Most Recent Messages

being shocked.

Today i made a really stupid move and tried to clean paint out of a electrical outlet with a wet rag. I was shock. could this mess with my settings or packemaker in anyway? im due to do a phone check in a week. so if somthings wrong i guess they will find out then. Just didnt know if i should call my doc now or just wait. Please respond!

Kelsie

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New to the club....

I am 47 and just got my PM on 5/13/09. Was discharged last night. What a whirlwind! Went to my Dr's office for a post-flu check up, and an alert associate listened to my description of feeling like I was having a relapse, and put me on an EKG machine. Then they brought in a different machine and more experienced tech because they couldn't believe the readings they got from my first test. The next thing I knew, I was being told I had "Complete Heart Block" and my choices were going to the ho...

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2nd Ablation

I had my second ablation for recurrent Wolff Parkinson's White syndrome Monday and stayed in the hospital until Wednesday due to complications with my BP. When they were hooking me up in the EP lab, they put a central line (this is for your 'true' BP) in my left wrist. It took two tries to get it right. I had 3 catheters in my right groin and 1 catheter in my left and 1 in my neck. All of the rest of them are healing pretty well but the central line site is still very sore and has a small knot t...

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astelin spray - a-fib?

I am wondering if Astelin Spray - an antihistimine that rarely can cause a-fibs - is what is causing the increase in my a-fibs. Any one else have this problem? I have a st. Jude pacemaker for a-fibs.
Thanks.

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IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living r...

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High Heart Rate

I got my new Medtronic Adapta about six weeks ago. This is my second pm for my Kappa lasted seven & half years.
My old one had the perfect settings for me from begining.
This one have been tweaked four times EP & factory rep.I think the Adapta has so many new features that getting the setting right is diffcult.Walking upstairs my heart will be 90 but I am breathing good.
Would love to hear your views.Settings has been changed a few times.Only my pulse rate is high compared to my K...

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Elective replacement

Hello I have just joined this group. Does anyone have a DDDR Guidant pacemaker that has needed the generator change? Mine was placed in June 2002 and I am almost ready for a generator change according to my MD and pacemaker battery checks. A few days ago I was mowing my lawn and was short of breath the whole time, I took my pulse and it was 70, which is the low limit on my pacer. I have not had this problem before when I exercise, but now when I do I can't seem to get my pulse over 70 no ma...

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:)

I'm back! Yeah!!! Ok, well you will remember that a few weeks ago I injured my pacer site when tripping on the steps; ooops I did it again! I didn't cause such a significant injury this morning, but I did manage to skin my elbow (????) Yeah, I don't know either. Going to the March of Dimes w/ the Key Club tomorrow; 6 miles I believe! I hope it is not like 90 degrees tomorrow!!! Seems like there was more, but I really forget. Thanks for all the advice on my even MORE adjusted life! I need all I c...

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Normal!

I have had my pm for 4 months now, and as expected the site was sore for a while after, but then was fine. However, about 3 weeks ago I went swimming,twice in the space of a coupla days (24 lenghts each time) Later on that day, I started to get really sharp stabbing stinging pains at pm site which have only just settled down over last 2 or 3 days, just odd ones now. What I have now is a lot of soreness and tenderness at the top of the site, which seems to be high up next to my collar bone. Not...

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Pacemaker and Old Leads Removed, So Far, So Good!!

On April 6th I was sent by my doctor to London Ontario to have my current pacemaker removed, as well as the old leads that were left in from an old pacemaker site because they were causing a VERY staph infection that otherwise refused to be cured, even by prolonged infusions of vancomycin via a portable IV pump.

A long and complex operation that left three big scars on my chest, as well as the insertion of a cable through a vein in my groin to my heart.

But, there were NO c...

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adenosine stress test results

Hoping someone can explain these findings in plain English! Have been having sob and chest tightness on exertion, had 2nd biventricular pm implanted 1/22/09 due to battery. (I have a complete LBBB...) symptoms continue... Had echo, results good! EF 60%. Had adenosine Stress Test and the findings were as follows:
perfusion images:
Post pharmacologic stress images reveal a small to moderate perfusion defect of the anteroseptal wall. On the resting images there is partiall...

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How much does ablation surgery cost.

If you had ablation surgery for atrial fibrillation, how much did you pay for it? What insurance company did you have and how much did they pay.

I am using Healthnet PPO insurance.

According to my doctor the ablation surgery has a 50 to 60 percent chance of working. If that doesn't work then a second operation would increase it the 70 or 80 percent.

Has anybody here traveled to Mexico or other countries for cheaper surgery.





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how long is long enough

May of 07 i had an ICD implanted on the left, it became infected so we moved it to the right, the lead began pacing my diaphram so yet another chest opening for me. July of 07 my lead became loose my device was counting my heartbeat double and so I was shocked 24 times in about thirty minutes.so another ICD was placed on the right, this device caused swelling ond redness in my arm and neck, once again my chest was opened up and yet another device was implanted on the left. I am 13 days post-op...

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how long is long enough

May of 07 i had an ICD implanted on the left, it became infected so we moved it to the right, the lead began pacing my diaphram so yet another chest opening for me. July of 07 my lead became loose my device was counting my heartbeat double and so I was shocked 24 times in about thirty minutes.so another ICD was placed on the right, this device caused swelling ond redness in my arm and neck, once again my chest was opened up and yet another device was implanted on the left. I am 13 days post-op...

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Same symptoms came back...

I had a pm put in 4 months ago for syncope, waking up early am hrs w/ extreme nausea, dizziness and passed a couple of times. They found my heart was pausing up to 25 seconds that they recorded.
No more episodes until early this am...woke up very nauseus, lightheaded, felt confused, seemed very much the same as other episodes. Mabye my pm isn't working?
I'm going to try to get in tomorrow to get it checked (they only do so on fridays0
I have had some pvc's lately..can they cause N...

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pm and bra

Ladies with pacemakers - I am just two weeks with my pm and my bra straps hurt the site - does anyone have any ideas about my future bra wearing? For now, I cut the strap off just to get by. Thanks for info - Di

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Travel Insurance

Hi - I was able to get travel insurance when I had a pacemaker and enjoyed holidays overseas. Now I have a Medtronic Defibrillator and have been rejected when applying for travel insurance. Has anyone been successful in securing insurance - would love to hear from you - I want to go to Japan. Thanks, Richard

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ab lounge

Hi i have not been on in a long time, I am feeling much better than before and i am no longer depressed. I have started to exercise some. I currently rebound for 10 minutes a day(its the most i can handle) and really want to tone up my midsection. I am really thinking about buying the ab lounge.
My question is has anyone on here used the ab lounge and had any good results?
I dont want to waste money so i am really hoping some of you have used it and can give some reviews.... Thanks

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Appointment!

Ok, well the doctor I saw today actually cared about me! So refreshing!!!! The first thing he said (well, besides greeting us) was (in my own words) "Well, your legs look mottled and your hands have a bluish tint. I am pretty sure you have Raynaud's Disease." I figured that out months ago! And then he said that my slow heavy heart beats may be caused due to a possibly ill - calibrated sleep mode on my pacer, which is programmed to go down to 50 b.p.m. So, he turned it off! I am still feeling the...

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LVAD Questions...


Hello fellow pacers.

I just came from an appointment with my cardiologist. It seems that my heart failure is worsening and is nearing the critical point. He is suggesting the implantation of a Left Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD).

Does anyone out there currently have an LVAD? If so is it really improving your quality of life? If you had to do it over again would you? How was the surgery?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in adva...

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You know you're wired when...

Airport security gives you free massages.

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.