Most Recent Messages

when amiodarone fails

My husband has had a ICD since 2003. He has been on amiodarone off and on since then. He tried other rhythm drugs like sotalol, dronedarone, mexiletine, without success.. At present he is on 200 mg of amio and 200 mg of mexiletine daily. The mexiletine makes him unbalanced. His ICD continues to shock him on a regular basis, weekly. Which makes his life miserable. Now they want to increase the amio again to 600mg a day. I worry because amio can be a dangerous drug, he already has neurological pro...

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New to Pacemaker Club

I am 40-years-old and had my dual lead Boston Scientific demand pacemaker implant on October 17, 2008. I am a pretty active person and have been working out 5 times a week for the last six years. In February, after my run, I felt light-headed and dizzy and fainted. I went to the ER and despite an abnormal EKG and heart murmur, he released me and told me to follow up with my primary doctor. About a week later, I saw my primary doctor and he ordered an echocardiogram. The echo indicated my he...

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Rate Responsive PM Setting

During my first pm checkup, I told the Medtronic rep that I was a type A personality and was frustrated with my lack of endurance and breathlessness and asked about my lower and upper limits. My lower limit is set at 60 and my upper limit is set at 120. Those values were set at implantation time. My rate responsive setting is not enabled and she said it was my decision whether to turn it on or not. She said that if I play tennis or really exert myself then it would take awhile for the rate to...

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just got wired lol

I got my pacer on weds.
Im trying to relax and follow orders but i suddenly have energy for the first time in almost 10 years. I really want to get moving.lol
My concern is i keep feeling like im bleeding but there is nothing visible on bandage or on skin. And the deep burning is driving me nuts. I got sick from all pain meds they gave me so im only on extra strength tylenol. Any ideas how to relieve some of the burning?

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anxiety, weight loss

I am writing for my mom, who is 89. She had a pm implanted early 12/08 and she feels she is "not herself". Has always been calm and easy going. Has lost weight since pm, depressed, and quite anxious. Dr. prescribed remeron and xanax, but the combination makes her so sleepy. I try to be supportive and reassure her that she will feel more herself with time. She feels that she should "make" herself feel better and becomes more anxious and frustrated. Have read the posts of people experienci...

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Post op week 5 Lead Extraction and PM

Well it is 5 weeks since my surgery. I still am experiencing bad days along with the not so bad days. I am trying to be optimistic that this to shall pass.

Prior to leaving the hospital I was seen by physio, I had to do stairs, and participate in the excercise program. They went through the excercises we should try and perform every day. One such excercise was walking.....I have been able to walk up to 1 1/2hrs...but generally it is 45mins.and then I am done.

I have to...

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number 5 surgery in less than 2 years!

Well hello my friends. I am sorry I didn't get the update out sooner. So Monday was surgery and I am still in pain. You would think after all the ablations I had almost two years ago I would be great with the pain. Guess I am kidding myself a little.
As most of you that know me well know that its been a hell of a ride with this pm. I will never complain that I hated my ticker but I seem to always know how to complain about the pain part.
I went in on Monday not knowing what was...

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Sun exposure?

Quickie Question: I've been told that I will need to keep my pacer area covered when out in the sun next summer because it will got hot and essentially burn me from the inside out...? ?Sounds unlikely, but I thought I'd ask.

(I know that the scar will need extra sunscreen though.)

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well

the doctors visit was weird he said I am fine and the pauses at sleep dorsal tone something and no big deal saying that my beat was normally fine. I got to say I excpected more he is a electrical specialist. He ordered a echo stress but said by my chart and heart sounds there will be no problem, a sleep apnea test was ordered though, he said from here on out my md can handle it, this guy comes from high regard he said its normal not normal? He said I have a very slow pulse but with it not hurtin...

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MRI Questions

I have read some of the posts on here, but I am still not clear on what is and is not okay when it comes to having and MRI when you have a pacemaker.
I have had a pacemaker for 22 years. I have never had to have an MRI done, but now because of other medical complications the doctors are saying this may be necessary.
I do have an underlying rhythm (30 - 34 bpm), but I have 2 old leads that are still implanted. Will the leads cause burns? Is it safe for me to have this proceedure or s...

