Most Recent Messages

Is it just me or...

Is it just me or has anyone else had this happen?

The other day when I went for my PM tune up they turned on my rate response. Although they made no changes to my lower bpm setting of 60, my pulse seems to be averaging a bit faster now. Now average seems to be in the mid to upper 60's. Also my bp sems to have come down some to a very normal range. I seem to have more energy now when I exercise. The only thing the tech told me was that my pulse would probably go higher when exercising...

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One Month After PM

Hi All,
Yesterday was one month since I had my PM inplanted. Recap...rushed to ER and found out I had complete heart block. Admitted and watched for 3 days. Didn't go away so pace maker. I take Toprol 100 mg for irregular and rapid heartbeat. Docs thought problem might have been from the drug but it wasn't. So, I still take the Toprol..for rapid and have a PM for slow. Geez!! In addition to that I have 2 leaky valves. 2 years ago they were moderate. I have to go for echo and holte...

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Doctors implant pacemaker into a 15-hr-old baby

MUMBAI — Doctors here successfully carried out a surgery to fit a pacemaker on a 15-hour-old baby, born with a slow heartbeat.

The baby, not yet been named, was diagnosed with a intrauterine congential heart block and slow heartrate of 45 as compared to normal 120 beats per minute about two months before his birth when his mother went for an ultrasound check.

It is a rare case as it occurs one in 20,000 cases, Wockhardt hospital cardiac surgeons who performed the surgery sa...

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OK WHAT IS THIS THING

I just had my PM installed on the 20the of aug,so I am new to this PM world. Mine was installed because my sinus nod doesn't fire to well and my heart rate resting is in the low 30's. I have been living with a heart that did not know how to beat for 5yrs and I became quite comfortable with it,till every time I stopped moving my heart rate would slow down so far I would almost pass out, for example. I was on stage performing and when the songs would end it was like a black curtain was closing in...

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severe dizziness

Hi all. I havent posted in a while...im having some problems again. It seems im okay for a while and then all of a sudden things happen again. Im 24. Have a pacemaker for 1 and half years. I've been told i have cardiogenic syncope for which i take medication and i have not had a fainting episode since i started medication like 6 months ago. Yesterday i tried to get out of bed and i was severely dizzy that i had to lay back down. Even when i was laying down i felt very dizzy. It took about 10 tri...

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how long does a pacemaker last?

I was wondering how long does a pacemaker last.
i have had mine since 2003.april 3rd of 08 it will be 5 yrs old.
i recently had mine checked and its not as strong as it
was.could this mean the battery is going down.

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thank you

I am new to this pacemaker club. I posted a few days ago for the first time. I am going to have my pacemaker replaced in a month or two. Of course, I am nervous. There were 4 wonderful people who took the time to respond to my posting. I just wanted to say thank you. Being new to this club, I would like to know how you get to chat with another member. Also, is there a way to communicate with someone who has responded to your post?
Thanks so much,
Searching Woman

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jessie, do you want to chat?

I left the chat room :12:30 a.m. CDT, but appears you're still online, so thought I'd give this a try. I'm new to chat rooms. I'll go there until 12:45 and then's it's nighty-night for me! I still can't get my MJH to quit coming up in the right-hand column of the chat log even though I click on the X to leave.....

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jessie, do you want to chat?

I left the chat room :12:30 a.m. CDT, but appears you're still online, so thought I'd give this a try. I'm new to chat rooms. I'll go there until 12:45 and then's it's nighty-night for me! I still can't get my MJH to quit coming up in the right-hand column of the chat log even though I click on the X to leave.....

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new to this

I am getting a pacemaker on the 29th and I am very nervous. I have no idea what to expect. Any help here? I have a very slow heart rate and blood pressure so I hope this helps me.

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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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You know you're wired when...

You get your device tuned-up for hot dates.

Member Quotes

Hang in there; it does get better every day!