Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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Depressed about Afib

I was on my way home from the store after being excited about making smoothies, trying healthy recipes, etc., when I got a call from the EP's nurse saying I had an episode of afib that showed up on my home monitor check which lasted 10 hours and the EP was suggesting blood thinners.  Found out Eliquis is $47/month/prescribed medicine by EP.  I became sad, worried, and full of doom and gloom. Generally I'm a very happy and active person, love estate sales and selling vintage...

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Deciding if I need a PM

Looking for some advice or wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation. I'm a 34 y/o male, had an ablation done in May 2019 due to an atrial flutter. Two weeks after the procedure I was feeling really crummy and had a rate around 40 bpm. It went away after 48 hours, then returned two weeks later, and again went away after 48 hours. At first, EP was suggesting a PM, but I then starting going a month, then two months without an episode, so he decided to hold off. I've...

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That didn’t take long ....advice ?

Well ....I'm almost 90 days in and it happened.

i maybe have planters in my foot along with a chipped bone .....

it was suggested by an ortho I have an .....MRI .

i think my device is MRI compatible ? Anyone had one ? What should i expect to happen ? 
 

I told everyone I have a device so they are proceeding accordingly ?

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Pacemaker settings for swimming after 6 weeks off

  I also have questions about my Pacemaker settings prior to swimming again. I was told in my first follow-up appointment that my settings were 130 and 60 BPM. During the last 6 weeks I have been walking at a fast pace for 5 to 6 miles at a time and I do not feel winded at all. I quit ether because I run out of time, get bored, or my legs get sore. All I did for exercise  6 years prior to the Pacemaker implant was swim.

  Now that I am ready to start swimming ag...

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Swimming after 6 weeks

  Hi everyone, My dual chamber PM was implanted on 12/2, so tomorrow is the 6 week mark. I started walking the day after insertion and have been averaging 5-6 miles of fast walking a day, 6 days a week; yet swimming was my only form of exercise for years before my event, so I am excited to get started again. 

  I was told I could swim after 6 weeks and my doctor knew I was a swimmer before the PM was placed; yet he put it in the sub clavicle vein and I do not kn...

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Bone Marrow Donation

Hey there! I was wondering if anyone knew about the restrictions on joining a bone marrow donation registry?

I had a pacemaker inserted recently so don't really know much about any restrictions there are about any type of donating?

(I am based in the UK if that is relevant at all)

Thanks :) 

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Interrogation

Hi is it true that the interrogation only checks the last 24 hours? I was speaking to Boston Scientific yesterday asking questions and that is what they told me! I’ve been waiting 3 months for this interrogation (I constantly worry if I really needed a pacemaker although my exercise rates are much higher than they ever were and my last 3 interrogations usage (post op day one post op day 3 (ER shortness of breath and post op 2 weeks were 65% 82% and 76% respectively- they just had t...

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weak pulse with symptoms

I'm 48 yrs,  received my pacemaker in April 2019, I had bradycardia, tachycardia and a complete heart block. Before I could feel my heart beating all the time, I knew exactly what it was doing,  even when it was in an ectopic rhythm. Lately, I can not feel my heart at all, as if I don't have one, which is slightly odd for me. The problem is I get symptomatic low blood pressure 77/44, low oxygen 92%, this brings on fatigue and coughs. One time while attending the GP he though...

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New

hi I’m 49 I got my PM at the end of Sept. Boston Scientific I think I’m starting to get used to it. It is sticking out a lot which someone just wrote was normal. Before I got it I was obsessed with my heart rate and I still am a bit but it’s boring because it’s normal. I have so many questions that it’s frustrating one thing I found out is that I can call Boston scientific at anytime and they will answer any question I have. The problem is I’m a physician a...

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leads and devices

My first Pacemaker fitted April 2014 was a St Jude (Abbotts) Endurity DR PM2160.  Two leads were fitted.  Pacesetter St. Jude 1888TC -52  CWM0479 and Pacesetter 1888TC- 58-CWL0527.  (last 2 nunbers of each lead have been left out)  Soon after i had a Node Ablation.

Is anyone able to identify the lead and device manufacture dates from the above numbers please?  Or should there be a seperate ID number?  The St Jude (abbott) pacem...

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Monitoring heart rate and recognizing atrial fibrillation

Hi, I have a SSS and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Have had pm since 2008. Everything goes quite well so far. Except every now and then have  atrial fibrillations during nights. That makes me very tired in mornings. AF feelings dissapear during daytimes.

Wonder if it would be usefull to have a monitor which constantly monitors AF and alarms if any. So have any of members experiences of those home monitors.

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3week post op.. still not 100%?

Hi all, I'm 3 week post PM implant and still feeling like I'm having fuzzy/slow moments. Majority of the time I'm feeling normal which I now realise is fantastic!

There are no patterns to these moments but today for example, I felt a bit light-headed/off balance/slow, when both surrounded by colleagues chatting (I'm doing fazed return to work) and also when walking through a supermarket.

I'm wondering if I should try tinkering with my settings? Currently on abo...

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Posture correction brace for kyphosis and upper back pain

Has anyone with a pacemaker required a brace for upper back pain, slouching, kyphosis? S/P anterior cervical four level disc fusion  and need to find a brace for shoulder slouching since surgery. All braces I find strap goes over the pacemaker pocket at left axillary area. Anybody know of anything different.?

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Micra

Have the Micra since March 2019, just had an adjustment to rate, finding the correct setting is a work in progress. Any one else with this device having symptoms of neck pressure intermittently?

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Meditronic pacemaker

My Medtronic pacemaker app has been working fine until Jan 1 it now is not recording my physical activity what could the problem be

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First Post for SlowSam

Let me introduce myself. I'm 73 years old with a long history of a slow resting heartrate, quite often in the low to mid 40s for the last 10 years or more. On December 11, 2019, I had a pacemaker implanted: a dual chamber SJM.

I was having some episodes of light-headedness and some instances of struggling to stay awake, especially in the afternoon. My EP considered that these symptoms plus some ECG anomalies, were enough to convince him that I needed the pacemaker.

I know...

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Elton John

I read Elton John's autobiography over the holidays and loved how he mentioned getting his pacemaker in a positive light, flew to London for surgery then got back to touring. 

"I was only in the hospital for one night and, rather than feeling debilitated, I thought the pacemaker was fantastic. It seemed to give me more energy than before."

p.s. this book was AWESOME! Highly recommend. 

from Me: Elton John Official Autobiography

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Driving through the DVLA

Hello all

This is my first posting since joining the pacemaker club and wondered if anyone can kindly help me.

I passed out when I was driving my car and crashed in April of 2019. I went through every Neuro test for that to be ruled out along with every cardio test. The last test was for them to fit me with a long term heart monitor in October.

Within 6 weeks of having the heart monitor fitted, I passed out again to which the heart monitor detected my heart pa...

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Colonoscopy

I am 57 and for a variety of reasons have put off the recommended colon screening since I was 50

i decided to man up and schedule one. They called today and were asking me routine questions .....one was "so you have a pacemaker " - since I do they said I have to come in for a "consultation " ....the colin screening is preventative and free through my insurer ....this pre con is not .

thw scheduler said "it's just a co payment " ... I love how gene...

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ICD

Does anyone know whether you can have the occasional drink.   I glass

of wine or a part of a deer.   I have read that it can set off your defibulator.

I have been without my licience since it was implanted in  August and should

have it back at the end of Febuary.    If I can't drink  its not something that I

have to have in my life.

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