Most Recent Messages

Thank You!!!

I was overwhelmed and overjoyed at the wealth of responses to my first posted message! Everyone made me feel so welcomed and it made me feel 10 times better. So I just wanted to give a huge thanks to everyone who eased my fears and sadness..I truly was blessed to find this site and all you wonderful people=)

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Heparin

My 22 month old son is having his leads and generator replaced next week. The atrial lead is fractured and the ventrical lead is getting perilously short due to growth. We recently received notice that the CT surgeon is participating in a study evaluating the use of the blood thinning drug Heparin. I am reluctant to allow my son to be part of the study and receive this drug - largely due to the rash of deaths from complications induced by this drug (now known to be from a contaminated batch),...

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Update!

First I wanted to welcome all the people who have just recently joined. I hope you enjoy this club as much as I have.

I know I have been lacking my participation on the club lately and I thought it was high time for me to give y'all a good update. I have gradually been regaining my strength after they turned off the ventricle pacing I have felt much better. I still have some problems but it's all managable.
I am in the process of getting ready to move back to Chicago area....

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it's me again

Just a bit of good news I heard....a search and rescue dog received a pacemaker, and she is doing very good after her surgery!! I hope to locate a picture of her. Hers is for heart block. Aren't these "little friends" just wonderful? My pacemaker is my best friend.

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pacemaker brand

Hi! Everyone!!!
I am new to this group! Is there anyone else out there with a pacemaker by ela? Mine is a Rhapsody DR 2530.

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target heart rates?

I will be able to go back to swimming next month, and I would like to know if anyone's target heart rate during exercise is the same as it was before their pacemaker implant?
No matter what I do now, my heart rate never goes above 65!
Thanks

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Gym Cardio Machines

Hi Everyone,

There’s been a bit of discussion on this forum about the heart rate monitors on the cardio machines (treadmill etc) for those of us that visit the gym. One problem we mention is that they sometimes fluctuate (80 jumps to 140 drops to 90 etc etc) and I always assumed that it was simply the gym machine getting confused by the pacemaker, but I ran the idea past my EP a few weeks ago and he sent me to the PM technicians to investigate.

Just got back, and it turns...

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Anyone work at walmart?

Hi Im 24 years old and work part time as an emt on the ambulance and part time as a cashier at walmart. I was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect at the age of 23 and suffered severe SVT and after an ablation of nearly destroying the whole sinus node of the heart and I had a pacemaker implanted 3 months ago. I wanted to ask if anyone knows about pacemakers and the electical devices at walmart. Standing over the security demagnitzer as well as funtioning a wireless scanner all day I cant h...

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Heart Rate Monitor

I had seen where someone had mentioned the Polar heart rate monitor and want to ask if anyone knows of any problems the "uncoded" monitors would have with pacemakers. I have looked on the Polar site but found no mention of pacers.
Thanks,
Pete

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abbrevations in the PM world

I am new to the PM site, just 12 days since install.
I read a post this morning that had so many abbrevations that I couldn't understand it.

For example:
EP
AF
PVC, which I don't think is poly vinyl chloride
INR
TACHY
BRADY
POTS
SVT'
CIVU
NCS
EF, just to name a few

Would it be possible to get an abbreviation list/definitions maybe in the 'Information" section under FAQs or maybe its seperate tab?

...

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Vytorin

Has anyone heard about this drug. This is one of many meds. that dad takes. Seems like i have seen something about it and it was not good. Here are a list of meds. dad is taking if any red flags come up please let me know. Morning meds: Furosemide , Singular, Plavix, Prednisone, Tekturna, Advair Disc, Spiriva, Nite time meds: Vytorin, Zolft, . Please let me know if you have heard anything about these meds. Thank You! Shelley 1967

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PM Club Website

Hi, Blake and other members.

I was just thinking...I know later this year that there will be some improvements made to the fuctionality of the site per the spring issue of The Pulse (chat room, photo gallery, private messages, list of abbreviations/terms and what they mean etc.)

Is it also possible to place links to the PM brands' websites? (Like St. Jude, Medtronic, Sorin Group, etc.) I am not sure if this is possible or if there are legal issues involved or not. I kno...

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Medication Side effects

When I was first started on all the various meds I was put on, I went through and looked them all up and read all the side effects. I didn't stop with just one website either, because there is no telling who is sponsoring the information of any given website. I really looked and found out a couple of very interesting side effects of some regularly used drugs which no one talks about. I'm sorry that I did not note the URLs at the time for reference just keep digging though

Toperal; It...

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Symptoms back

Hi,

I had my pacemaker implanted July 2005. It has since then removed most of my symptoms. In the last fornight I have started to feel the irratic hearbeats rythmes again and yesterday they returned like pre pacemaker days. iIwas very unwell. I have had a pacemaker checkup last week and am now wearing a halter monitor. Today has been as bad. I do not understand what is going on as they say my pacemaker is working perfectly! Anyone had similar or has any idea what may be hppenin...

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PM info websights

Hi All,
I am recovering from a lead replacement last Thurs. I can occationally feel what I believe is pacing on the lower right side of the left side of my chest. I am not sure whether or not to be concerned about it. I will see my Dr. on Friday. I need to have more general information on PM's and I was wondering if there are any other websights that would help me to understand more about my PM. My Dr. is good about answering direct questions but most of the time I don't know what to a...

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Bio-feedback

Reading some of the responses this morning; it was mentioned about how anxiety can cause some of the same sensations and symptoms as what some people believe they're PMs are doing.

Frank, you are so right on! Had to say that. Keep putting your two cents in because you make alot of sense.

My husband uses this particular analogy all the time, so I thought it would be germane to share it: You take your car in for a tune up. You have it worked on. Then when you get it back a...

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My PM site

This is such a great support group! I just put in a message last night and already I have info! To respond to ela-girl response to my inquiry...my pacemaker is Boston Scientific, Guidant. I had the PM implated in Nov 07 for bracycardia and partial heartblock. This came on suddenly---I was diagnosed in June 07 and didin't have any symptoms until Sept 07. I am 66 years old and otherwised blessed with good health. I am an exercise "addict" and have been for 30 years. I had the lead replacem...

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Sensitivity

Just a quick question: I have had my PM for 4 months and I can still feel the "sensation" of having my heart rate increased for me. When this happens I tend to get a little nervous about things.

Does the anxiety thing stop and will I come to the place where I do not realize the PM is even actively working?

Thanks: tripastor

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haveing a hard time still

i have such a hard time with my daughters heart prob she has long q t syndrom and sick sinus syndrome then she got epelpsy at the age of 10 she died onme on christmas morning an 8 times after that it so hard i am scarried evey time she leave on her own , but i hope to share more with other moms who have been there may help me out.. it has caused me probs like im dizzy dail now from all the stress anyone else going throue this to ok hope to chat w someone

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young and a little scared.

hi.

i stumbled on this site this morning, and i'm THRILLED to find a community in which i can post concerns related to my pacemaker and heart, and have others understand, and hopefully be able to help guide someone else through their mess...

i got my pacemaker in late february this year (happy birthday to me! most expensive b-day gift anyone ever gave me. thank you aetna! HAHahaha.) and have been healing up just fine. (i have brady/tachy syndrome, AF, MVP and MVR.) the prob...

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You know you're wired when...

You can feel your fingers and toes again.

Member Quotes

I, too, am feeling tons better since my implant.