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Subpectorial implant/stimulation

Hi guys,

Been awhile since I last posted. In the past 6 months I've had an ablation to stop 2 to 1 pacing when my heart rate goes above 140 (goes to 140, drops to 70 for 2-3 minutes); didn't work. After multiple programing changes, had a lead revision to remove the v lead (the thought was that there was too much scar tissue at the tip) and to place pacemaker subpectorially for better protection. Xray the next am, determined not enough slack in lead, subsequent operation to lengthen...

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new PM settings and BP

I have had totally radical blood pressure after the PM was installed. My doc started me off at 90 BPM and 6 weeks later dialed it down to 80 and then 5 weeks later down to 60 where it is supposed to stay. He said none of these settings would affect my BP. However each time my rate was lowered my BP got better (lower) over time. Now my BP is perfect 9 times out of 10 when I check it.
Question, has anyone else had this experience?
Thanks!!!

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Bicycling in aero position + PM?

Is there a problem with the normal PM position and bicycling in a typical aero/racing posture, where the upper body bent low and the arms forward to a handlebar positioned forward and low? Bad description, but bicyclists hopefully know exactly what I mean...

I am having a bivent PM implanted soon, and as I was training on my indoors rollers tonight, I realized perhaps a PM would be noticeable and in the way for such a bike riding posture..

Can any bicyclists help me out wit...

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Abnormal rhythems

I am wondering what everyone here does when they feel abnormal rhythems, skips, palpitations etc?

I some times feel PAC's, and it feels like a harder beat than the rest and it throws me off.

I sometimes feel some really good beats but then it seems like a valve is hesitating or a beat is hesitating, not following the normal or preceeding pattern of beats. Does that make sense?

Wondering if anyone else has this and what you do when it happens. So far I've been pra...

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JAMA Article

I just read the JAMA article on pacemaker approval processes and posted an article about it at http://tinyurl.com/ya42spk. This is kind of the Cliff's Notes version of the article, if you care to read it. The article itself is pretty dense and hard to get through unless you like reading a lot of scientific data.

Bottom line: the testing methods used by manufacturers to get pacemakers and ICDs cleared by the FDA could be more scientifically sound.

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Wonder if this is normal?

for a few months now I get out of breath slightly especially when I bend down to pick something up,also from time to time I sweat ,three months ago when i saw cardialagist,he did a sonogram of my heart and said all is fine.I see him in amonth, but I notice if I do something with lifting,I am slightly winded. Does this happen to others with pacemaker,I will call doctor tomorrow and tell him again about this issue. I have a Medtronic with two leads.since 2006.Please answer me I am so worried.ist

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HELP: FIRST PM CHECK UP QUESTIONS

Thanks to all your previous help with my questions. My ablation/PM was 10/2/09. I go back for my very first 3 month check at my cardiologist's PM Clinic on January 14, 2010. Of course, I will not see the cardiologist.

Since my PM implant appears to be smooth "post", I have no clue what I am suppose to know, what I am suppose to ask, or any questions what-so-ever. I did not feel bad before PM/feel the same "post". I know I should ask some questions of the PM Clinic so I will be "k...

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Broken

Wondering if I got hit in the chest with a descent amount of force and my pacemaker broke or the leads got loose or something... Would I know it? No bleeding, no swelling but I'm really sore and tender there after my daughter got me good by accident. Since I pace about 1% of the time how would I know?

Any thoughts? Thank you as always

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My son Jeremy and sports

My son Jeremy has had a pacemaker since the age of 3. He is now 16 years old and all male. He is the middle son of four children. Gorwing up I made a point to treat him just like the rest of his siblings. In all things but sports. His brothers played football and basketball while he is in band.
I have always told him he could do anything if he just put his mind to it. He even wrote a paper at school on this which made me cry. We only had a problem with this is middle school when he decided...

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When I think it is bad...

I have spent a lot of time over the last 10 months worrying about my health, my pacemaker etc etc.

