Most Recent Messages

the fisherman

on 1-25-08 I had a pacemaker replacement. My first one was in from 6/2000 and battery life was nearing end. Had job done at NY Methodist Hosp (in Brooklyn,N.Y.). Excellant teamwork. No need to replace wires...still good. Unit is a St.Jude as was first and (thank God) never have had a problem. A St. Jude tech was there with his little black box to hook up to me and keep me going (I'm 100% dependant) while the exchange was made. Anesthesia was great...don't even remember going out.Total tim...

Read More...

to-night

i am praying for peter.nash. i lost my father 10 years ago and i was very close to him. it was 1998. he had chf and pneumonia for the 3rd time. it was a very difficul time for me. he had talked to my brother and me about his end of life wishes. i did not think we would have to act on them. he had been admitted for the 3rd time with chf and pneumonia. he was 87 . yes he had had a full life. i was working one floor below him on phsychiatry. i was called to say he had been admitted. his family dr....

Read More...

Painful?

  • by ML
  • 2008-02-18 11:02:39
  • ICDs
  • 1909 views
  • 2 comments

I have A-Fib and continue to have frequent episodes of PVC's and I have read that they can lead to vtac. I know at one point my cardiologist brought up the possibility of a ICD. I already have a single lead pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome that does nothing for the A-Fib and PVC's and struggle with this at 41 years old. D/t my age and sensitivity/reactions to many meds, they have maxed on what can be done with them. I am on Flecainide, Verapamil and Fosinopril. For those of you that do have th...

Read More...

questions about interrogation results

greetings all:
i just had my first interrogation today and all appears very well. the medtronic adapta is performing excellently and i requested a printout which i learned from this site to do. a couple of questions:
one-my lower rate is set at 60bpm and the rate response is on. what does dectection rate 175bpm mean as well as upper tracking rate 150bpm.
two-my activity thershold on the rate response is set at medium/low. does this mean that it will activate quickly to increase my...

Read More...

meditation

I'm a new member and a new pm host. I went to the internet to find out about what's happening to my heart/pm when it starts jumping around when I get to a certain point in meditation. It's pretty clear that it's my heart rate going down and kicking in my pm. I've been persisting in the meditation and it seems to settle down, but it occurred to me that doing this might not be good. Googling found a couple of ads for meditation CDs that advised not to use them if one has a pm.
I'll be...

Read More...

V-tach after pacemaker

I got my pacemahker last June and thought that I was "fixed". It took me awhile to adjust to the idea that at age 39 I needed a pacemaker but reading everyone's messages here made me realize I was not alone nor was it that unusual for someone my age. I thought when I got the pacemaker that I would suddenly have abundant energy to exercise. Well it definitely helped but it was no quick fix. During an interrogation of my pacemaker about 4 months after I got my pacemaker it was found that I was s...

Read More...

Trains

Hi! I was wondering if anybody knows if it is safe to ride on trains with the pacemaker. I am taking a trip to Chicago very soon and was just wondering about if I will be able to take the train to the city or if I will have to do the drive. I know it may be a odd question but I know nothing about trains besides they save time.
The only thing that I do know is that kid trains have magnets on them. Horrible I know!
Thanks!
Tammy

Read More...

pacing during exercise

Hi again!
You, my fellow club members, have helped me figure out many things about life as a pacer in the last 6 months. Thank you so much.
I didn't get much response though to my question about "pacing during cool down" I posted in the exercise section. I know there are many of you exercisers out there.
Perhaps I didn't explain well enough. I only know I'm pacing during exercise because the heart monitor jumps considerably, say from 75 to 145 or whatever and stays the...

Read More...

Soccer team!

I am soooo excited! My friend from church is going to give me papers on her soccer team to join! Their team only has 12 players, so they kinda need help. I haven't played on a team since second grade! Have tried out, but my doctor doesn't know, but I don't care. I absolutly love the sport, but since my PM was moved to my chest I haven't played.

