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pac's pvc's

Hi everyone,
Can someone tell me about pac's etc.
I often get irregular skipped beats ? (I think), makes me want to take a deep breath. Is this pac's?
Especially when playing sport.
It is 5 weeks since my pm & the Dr was very happy with it.
He was in such a hurry (running 2 hours late) that I forgot to ask about this.
thanks in advanvce,
Lizzie

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Pull Tab...?????

Okay, interesting thing happened last night. Since my surgery one side of my scar has been itching like hell and has had what seemed like a little scab to it. Last night I accidentally scratched it and low and behold a small knot was lodged in there and that small not pulled loose and is attached to what looks like very low test fishing line which now is out about a half inch. Not sure whether to just pull on it and snap it, cut it as close to the skin as possible or what. Pulling it has me...

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Thanks to all of you!

I just joined this site today. My PM was placed in Nov. 08 and it has hurt like hell every day since. The HD says it will get better. It has not. I searched for PM pain and found this site. Thank God. After reading some posts of others with pain, I know I am not a looney! The site is so sore, it hurts when I breathe! Also, my left shoulder and arm and along the wire in my chest. I am going to try some of the things mentioned here! Just am so thankful that it is not "just me", but also...

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My beach experience

I was just at the beach this past weekend. While lying on the sand, this fat man in a Speedo holding some electronic device walked up to me and insisted that I get up and move.
After I insisted that it was in his best interest to find some decent swim trunks, I further explained that the beach went on for miles and he could find some other place to sit- preferably not in the vicinity of me.
After some back and forth conversation, it took me a while to realize just why he wanted me to m...

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holidays

Does anyone know if i can book a holiday today only five and a half after pace maker fitted ? Have got my hospital check this Thursday but have seen a bargain and want to book it now, dare I risk it .

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PM Battery Check-up

In India, there is a practice that the supplier of Medtronic PM provides, by appointment, free of cost PM Battery check-ups and settings, as and when requested by the PM user.
How about USA/ Canada?
I am currently visiting USA and wish to undergo battery check-up, as a matter of routine.
Any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks

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To PM/ICD "Family" :

  • by bunnykin
  • 2009-08-04 12:08:02
  • 582 views
  • 4 comments

Wish I had time to ask you all, my PM/ICD family to pray for me some 11 days ago; I had just undergone an emergency admission & operation to extract a recalled ICD lead and replace both lead and device. It was indeed a traumatic experience and a "shock" to me in both sense( shock from ICD & emotionally). I really couldn't believe that I had needed an operation so soon & so suddenly!
What happened was I had VT and Torsades and praise God that my ICD shocked me back to sinus rhythm. After a...

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NEW STUFF COMING

This is part of an article on pacemakers/defribillators from our local paper this morning. One sentence (marked with < >) may be of particular interest to our group as the question on this comes up from time to time.

JUMP START FOR HEART DEVICE MAKERS

Heart device makers are hoping innovations and recent clinical trials will pump up sales, leading to faster growth.

Sales of implantable devices that treat problems like heart failure, slow or fast heartbeats and...

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Hybrid Car ok? Mederma scar cream?

Hi everyone. I haven't asked a question for a while but I have 2 and wonder if anyone out there has the same ones.
I would like to use a scar therapy cream now that my scar is healed. Has anyone tried one with success? Also we are thinking of getting a HYBRID car. They have an electromagnetic engine part, any problems with driving one with a pacemaker? Does anyone out there have a Hybrid, do you like it? Many thanks!!!

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Training update

I post some of my training so that some of you who doubt their capabilities after getting a device implanted. I had 3 ablations and a Medtronic Adapta pacemaker installed 8/15/08.
I am currently training for the Blue Ridge Relay, a 208 mile relay race paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. I am on an ultra team of 6 men. We are trying to win the race.
Saturday I ran up a mountain. Sunday I ran a moderately hard (7:30/mile pace) 12 mile run in the morning, then a har...

