Most Recent Messages

Bras and protruding pacemaker

Over the past year, I've lost a significant amount of weight. My pacemaker is now protruding. