Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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Reprogramming Necessary ?

I am on Pacer from 1993. It is 3rd PG now running since 2005. So 7 years after last PG change. My Magnetic rate is still 100. Is is necessary to reprogram my PG every year. During my last PG change the Pulse Rate was fixed to 66/minute. Since I am happy with that & asymptomatic, just save a few beats per minute there by saving a year or so for battery. These reprogramming is done by Company lads. Will they set this at a higher voltage so that battery drain quickly ?
Any have idea ?
Tha...

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Sleeping

In the last few years that I have had my pacemaker, I have noticed that I haven't become rested from my sleep. I sleep 8-9 hours, and yet I still wake up tired and am exhausted by the end of the day. I read online that if you have lucid dreams and can remember them each night, then you are not achieving REM sleep (deep), which actually rests you. I have crazy dreams that I remember every single night. I'm wondering if my pacemaker sleep setting is too high that I am not achieving that REM state....

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Dizziness and fainting spells

I have had a pacemaker since October 2008. However in the last 2 weeks I have had several dizzy spells and fainted once... the doctors seem to say nothing is wrong... Do I have to persist and ask for more tests, change the settings?

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EP appt

Seeing my EP on thursday. Think everything with my pacemaker is ok. Except I did fall off the treadmill last month and it has been moving and I have been getting PVC's(never used to before). So hoping and praying its not messed up

Happy Holidays,
Elaina

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Heart skipping beats

I had a ST Jude pm fitted in 2008. I have never been happy with it. 2 years ago I was taken into hospital by ambulance after collapsing in my local chemist. They dialed 999. I was kept in for three days then discharged. Last year I was struggling to walk more than a 100 years before having to stop. I insisted they checked me out again. The cardio department had me walking around the hospital, up and down the stairs and on a treadmill. My heart rate was 35 bpm. They got onto St Jude's for advice...

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SMARTPHONE

I have smartphone do it won't hurt my pacemaker?

pacemaker is on my left and i clip on my belt smartphone on right

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Replacement

Hi, I had my old Medtronic after 7 years replaced in the UK via the NHS with a Boston.
I am informed on discharge as a day patient that I do not require a check for 12 months from installation. Not even a battery check, is that the norm now for this?
Peter

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Increased heart rate

Hi,

I just had a Biotronik Evia DR-T pm installed about 2 weeks ago, I'm a 48 year old male and was running 1/2 marathons prior to this. I had it installed to prevent Syncope, I had my first episode about 1 month ago, then 2 weeks ago while performing a stress test I got off the treadmill and felt light headed and was out for 30 seconds. When I came to within about 4 minutes, the head of cardiology mentioned that I should have a pace maker installed, what a shock this was!
Anyway...

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cant get the setting right

Hi, am new to this site. I am a 58 year old female. Last year I had aortic valve replacement surgery, aortic repair, developed a blood clot , then had pacemaker installed all within 2 weeks. The pacemaker has been an emotional battle for me because I was not prepared for it, I am thin and it sticks out of the skin which is uncomfortable. I am not an athlete by any means but I do exercise almost daily and when its nice outside I like to take leisure bike rides. I started out with the normal...

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New Member.

Hi my name is Neil and i have just joined you P/M club happened about 8 wks ago. All went well and it seems to be working great. But like most people i some times think ummmm. is it really ok. I have not been for my follow up date yet and this is a worry. How long should i give it till i start to think the docs have forgot me.I had my surgery in HongKong and they were great.I had only just got here when my heart decided to stop working Boom just like that. Just to let you know i,m from England....

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What are you supposed to feel when PM "kicks in"?

I have a holter monitor on right now because while i was at the cardiologist today, I experienced sustained PVC's ( what I felt) that lasted a minute each (episode). I told the cardiologist though they stopped when he went to check me. Soooo he fitted a Holter Monitor on me. I've since then had around 8-9 episodes of sustained ( by that i mean each single beat is ectopic, no "normal" one in between) lasting at least 5 mins each and max 12 mins.

Is this the pacemaker pacing me that i...

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Self-test of ICD

Hi, I'm kinda new to this forum. I used to belong when I had a pacemaker then when all was going well with it I drifted away. Now I have an ICD implanted (since 2010) and have a question.
I recently read these devices can self-test or checkup on themselves. This got me wondering if my ICD is doing that too and perhaps that explains my disturbed sleep problem.Ever since I received the ICD I find that after drifting off into a lovely deep sleep at night I suddenly become wide awake for no ap...

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rep increased sensitivity

I am pacemaker dependent, just gone past six years this summer. I had my pacemaker interrogated yesterday and was told I have one year left, but he increased its sensitivity. Is it normal that I am feeling a bit "off/different" today, does anyone know?

Thanks much.

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Question on Pacemaker setting

I'm 17 with SSS.
I am not dependent on my pacemaker and it is rate-responsive (RDR) . They set the lowest rate at 60 bpm. The highest is currently at 160 bpm. I understand that if my HR reaches less than 60, the pacemaker sends impulses to make it beat a bit faster. However, what happens when my HR reaches higher than 160? Would it make my HR drop ?

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Check up due and aortic aneurysm

Hi all,

I'm a bit worried about my upcoming check up, brief history avr dec 2007 followed by biventricular pacing dec 2011 due to low ejection fraction and lbbb.

Last month I was diagnosed with a 48mm ascending aortic aneurysm - my question is when they do my check up and fiddle with settings is it going to put pressure on my aneurysm ?

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mode switch

Hi During my latest check-up I nooticed the word Mode Switch which apparently was detected by the pacer during the test which as perfect after more than six years since implantation. I feel very well and have no problems. They say that I may have atrial fillibration but I feel nothing at all. Cardial surgeon suggested to continue with Microphyrin 75 daily and Omega 3 but NOT go for Comadin which is a pain in the neck drug!
What is this Mode Swich that the test technician mentioned in his re...

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Should I Switch Doctors?

Hello,

I have had a pacemaker for many years, and I have always had the same doctor. He is a great doctor, with great bedside manner, and is patient. I've never had an issue until now.

I was suffering from some chest pain 3 weeks ago. I called the office to make an appointment to get in that day. The secretary said, I'm sorry but you can't make an appointment until you pay the balance, which was about 40 dollars. She was new, I told her I always pay my existing balances whe...

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First Pacemaker Check

Hello Everyone! Had my first pacemaker check four weeks after it was placed due to me having sensations of the electrical current and the leads still look good :) They did do some adjustments to my settings... turn down the voltage in both leads and raised my max rate to 160.

I have been having some issues with shortness of breath with minimal activity and several recorded events of Atrial Flutter or Tach so they had me walk up and down several flights of stairs to see if I would dev...

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Irregular heartbeat and lightheadedness

Had a dual lead pacemaker inserted in Oct 2010 and have felt like crap ever since. I have always had PVCs(?) since insertion but now I have constant irregular heartbeat and am lightheaded/dizzy all the time. Going to the PM clinic in 10 days - will an adjustment of my settings help with these symptoms I'm having?

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Questions for First Post-Op Check up

Does anyone have any great questions for my first post op pacemaker checkup?

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

I'm 43 and have had my pacemaker four weeks today. I'm looking forward to living another 50 years and this marvelous device inside me will help me do that.