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Bi-V surgery, day 1 post op

Comment posted by IronMan66 on 2009-08-04 11:34.
Had a slight delay in the surgery due the the patient before me had some complications. As for me, the worst thing about it was I was starving by the time I went to the OR. As you know, nothing to eat or dring past midnight, and I expected to be in the OR at 9:30. . . had to wait until 4:30 pm.
Surgery went very well, doctors and nurses were all very nice. When I woke up, it seemed like there was 20 people in the room. All of them talk...

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Bi-V surgery, recovering at home

At home now, about 27 hours since the surgery. They released me at about 1:00 today after everything was tested and checked out ok. I think the Darvocit pain medicine they gave me was causing a lot of the dizziness. . . but it did kill the pain.
On a scale of 0-10, the pain now is about a 5. I decided to switch to Tylenol to see if that will work instead. I am told I have a high tolerance for pain, so I am hoping to avoid the Darvocit unless it gets really bad.
The scar looks pretty...

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going green

I was reading the mailboxphobia post, had to laugh, thank goodness with all we go through we don't loose our sense of humor. I was also thinking on lines of what Patch wrote maybe we should start a "green" device program, we all know that there would be some money in that somewhere don't ya think? If you think about it most of the device explanted still have a little juice in them, I am sure that we could wire them together some how to make renewable energy with a jolt. See the headlines now....

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Good News

Hello Folks

I know many of you have seen me complain about my pacemaker not living up to its reputation. The low set point was 70 and I would frequently find my heart rate in the mid-forties. With an ejection fraction in the 40s that wasn't giving me enough blood flow to satisfy all my needs. The result was I would get out of breath and have chest pain with very little physical activity.

This all started in Feb. '07 and has gradually gotten worse to the point my activi...

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Ablation, mailboxphobia and walletdectomy

I had an ablation done a couple of weeks ago and have been suffering from mailboxphobia which is a fear of looking in the mail box and finding a large bill.

The bill for the hospital stay is about $192,000. The insurance company explanation of benefits states that they will pay the contract rate of about $86,000. The form also states the hospital is not supposed to bill me for the $105,000 but I will still suffer from mailboxphobia for the next several months until I find out for sur...

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flu and pacers don't mix

hi everyone I just wanted to update you all about my pacemaker change. surgery went well however complications due to the flu wich my whole family and I caught while at the hospital. The flu and pacers dont mix well neither does new boston science pacers and ekg machines they did a ekg in the emergency room on 2 trip to the hospital in two days when they hooked me up to ekg machine it interfered with my pacer and sent my heart rate over 280 beats per minute and it printed out as weird scribbles...

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Had open heart surgery finally

Hi all!

I know I haven't posted for a while but it's been a busy few months. I had open heart surgery Thursday May 28th to repair an Aortic anuerism, and replace my Aortic valve. I also had a second valve replaced with a cadaver valve, another valve repaired and the Maze procedure done in one chamber. Surgery did not go well. What was predicted to be an 8 hour surgery turned into 19 hours and my chest was left open for 4 days afterward. Every time the surgeon tried to stich somet...

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Pin stick feelings and burning sensations over pac

A few days ago I wrote about having feelings of pin stick and burning over my pacemaker and since it continued I call my pacemaker consultant and she, in turn had to call the manufacturer (Medtronic) because she had not had this complaint before. Medtronic told her that there is ONE stitch inside that holds the PM in place and it can get pulled, moved,etc causing these kind of pains. She said even though it it only one stitch it can cause quite a lot of pain. It should stop doing that after s...

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hi friends....

I have been trying to keep up with everyone as much as I can but have not been doing as well as I anticipated. I have been having a lot of trouble breathing lately. Sat I got told that I have strep and need to watch carefully that it is not effecting my heart.
I have never had strep in my life and the first thing I told the Dr a ablation is much easier than this. I was wondering if any of you have had strep and can tell me has it caused problems with your breathing. I am taking all of m...

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Bi-V Surgery 8/3 9:00 am

Won't be long now, surgery is tomorrow morning. Feel good now, the toughest part was waiting the 3+ weeks since we made the decision to go ahead with the procedure. Had a great conversation with the nurse Thursday last week. Coupled with all the information I've received from all of you on this site, I think I've got all the knowledge I need to go into this with a clear head. I am kind of excited about it. . . and have to hope that the Medtronic Concerto does what they think it will do for me. <...

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