Read More...

pacemaker/full shoulder replacement

I've had a pacemaker since last April 2007. My bone Dr. informed me I needed a full shoulder replacement, when I mentioned to him I now had a pacemaker 100 %. He was at a lose for words at first. He seems to think that the anesthesoligest is the one who will popo this operation. Right now the shoulder is bone on bone and hurts like heck, I want some relief soon. Has anyone out there had a similar problem, did they have the surgery? Was there any problems getting all the Dr's to agree? I'm still...

Read More...

Angiogram

Hello Folks,

I’m sure many of you have heard me during the past year complaining about my problem of exercise induced (my description, not the doctor’s) shortness of breath and an irregular heart beat. Now the doctor wants to perform an angiogram and I go to Scott & White at 7:30 AM on Monday, 2-18-08. From information obtained from that procedure they will:

1 - Do nothing more, or
2 - Perform an angioplasty, or
3 - Perform an angioplasty and implant a stent, or...

Read More...

exercise question

Hi all,

Been off for a while so good to say hi again.

I know there a few folks on here that work out quite a bit so I have a quick question...I'm trying to find a good ab toning exercise that won't put a lot of pressure or strain on my PM. Mine is located just under collar bone, left side. Crunches are too uncomfortable on the site for now. I need something a little more gentle, until I can work up to crunches.

I am doing 25 minutes daily on an elliptical. Th...

Read More...

Flecainide

Has anyone out there been on Flecainide and stopped it? I do have irregularities, and very occasionally very short a-fib episodes, and don't really think the Flecainide has changed anything, but doc recommends I stay on it. I just don't like what I read about it. I take 50 mg. twice a day. PM seems to be working well, is actually working less and my heart working more on its own now. . . yay!

Jean

Read More...

Pressure in chest due to flu

Has anyone got the flu? If so has anyone been experiencing pressure in the chest and want to pass out, as well have no energy? Would it affect my pm?

Also I have another question, does anyone have an enlarged liver? Please pm on that one. I am curious on what kind of sypmtoms you are getting from it.

Read More...

Want to chat?

ajones
Pacing13
Suze

Read More...

Trying to come to terms with it

Hi
Had my first pacemaker fitted on 4th February. Had palpitations for a while and my GP carried out a 24hour ECG a few weeks ago. It was found that I had a secondary heart block (heart missing beats and beating much too slowly), so I was referred to a cardiologist and a dual chamber pacemaker was fitted three days later!

I am very sore and swollen above my left breast - this could be because they had to fit the pacemaker twice as after they had finished they found the 'wires w...

Read More...

Panic attacks

Here I am again . . . ONE more question. Is anyone experiencing panic attacks after PM implantation? I think maybe some of my night-time awakenings with heart pounding and shaking may in fact be panic or anxiety attacks. Have read that's possible. (I sometimes learn more here than from my doc! Thank you all for your previous responses!) Thanks in advance for any replies!

Jean

Read More...

Nicholas

This is an old posting about my son, Nicholas. This month is his birthday ( Feb. 20 ). Happy Birthday to my wonderful son. Daddy loves you from the bottom of my two wires in my heart.

In the first year of having my pacemaker implanted, I was suffering emotionally and physically. I was not use to my heart racing at night. I was having panic attack and thinking my heart was going to stop. Other times, I would think it was going to explode because of the rapid heart beat. One night, I w...

Read More...

Not coping

Hi two messages on the trot. I am sitting here at the computer in floods of tears wondering why on earth I went ahead with this PM. Why didn't I stay in England and try the drug therapy first. Out of the blue in France I am not given the choice.

Don't know what I am expecting anyone to give as an answer. I know that I feel a sensation in my stomach like a heart beat - not sure whether it is a missed beat or my stomach in knots.

Help! any answers

Read More...

Travel Insurance in Canada

I joined this club for my mom who has a defibrillator and travels alot, she is scheduled to go to Las Vegas in April and UK in September. She has gotten the ok from the doctors to travel but needs to acquire travel insurance.Her defibrilator went off when she was in the US in November and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She just received a bill for 800.00 for the ride. She has gotten the ok from the doctors but Anyone from canada have any leeds or companies that we can call ...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

A thirty-day guarantee is not good enough.

Member Quotes

I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.