at doc they talk about it but i still havnt heard anything from anyone or am i supposed to call an order it still new an only had my pm for 2 month i feel good today thank god it s friday oh if anyone lives in new jersey button down the hatch here comes the snow storm an it right on time accu weather your the bomb auh! Patsy

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Anyone with an Ela

Hi Pals

I had my Ela Symphony Pacemaker inserted in September 04.
At the time it was reckoned to be the best pacemaker available and also came with a long battery life. Last check by manufacturer I was told I had at least six years left..

I had my pm check yesterday and was told that the model pm I have is not lasting as long as they originally thought. Has anyone else gone through this?

The tech said that those who were implanted with the same pm about t...

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Blood platelets dropping

I just got back from the Hematologist and my platelets have dropped in half in two days. Monday I have to get bone marrow test..ouch. The Hematologist said that it looks like ITP. He gave me prednisone and said start it right away. Tuesday they will re-test my platelets and if they have not increased we will do a blood transfusion to do the pacemaker surgery wednesday. Its so much going on...:(

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Chat

Call me stupid but how do you get on chat here?? xx

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what to do, when you can do nothing

hello my name is heather. i am 23 and had my first pm put in at 6 years old. i was diagnosed with 2nd and 3rd degree a.v. heart block. i had the pm replaced in 2001. that means as of jan. 29 my pacemaker is 9 years old. i am scared to death now because i have no health care (cant afford), i cant get any assistance because they say we make too much money, and i am not disabled enough. i have not seen a doctor in 5 years. when i was a kid everything was fine, i had medicaid. at that time i wasnt t...

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what to do, when you can do nothing

hello my name is heather. i am 23 and had my first pm put in at 6 years old. i was diagnosed with 2nd and 3rd degree a.v. heart block. i had the pm replaced in 2001. that means as of jan. 29 my pacemaker is 9 years old. i am scared to death now because i have no health care (cant afford), i cant get any assistance because they say we make too much money, and i am not disabled enough. i have not seen a doctor in 5 years. when i was a kid everything was fine, i had medicaid. at that time i wasnt t...

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Question

Does a cordless home phone cause the same interference as a cell phone?
Thanks,
Catherine

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Statin drugs

Got the push on statin drugs by Cardio. In fact he gave me 6 weeks of free samples(10 mgs) Way to strong for me, ankles swelling, fog, dizzy, chest pains................Crestar is the strongest of the six brands. Any advice on the different brands available?? My cholest. is 202 and hdl and ldl are good to normal with the triglycides very low @45. I would like to start at a very low dose and work up. I brought my cholestrol down from 280 with red wine vinegar and unprocessed bran on my oat...

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Newly implanted

Hello,
I have only had a pacemaker/defibullator for a month. It has been complication after complication for me. The first night after implanting I awoke with horrible chest pain. Atrial lead had come loose. Back to surgery to reattach it. Then I was having just hard heartbeats, jogging my entire chest, hard enough to shake our whole bed and scare the heck out of my husband. The left side lead was charging my frenetic nerve as well as my heart causing diaphram spasms. Last Friday the...

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just got pacemaker

Hi. I am new and sure could use some words of encouragement or support. Just had my PM surgery 2 days ago. I am feeling a little overwhelmed right now and confused because when I left the hospital, the tech tested my pacemaker and said I am 100% dependent and it freaked me out. I have two leads. He said it should last for 7-8 years, but I am wondering how it possibly can when I am 100% dependent. Before I had this done, I had bradycardia but I really didn't have super bad symptoms, and now...

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Airport Security

I'm taking my first flight tomorrow morning since getting my ICD in November.

Can I go through the regular walk-through security screening? Do I alert them to the fact I have an ICD first, and show my card? Or is it better to just ask for a hand search right off the bat and avoid all the hubbub?

Melissa

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After sugery complications

1 had a pacemaker inserted 3 days ago and am still in pain. Even tho' I had to have it redone the next day. Not the pain on the insertion site but I have pain in my back and chest and find it hard to breathe deeply. I feel that I have palpatations also.

I was wondering if anyone had similar symptoms after their op? I have to say I am a little worried about it but would feel a nuisance calling the hospital as I was only discharged yesterday. Can you help?

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February 25th - The Big Day

Well, it's confirmed, my doctor, cardiologist and EP all agree I need a pacemaker due to my heart block. I'm having and echocardiogram on Saturday just to find out what kind of pacer I will need. I'll be counting the days and staying connected on here and reading all the posts. I just find it hard to believe my EP told me I could probably return to work (although I go to school) in 48 hours. 48 hours!! I can't imagine that. Doesn't the soreness last longer than that? How am I supposed to...

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Update from G.P

Hi everyone,
Saw my G.P today and essentialy she was upset and confused like I was that they cancelled the appointment with the EP and yet not follow up with cardiology. I have this event recorder and no follow up with cardiology. She was upset since she is a G.P and can't totally read an EKG except to be able to tell what type of rhythm I'm in. She did get the report from the hospital and according to her it has shown some a-fib and SVT and my usual bradycardia, but sometimes really slow s...

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Low blood platelets

I was wondering if anyone else has had problems with low blood platelets? Could this be caused from lack of proper blood flow through out my body? Once I get my pacemaker I was wondering if that will help my body produce them better. They couldn't do my surgery yesterday because my platelet count was too low. The hematologist gave me prednizon- dont know how to spell it lol but has any one else taken this steroid? I was also wondering what a typical base-line for the pacemaker could be. For exam...

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lead turned off

Had my pacer checked yesterday and they informed me that the upper lead had been turned off., apparantly there was some static or noise that was there the last time I had it checked.
So, they took the liberty of disabling it.
This information was from the pacer dept. dr.

I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and have had two myomectomies. My rhytymns are fine now, its more of a preventative measure and I keep a low pulse of around 60.

How critical is it for that le...

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Atenolol

Does anyone have any experience with Atenolol 25mg for tachacardia?

Took my first pill today, felt a little tired but I was really trying to take it easy so not really sure if I was in lazy mode all day or if it was the meds.

I took a nap and had some crazy wild dreams. Not sure if that was the med though.

It must be working because I have been running "slower" all day.
Thanks,
Wendy

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sick sinus syndrome problems

Anyone out there with sick sinus syndrome? It took them 8 yrs. to diagnose me, have had my pacer for 5 yrs. and doing fairly well but the bad days are really bad and lately the fatigue is really getting to me. I can't seem to get enough sleep the last few days. I'm sleeping sometimes for 12 hours and am still forcing myself to get out of bed and this isn't like me. Just want to know if others have this same problem at times. Thanks

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Hopital tests

I just got back from the Hospital. They did nuclear imaging of my spleen and liver. They will send the results to the hematologist to read the results. Tomorrow I am going to see him and he will go over my blood tests and spleen/liver checks with me. He is also going to check my platelet count again to see If the meds help to increase my platelets. If not then I will have to get a blood transfusion right before surgery. My PM surgery will be scheduled tomorrow for next week. My concern is if th...

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THE most stupidest question....

I might even win an award for this one!!! :)

I have NEVER exercised in my life. I am almost 48.

However, now that I have this torn rotator cuff issue, I have to do some exercises. I went yesterday to learn some. I must admit it was fun. However, I'm amazed at what little I did, boy oh boy, am I sore today. (Yes, I'm using ice)

Anyways...what I have to do is some very basic exercises using these rather long rubber ropes. But my question is: my pacer is on...

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You know you're wired when...

You have rhythm.

Member Quotes

I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.