Most Recent Messages

physiotherapy

can anyone tell me if they have had any physiotherapy treatments with a pm in place. i am suffering strain and tension in my neck and shoulders which is causing severe pain now and getting worse. ive been to physio in the past for same problem but they said they cant do any of the treatments because of the pm. ive had acupuncture three times the first two sessions helped a lot but the latest session did nothing. a course of steroid and anti inflammatories did nothing either. i am having my pm re...

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Zapped

I'm just barely nine months post ICD-CR implant - and Friday night I got zapped for the first time. - Yikes! Just sitting down to have dinner with my family - when I felt very strange for a few seconds - and then before I could even articulate what I was feeling - I was being lifted out of my chair by what felt like lightening going through my chest. A spilled drink, a yelp, and a few seconds later - it was all over with. I have a message in to my doc to let her know what transpired - but be...

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I am a TRASYLOL victim!

(If you haven't seen it, first click on, or c&p the link below to view the "60 Minutes" piece from February 2008 exposing the dangers and destruction caused by the now FDA-pulled surgical drug, TRASYLOL.)

http://tinyurl.com/6ydt3w

TRASYLOL, a drug made by BAYER AG, has been off the market for less than a year. It was used solely during open heart surgery to control bleeding. It cost $1,200~$1,500 a dose, vs its strongest competitor that cost just $50 a dose and was equa...

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Motorcycles and Pacemakers

Hello everyone, I have had my pacemaker for a year now and still remain confused as to what kind of electrical devices I can be around.I know welding machines and other tools that have batteries are taboo but how about a motorcycle. You sit close to the engine and the battery. Does anyone out there have any experience with this. With the gas prices the way they are I am looking to getting a motor bike of some kind but need to know if they will be safe for my pacemaker.

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Uggh, summer!

Hello again. K, I have a question for the drivers out there: do you have to have a thing on your license saying that you have a PM or ICD? Just wondering. Oh my gosh!!! I went on a band trip to Splash Down on Saturday and got burnt sooo bad despite the fact I lathered on sun block 3 friggn times!!! UGGG!

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hello cathy

everyone from the east the west ontario and quebec all have their differences in politics but not enough to cause this much biiterness. we did get the electric storm heading up towards toronto to-night. lots of lightning. take care jess

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lightheaded

I am 72 years old and had a pacemaker inserted 5 days ago...the pain is getting better but at times I feel lightheaded and somewhat fuzzy....anyone have any feedback on that...I am going to see the cardiologist on Wednesday...so glad that I found this site...thanks

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High and Low Heart Rate Settings?

Hmmm... I'm reading a lot of interesting things about exercising and PM's, ICD's. I just had my ICD installed 4 days ago after I passed out while jogging (EKG's showed very long QT intervals). I enjoy running about 3 - 4 miles every other day and I ALSO like to do fartlek and speed training to get the most out of my workouts and constantly improve my 5K times.

My resting heart rate is around 50 - 55 (this drops down to mid 40's when I'm asleep) and I comfortably run at about 180,...

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Adventure!

Hello everyone,
I was quite taken aback when I received my pacemaker in Feb. of 2005. I kept thinking that my adventurous lifestyle had come to an end. So for the last few years I have slowly begun to do things I love again. Tonight I am in a hotel (very nice) in Boise, Idaho, USA. My hubby and I have just spent the last 4 days in the beautiful mountains here. We have been hiking and riding 4-wheelers all over the mountains! We have been having a blast. It has been the best time I have...

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Acquired or Congenital LQTS? Did We Cause Our Heart Issues??!

Hi Group,

I'm posting this on the general board as I'm not sure where else is more appropriate. I just got my ICD a few days ago after a week of testing in the hospital (was a nightmare) and the Dr.'s, though they STILL don't know for sure, seem to think I have Long QT Syndrome due to the very long QT intervals on my EKG's.

I've been looking up anything and everything I can on this condition and understand that there is acquired and congenital LQTS. No one in my family h...

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OPEN MRI

Hello,
I was wondering if a person with a pacemaker can go to an open MRI ?

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New finding

I'm 33 years old and on the 27th June last year i had a Medtronic ADDRO1 implanted with a drop down rate of 40bpm.(Neurocardio Syncope).Everything was fine until about six ago when i started to feel my heart pounding and didn't feel right.At the time i was at work so that sat me down and after a while took me to my GP.He did an ECG and everthing was okay. On my last visit to the cardiologist he noticed that my rate had reached 180 bpm on several occasions.He now wants me to come back in a month...

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hi

my picture is a picture of my grandaughter jessica and my husband john. it was supposed to be beauford my cat. o whoa is me with my techinal ability. jessie

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Tomorrow is the day!

Well, tomorrow I go in for gallbladder surgery at 10a. Surgery is at 12.20p. I just want to thank all of you who have chimed in to my previous post and helped to put me at ease. I'll give you an update when I get home and am feeling up to it. I can't wait to eat anything without feeling bad! I'm more nervous for my pm than for the surgery itself. The anaesthesiologist will watch my pm, but it will be "turned off" via the magnent so he has control over my heart during the surgery. I just w...

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Depression Anyone???

I was reading an article about depression and people with either ICD's or Pacemeakers. It said after the implant an astounding eighty something percent were permanently off their medication! I have battled depression for years and was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I am wondering if any of you have found any correlation betweeen the two. My ICD was only put in a month ago and I think I have gotten more depresses! LOL=) Anyways just curious.....any feedback would be great thanks!!

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Naming Your Device

So I've been reading alot of the posts and it seems that many folks have names for their devices! I wondered how common this is among PM/ICD club members. I would love to hear from you all as to whether you do or don't have a name and if so what is it if you don't mind sharing.

I received my ICD on Monday and I have not named it but the thought had occured to me. The nurses had even asked me about it and that was the first I had heard of this:-)

Thanks for humoring me-...

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low back pain

greetings all
it has now been 6 months since my medtronic addr01 pacemaker implant for sick sinus syndrome and mostly all is well. it has made a positive difference in many areas. for the last two months though, i have been getting a progressive low back stiffness/pain that is very hard to relieve. tried NSAIDS and a few muscle relaxers via the MD but no relief. anyone else with this symptom, i doubt it is PM related but no other reason that i can think of.
thanks:

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anyone know what a "pmt" is

hi there! i was just wondering if anyone knows what a pmt is? i have an icd and when i go to get the device interoggated my doctor always says i have some pmt episodes i guess but that it's nothing to worry about. i trust him, i just always forget exactly what it is. he explains it to me but i think i need to see it in writing to fully understand it. i know its device based but that's about it. thank you........

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doctor's appointment

My doctor's office is starting to drive me crazy! In the mail yesterday I got a letter saying that they needed to change my appointment/pace maker check. This is the fourth time it's been changed. I originally was suppoused to go the end of May. About a month before it I got a lrtter with my appointment scheduled for the Beginning of June. When I called they didn't even have the other one in the system (yet I had the print out from when I made it) the didn't even have a pm check scheduled. I cou...

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Rate Response

I have read how several on this site have requested to have their rate response turned off on their PM. I am wondering, are your rate response settings primarily for increases or decreases in your bpm.

My rate response reacts to sudden drops in rate (25 in 25 sec. or less). The problem being, whenever I truly get relaxed, guess what happens! Then surprise I am at 100 bpm. I am wondering if I would benefit from having my EP look at whether or not this feature is truly needed.

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