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New pacemaker

Hi everyone!

Just joined this site as I had a pacemaker fitted last week - a BIG shock seeing as though I'm 27!

I have a history of black outs & had a loop recorder implanted a year ago. I blacked out on a packed train (I pick my moments!) last week & recorded my heart rate. When I went to the hospital on the monday for a reading they found that my heart stopped for around 20-26 seconds & i had an emergency pacemaker fitted on the Wednesday. I just wondered if anyone had...

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Meeting Up!

So I have read a lot of posts in the past month about how we would all really enjoy to have a pacemaker club reunion type thing. I have said to some that I am willing to start putting something together but haven't because I have not heard any responses back. So my curiousity is ruling over me. How many are interested in meeting up and having a get together?
I know that we are all so spread out and it could be a little hard. I think meeting in the middle would not be a bad thing. I k...

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Hi Everyone home free!!

Hello to all my pacer family,
just like to say a big thank you for all your so very kind get well wishes at times like these we find out who our friends really are, and I am honered that I seem to have so many .

I am feeling so much better and hope to be back on line soon
than you all again.
And it was brilliant to see Cathryn and Dominique get together... I just new they would be great friends... "I love it when a plan comes together" it is better than all the meds rea...

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Med Alert bracelets

Hi again. I have noticed some banners advertising medic alert bracelets/pendants. I have never been told I needed to wear one.
How do you know you should wear one? Is it a personal choice or medical advisement?

thanks
~Meg

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Clothing question

This one is probably going to be one of the stranger questions posted here.
I volunteer at a historic site (18th century) near my home and ususally wear a set of period clothing when I do. Part of that clothing consists of a corset, not quite the Scarlet O'Hara tight thing of the movies, but it does constrict a little and act like a "pushup" bra. I'm 3 1/2 post op and have not yet tried it on but am concerned that the constriction or "pushing up" might be a problem. I don't see my cardio...

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My new pacemaker/defibrillator

Hello everyone. I am a 55 year old woman with a history of Atrial Fib and Mitral Valve prolapse.
I had a mitral valve replacement (mechanical due to my age) June 1 2005. At the time I thought that this was gonna fix me up......well....I waited and waited and never received my strength back after the surgery. I returned to work...but it was extremely hard. My heart was measured at 45 at that time, and by October 2007 it had dropped to 25.
Durring my heart surgery, my surgeon perfor...

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medtronic lead class action

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted in a very long time - since my husband passed away in June (he had a medtronic ICD). My son had been urging me to look into the defective lead lawsuit and for whatever reason I didn't - until last night when I did a search and discovered that the lead in my husband's ICD is one of the #'s that came up as defective. His ICD caused him all kinds of problems and discomfort and he kept saying he felt like there was something wrong with it. Does anyone know...

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ginaban13

Hello All! I'm new to the site. I just found out I need a pacemaker and it's starting to sink in. I'm 37 and never thought I would need this done so soon. There are so many things going through my head. Right now my biggest concern is the recovery time. They say 4-6 weeks of not lifting my left arm above my shoulder and noy lifting anything over 5 pounds. I have two small children. I'm wondering if this is accurate or will I be healed sooner than 6 weeks? Any info anyone can give me wou...

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Be-lated Birthdays!

So I am not creative at all like Valerie.. but ela-girl was right we are behind on some b-days.

For the month of Feb here is the b-day list that Valerie had sent me a while back:

Blake (admin): February 10
. Valerie: February 14

So to both Blake and Valerie sorry i'm late but I hope that you both had great birthdays!

To anybody that I have forgotten your not on my birthday list. So you will have to send me some messages with your b...

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Has anybody heard

from miss Valerie lately. I have been thinking about her so much and have tried calling her. I know that she has been facing a lot but maybe one of you have heard from her.
Thanks,
Tammy

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Re: Meditation

Thanks for all your replies. My PM is set at 60. Maybe there's a conflict going on between my PM and my heart rate. I think there's no way to know except if my doc is willing to monitor me while meditating. That would take about 30 mins. Maybe that could happen. My meditation style is basically Buddhist: simply watching my breath. I'm inclined to believe I'm not harming myself by this process. I think I'm still frightened by these hr alterations since I was beaten up so badly in November...

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L@@K!!!!!! Peter N. NEWS!!!!


Greetings everyone,

I have good news of our dear friend Peter N. He is feeling better, in fact Nina reports that he is chatting up the nurses! This is a very good sign! He should be home in a few days.
When he is strong enough, he then will be able to share with us his story.

I believe that Peter would not mind if I say for him, "Thank you everyone for your prayers and get well wishes".

I suggest that we continue with whatever it was we were all...

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Rollercoasters

I was always told that I couldnt go on rollercoasters with a pacemaker because it puts strain on your heart. Is this true or has anyone had any experiences with that? I've been a couple but they werent really that scary no loops or really steep.... I really want to go to magic mountain someday :)

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Changing Manufacturers

Hi Everyone!

I am 28 years old and have had my Guidant pacemaker since Jan 2002. At the time, I was so shocked to learn that I needed a pacemaker I did no research on what options I had and just took what the doctor offered. I found out on a Wednesday and had my surgery that Friday. After the recent negative news and recalls with Guidant (now Boston Scientific), I was wondering if anyone knows if it is possible to change pacemaker types without changing the leads into the heart? I...

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Feeling Sorry For Myself

Hello everyone! I am having a bad today and am feeling sorry for myself. I know there are others out there who are so much worse off than I am, but I just can't seem to get a grip. I always have a very positive attitude, but today I have had blacked out because of low blood pressure, and now I am struggling with a rapid heart rate that noone can explain. I thought that I was finally getting my health under control...with my pacer and meds, I have been doing really well over the last few weeks......

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I'm a new member....

Hello, I just wanted to send out a posting because Im new on here and I really havent been on any kind of site like this before. I wanted to just maybe get some advice or just chat with people who had the same or similar condition.
Well a little about myself..... I am a 25 year old female and I have a pacemaker and I had my first one implanted when I was 5. So I've been living with it for awhile obviously. I've had about 9 surgeries. I've had pacemaker changes, lead changes, I have even br...

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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...

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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....

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Painful?

  • by ML
  • 2008-02-18 11:02:39
  • ICDs
  • 1924 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...

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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...

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You know you're wired when...

Friends call you the bionic man.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.