I found out today that all the customer service and warehouse staff in our shipping facility are losing their jobs in May. It is purely a business decision on the part of the company, and the company has offered everyone a chance to move the 350 miles to take a position at the new warehouse.

Many of these people cannot afford to move for a $10 to $12 per hour job, and this...

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Things I never want to hear.

We got hit with a snow storm this weekend. I have quite a bit to shovel so I got out early and got started. My mind is usually going a hundred miles an hour. I'm also a few cents short of a nickel so I'm always having some wacky thoughts. To make the time go by while shoveling I started thinking of things I wouldn't want to hear my Dr say while I was on the table having pacemaker surgery. Here's a few:
1.) Don't stitch him up yet. I think I lost a contact.
2.) How'd that fly get...

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A good Triple Bypass

If you like to cycle you might want to check this out...

http://www.teamevergreen.org/sites/default/files/
TripleBypassRouteMap2009_0.pdf


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Too many unanswered questions

Hello everyone, This is my first time on here. I had a pacer put in a week ago tomorrow and I have had nothing but complications. Saturday I had very hard pounding heart rate and had to go to the ER. Of course they said nothing was wrong... Went to the doctors today for a pacer interrogation and they said I was only using the Atrial pacer 2% and the ventrical pacer 0% but while they said that we could clearly see the ventrical pacing!!?? what is up with that? I have a bitronics pacer and am wo...

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PM and acupuncture

I have been to a Chinese physician on a weekly basis after I got a PM 3 weeks ago. She also gives me diet advice. Seems to work OK. Anybody else who tried acupuncture and diet to get back on track as quickly as possible?

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High blood pressure and heart rate.

I had a pacemaker installed on December 14, 2009 because my heart was missing beats particularly during heavy exertion. I am having problems adjusting. I hope someone can help.

Prior to my pacemaker my blood pressure was moderately high 145/90 and my heart rate was about 50. I had a heart attach in 2007 so I was put on Metoprolol which lowered my heart rate as well as blood pressure meds. Prior to my heart attach I had problems with a racing heart. I felt like I was wound up like...

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Activity after implant

I was looking over my files from after my implant and found some interesting info. I've posted my recollections a few times here, but found the real thing.

My discharge instructions from the hospital written by the cardiologist are "Regular walks, exercise at least 30 minutes 5 times a week. Do not lift left arm above shoulder until seen in the clinic in approximately 1 1/2 weeks. May remove sling after tomorrow. OK to shower after removing sling. Bandage will fall off in a few days"...

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Snowboarding

Hey all! So I am 4 months post implant and I am starting to feel awesome again. I have been walking, eating right, drinking lots of water and generally feel way better than I did before the PM.

I just have a quick question. I was wondering how many people on here snowboard? I talked to my doc and she said I could only go if I found something to protect my PM. She didn't seem to concerned about me being only 4 months post implant or pulling a lead so I am thinking of heading out this w...

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Playing the fiddle/violin with a PM

Hi

Just wondering if there are any experiences of others who play the violin. Most shoulder rests sit comfortably on top of the shoulder blade but are are fairly firm hard object and could damage PM or leads.

I am four months into implant of PM. Today I tried a pair of old woolen socks on the shoulder and left the rest off of the fiddle. It seemed to be ok with little pressure on the implant.

There are blow up and foam rests available also. Surely there are...

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winifred saunders

I had a pacemaker inserted in December 2009 but in spite of two checkups and settings I am getting a continuous vibrations
in abdomen area. Is this a usual reaction?

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Laying on PM

Hi all :)
Last nite I had a interesting nite and would like to know if any of you have experienced this... I have had ny PM for 2 months
I decided to lay on my left side to see if I could becuz my arm is till numb.. anyways, I did and boy I felt something going on and turned right back on to my right side.. so I had a racing heart and nausea and dizzy... I thought I was going to have to go to the ER.. finally things settled down.. but I don't feel so good this morning... has this happ...

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