Most Recent Messages

Up for a chat

Kay my computer shows you are logged on Going to Chat can you wait for me Billie

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Camp

Hey! I was wondering if anyone knew of any good PM camps. Not that I need to go to a special camp, I just think it would be cool to meet other kids like me. I googled Pacemaker camps and got a website called sickKids. Why sick kids? We're not sick and I don't think that that was a very appropriate name. Maybe it was a site for other more serious conditions like cancer. I don't know. Ah well. :)

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Protection during softball

Hello,
I plan on playing softball this upcoming season, but my mother's insisting i cover my pacemaker/difribillator with something to protect it from an impact of some sort.

I've never heard of anything which can do that.

Anybody have any ideas?

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health insurance

hi i am a canadian citized as is my husband. we live in ontario one of the provinces here.a few years aback about four the provincial government decided to follow suit with other provinces and start collecting a health tax. it is taken of my old age pension as is it taken off my husbands. it is about 40 a month i think. even people on social assistance pay this. it covers medical care. here. the government of course subsidizes the rest. at 65 our drugs or most are payed for except for a 6.11 fe...

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Keeping Perspective

I just want to say...in lieu of recent postings...that this is a support group. People come here for all sorts of reasons and one of those it to find help to problems or fears they are experiencing. Hence the topics of some posts. Why worry about all the what if's that you cannot control? I am SO blessed to have my pacemaker...yesterday I went hiking in the Superstition Mt. Wilderness Area by my home and hiked up past 3200 ft. The hike was amazing. I would never have been able to enjoy my...

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Go Red Movement

Hello,
Just a bit more information about the Go Red movement. I encourage everyone to check it out for themselves though. :-)

Here it is.... I copied this from the American Heart Association's website...........
"We're working hard to change the perception that heart disease is a "man's disease." And it's working! By teaching more and more women how to talk to their doctors about heart disease, we can save thousands of lives every year. Because the good news is that h...

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pacemaker movement?

greetings all:
i am now just 7 weeks post-op PM implant and have a question. i am a thinner person with the PM implanted in the upper left chest area and it is quite noticable which does not really bother me (visually). my question is, at this point in recovery, does the PM shift its position under the skin to a certain extent? at times, it seems as though the appearance of the site changes-one day more pronounced on the left margin and another day more pronounced on the right side of the P...

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Not received it yet

Hello
I am new to all of this. They tell me I have to get a pacemaker and I still don't believe it. I am 55. Have never had trouble except fainting occasionally. Now I have fainted about 9 times this month. 5 in one day. Not sure whats going on. They tell me my heart rate is just too slow sometimes so I black out. Always have a warning so get on the floor or bed. Can you tell me if this is the right thing to do. Will I damage my heart with these shocks from the pacemaker. I do not hurt myse...

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feeling good-but freaked out!

Allan (41) edinburgh

This site scares the hell out of me sometimes.

I had my pacemaker installed October 07 Dual lead Syphony 2550 - I had sinus bycardia and atrial fib - now i take 25 mg of atenol ever day to suppress my afib seems to work get cold hands

I think the problem with this site sometimes is that we are all scared of dying which is understandable and seek comfort and assurance from others who have experienced this weird thing that has happened to u...

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Questions to ask my Dr.??

Hi Everyone,

I recently joined this wonderful group and have learned so much from you folks already!
I've had my PM for 2 1/2 years now and really have never known what questions to ask when I go to the Dr. or the technician.
My PM will be checked next week and I have learned here that I should ask for a copy of the printout which I will.
I did ask last time how much battery I had left.
Are there any more pertinent questions I should ask the tech. or the Dr?

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Week 3 - Can PM's cause damage?

First of all I just completed week 3 after implant. I had mine for exercise induced heart rate slowing with s.o.b and bradycardia. I stubbornly refused for 3+ yrs to get a PM (I had my symptoms for 5) and now I'm thrilled that I did, sometimes it seems like I got my life back. So anyone else out there in this situation, don't hesitate!

I'm in week 3. My experience seems to have been unremarkable so far compared to many on this site. Maybe I was lucky. Didn't need pain pills, can't tel...

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Afib caused by pacemaker?

As much as I'm aware of it, I never had an atrial fibrillation episode until two months after I got my pacemaker. I'm now taking coumadin because of that episode. Is it reasonable to consider the possibility that this was caused by my pacemaker? How would you pose this question to a doctor?

Vonnie

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cold weather effecting pacemaker

Also, does the cold weather have any impact on discomfort of the pacemaker area? Sounds dumb, maybe, but just curious. We are in the Wisconsin tundra, so to speak......thanks.

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pulling feeling around pacemaker site

I had a dual chamber pacemaker implanted in early Nov, 07.
Third degree complete block - 59 years old. No symptoms previous to this; this was an acute episode, and otherwise healthy. Several days later, the ventricular lead became dislodged and needed to be replaced. ( I complained to the EP that the thoracic surgeon in my opinion was rough and gruff during the first surgery, by the way.) I was assured during the second procedure there was nothing I had done to cause this, and I have to...

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Frozen Shoulder???

Help! It has been 7 months since I received my pacemaker. Now in the 6th month I started to have pain in upper right arm. Not angina, I know how that feels, it just keeps getting worse when I reach or move arm certain ways,etc. My cardio checked it out and sent me to a ortho doctor. I can't lift my arm when straight out to the side hardly at all. Very painful to do much. He thinks I have a frozen shoulder or a tear in rotar cuff. No injury or accident just the pain came on slowly and continues t...

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heart fluttering & shoulder problem

Someone asked recently about feeling of heart fluttering. Yes, I have that often while sitting quitely. Maybe othertimes I am too busy to notice. I, also, have feeling of pain (or irritation) in my shoulder often after swimming even tho my pm is low on my chest. Swimsuit still irritates lead right under skin. Putting a shoulder pad between suit & lead helps, but hope that at some point I will not feel it. Otherwise, pm is just great! aldeer

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damage

Hello

I have had my pm now 5 years now,been have trouble so i went in this week to see if i have any blockest,Everything was ok there,but i was told that my heart has some damage to it,and the dr. think it was cause from the pacemaker.
he put me on CARVEDILOL,to see if it would help,go back in 2 week,to see if it has help
Have anyone every hear of this, and if so what will be done if the med not help

keith


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Re- Guidant Case

Hi
Where can I read comments about Guidant settlement as I am new . Thanks Janner

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flying

Saw one message about flying with the PM, I am afraid to fly not because of the PM, but because of my heart condition. I do not feel good when I get above 3000 ft. We drove to California for thankgiving, took the lowest route, but still had about 8 hours of 4000 to 4200 ft altitude. Made it OK but did not feel good, until got down to below 2000 ft. Most aiircraft are pressured to about 5000 ft, so am just afraid to try it.

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!!!!U.S. National Wear Red Day Today!!!


Greetings fellow Pacers and ICD Friends!

Just a friendly reminder that today is THE DAY!

To help raise awareness about heart disease wear red today! Heart disease is the number one killer of women! I am wearing red today and I hope when I go out I see tons of RED!

Also, don't forget to get a picture of youself showing your support and be sure to add it to our Member Gallery.

Hey you guys this is an invitation for you as well. We know you guys...

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You know you're wired when...

Lifetime warranty no longer gives peace of mind.

Member Quotes

It is just over 10 years since a dual lead device was implanted for complete heart block. It has worked perfectly and I have traveled well near two million miles internationally since then.