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When paced I feel palpitations. Is this normal?

Hi all,
I received my pacer Dec. 12, 2008 for tachycardia/bradycardia syndrome. It is set on a mode now where it paces every morning at 9:30am for a "test" (not sure why...) that lasts about 20 secs. During this time, without fail, I feel very strong palpitations, my heart feels like it is flipping over and I have to stop what I am doing because it is so unpleasant. I felt this same thing when they upped my heart rate as a test at my first checkup. (BTW the record shows that I have only...

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10days Post PM

Hi all, had my first check with GP yesterday & removed dressings. I had a temp. wire 'thro my neck and the wiskers had grown under the dressing [ uk ]. All seems OK but have to have a resp. test & lung CAT SCAN next week. Apart from that all is well.
Weather report from down under:- 18c climbing to 37c next week.
C Ya
Arty

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'sup?

Pardon the title, but for wont of a better one I just... "shut up Sydney" (me talking to myself). Anyway, I just wanted to know...

A) Is there anyone out there with any type of congenital heart defect that would like to talk?

B) Is there any interest for me to post a "Weekly quote"? Here's one I just read (it's loonnnggg): "Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that on...

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Under 11 Minutes

I am 50. Last year (before PM) I started working out on the treadmill in an effort to pare down my growing middle age waistline and keep my weight below the dreaded second century mark. Last fall, I ended up running my first 5K and 10K. Not fast, but not last. My peak treadmill time last year was about 9:30 per mile, averaged out over three miles. My outside time was always slower. I always considered that close to my limit, as this soft old body isn't built to go much faster.

I...

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Palpitations Need Help!

Ok this is the problem.

As many of you know I received my PM in August 08 for vaso vagal syncope. I passed out at home went to the ER and had a 5 second pause during a tilt test.

All has been OK until December 21 when I went into AFib for 16 hours before I converted on the drug Flecainide. Well my EP, who was on call at the local hospital, treated me. He sent me home and told me to take 50mg of Flecainide twice a day and follow up in his office in 30 days. Well I have follo...

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Palpitations Need Help!

Ok this is the problem.

As many of you know I received my PM in August 08 for vaso vagal syncope. I passed out at home went to the ER and had a 5 second pause during a tilt test.

All has been OK until December 21 when I went into AFib for 16 hours before I converted on the drug Flecainide. Well my EP, who was on call at the local hospital, treated me. He sent me home and told me to take 50mg of Flecainide twice a day and follow up in his office in 30 days. Well I have follo...

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Here ya go Frank. Just as I promised

This circulated around the net about a year ago. It took me a while to find it again. It still makes me laugh. I work in the medical field as well and have seen such bloopers in doctor's dictation. Too funny.

Working as a CMT (certified medical transcriptionist), I get to hear a lot of silly things a doctor might say during dictation. Here are just a few. Have fun.

"Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities."
*
She has no rigors or shaking chi...

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frustrated

Today is an okay day, I guess.
My heart races and skips more than Lou.
I can't seem to keep the laces tied on my left shoe,
and I my darn pants keep falling down.
Good thing there's hardly anyone at work today.
I keep tying 'em up, but they won't stay.
And who said scrub pants were comfortable.....
I guess they would be if they would just stay in place.

LOL!
I'm falling apart.

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Had my third ablation

Hello everyone, I had my third Ablation done on monday jan 5th and has you may have read from my previous message i used to have tachycardia so bad that it triggered every single time i stood up. I do have a pacemaker that is set at 70bpm. And the opposite has happened now, When i stand up my heart rate stays at 70 and when i sit down it goes up to maybe 95-100. Is this normal?? Also i have been having very short episodes of tachycardia, Could this be cause my heart is healing still? Does anyone...

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ICD Interference?

Does anyone know whether radio activated dog training collars, such as the ones sold by Innotek , which operate between 2112 and 219 MHz, can have any negative affect on my Medtronics ICD. I just had it implanted December 5 and I'm still pretty paranoid about it.

Thanks,

Phil

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You know you're wired when...

Airport security gives you free massages.

Member Quotes

My cardiologist is brilliant and after lots of trial and error got me running. I finished this years London Marathon in 3hrs 38 minutes.