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Fun day! Aborted PM implant session!!

Well, this has been a fun day! I was scheduled to have my PM installed today at UCLA-Santa Monica hospital with my amazing doctor. Showed up at 6AM this morning, got prepped, drowsed off under sedation and woke up to find out that they couldn't finish the job! Why? 'Cause they got in there and discovered that the vein they wanted to use was too small - something to do with a stenum bone that kind of bends in towards the heart cavity and, since birth, has probably played a little havoc with th...

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To Jessie

Let me know if you got my message. I sent it 3 times and there seem to be a problem. I hope so I went on forever!
cottontop

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sweating,dizziness, severe left arm pain,severe fallscausing injury, and shocks

good day all, i am a 46 yr.old female,i have had my pacer for 2 yrs, and to this day i am having problems daily,cant sleep on left side, the implant rubs my collarbone constantly,i wake up during the night and my heart is racing so severely, my heart dr, says she has done all she can except monitor it, and everytime i go to see her, the guidant person has to reset my pacer, i was never told anything about my insignia being on a recall list until i found it on the internet does any one have any i...

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Pacer check today

Hi Everyone - Today had my PM interrogated - dislike that term, makes it sound like the PM is guilty of something, doesn't it? It is guilty of keeping me going for the past 15 months!

I am pacing 100% in the ventricle, same as 6 months ago and 54% in the atria. Last time that was 52%. It is set pretty low and I still have 5.8 years left on my pacemaker. EKG showed the pacemaker doing its thing. I feel so blessed to have this little gem implanted in me. When I think of the alter...

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So much information!

I'm redoing this because it didn't post and now I can't remember everything I said! Lori: My daughter's heart block was diagnosed in 1994 at her kindergarten physical when her pediatrician heard a murmur (I believe) and sent her to a cardiologist. I had hoped we would be able to "watch and wait" for several years, but her first pacer implant was in 1998. As you read in my "bio", it hasn't been smooth sailing since...
Smitty: You are apparently the resident guru. Would you (and anyone...

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Laser teeth whitening and hair removal

Hi all, recently I was at the dentist having a check up when we got on to talking about laser teeth whitening. Does anyone know if you can have laser treatments such as this or hair removal, eye surgery etc.. does the laser somehow interfere with the PM. Seems unlikely?
Thanks

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time for replacement concerns

I am 53 years old. My first pacemaker was implanted when I was 36. This pacemaker worked well for 4 years until the leads were recalled.
I then got a new pacemaker and leads. I was pretty heavily sedated because I was a total wreck of nerves. This pacemaker has given me almost 13 years.
I now need to have a replacement in the next month or two.
Can anyone tell me how difficult this procedure is?
Should I be able to resume my teaching within a week?
Thank you,
Se...

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Tune Up

My pm was implanted 6/11/07. After having my first check 3 weeks later and a phone interrogation last month, I was scheduled for a tune up in September. Due to some light headedness every great once in a while, they moved my next visit up a month to today (Tuesday).

The only thing that bothered me was when the tech made my heart jump from 60 bpm to 170 bpm for the test. I don't care what anybody says, it's freaky when that happens. Even though it was only for a few seconds I've been t...

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Paid Research Opportunity

MedQuest, a medical market research company is conducting interviews with people who have an ICD or Bi-V. Our client is in the process of coming out with a new implantable device and wants to hear some opinions on the perceived benefits & challenges of using this new device. We are seeking your opinions only and you will be compensated for your time. We are conducting this study in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. If you are interested please follow the link below and we will contact you. W...

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Re: tune up, Posted by RickSt on 2007-08-15 00:35

Hi Rick,

Fantastic news that you can get back to trucking! I was fitted at the end of last year and have had a few tweaking sessions with the pacemaker technicians since. The first few did weird me out quite a bit! I guess it's just your body reacting to having something else setting the beat. I, too, find the whole, "I'm just going to speed up your heart rate now" thing v.odd! My husband (a self-confessed geek who would probably like to have a go on one of the pacemaker computers!)...

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I Love this Club!

Thanks, Sharon, for responding to me so quickly yesterday! I spent all afternoon here. I'm like several of you--I had been searching for something like this but just stumbled on it yesterday. Thanks, Blake, for resetting my password so I could get back on. I am new to all this....

If anyone wants to read my "bio" and then respond to ANY of my comments/concerns I'd really appreciate it. Anyone know anything about steroidal leads? I found a note I'd written in 1999, one year afte...

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Afib Pacemakers in Development

I've had my Guidant Insignia pacemaker which has caused a series of problems since its implantation a little over a year and a half ago.

I still suffer from atrial fibrillation despite 3 different ablations, and was told that a series of new generation technology pacemakers or ICD's that _specifically_ have algorithims and software to handle complex atrial fibrillation are in devlopment.

My current EP, who I am extremely happy with, told me that as soon as these become av...

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massage

hi i was treated to a neck and shoulder massage at my local spa/health centre for a birthday treat recently but when i arrived for my appointment the person booked to do the massage started to fill in a health queationnaire and asked if i has a pacemaker when i replied yes she said she was unable to do a massage without a letter from my consultant agreeing to it because the massage could alter the heart rhthymn. i just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this subject. thanks all.

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Drag Races

Just a question, because I'm curious.
Has anyone ever heard of possible problems from dragsters, funny cars, jet cars etc.?
I have been and never had a problem, but the question is there.
debera

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root canal

i just had partial root canal monday morning. i was unable to endure it all. the area was too inflammed. he closed it up and sent me home to let it settle down. when the freezing came out i was in excrucuating pain and had to take a very strong pain medicine. this helped and i go back thursday a.m. to finish. i am exhausted and am taking it easy. he also gave me a cortisone antiinflammatory for 3 days.. my head aches all the time. this has been very upsetting to me. i was at one time to-day feel...

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question about comments

hi all i have had a pacemaker for the last two and half years and it has improved my life alot. this site has helped alot too i have been on and ff it since i had the pacemaker put in. my question is that when you see a posting you can only read one comment when it shows that there are many more how do i read the other comments. ty for your assistance scott

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Finding additional postings

I just registered and am hoping this is just what I need as the Mom of a gal who's 18 and has had a pacer since age 9! (She's on her second one after the lead broke on the first after 4 years!) How do I get to postings besides the 8 that come up? Thanks!

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Recovery

I am 5 days post OP from PM for SSS and have a couple of questions. My BP has gone up to 163/93 and previously it was controlled at 130/80 or less with medication. Is this normal or should I be concerened? Also, I am still symtomatic, with light headed and dizzy and all I want to do is sleep. I wondered about the experience of others.

Thanks,
MH

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You can do it Scotty ;-)

Hi Scotty. As I was reading your comment it occurred to me that you would not be able to read the suggestions posted if you couldn't see them. So here it is... Click on the title of the posting... it is RED. Then the full posting will show completely and all of the comments from other people. It might take a few minutes depending on how busy things are.
Don't be intimidated ;-) try clicking on the titles. You can do it.
Best of luck to you, Pacergirl

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2nd opinion on beginning symptoms

I just got home from my second opinion. I saw my hometown cardiologist. I have 3rd degree asymptomatic heart block. He says to cancel my surgery on the 21st for now. He says he hasn't heard of new recommendations to go ahead and pace patients like me but wants to research it further and have me do a treadmill test. My heart block was discovered 10 years ago by accident when I went to a cardiac arrhythmias class at work when I was 25. I am a nurse. I was happy to hear the news and look fow...

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Member Quotes

A pacemaker suddenly quitting is no more likely to happen than you are to be struck by lightening.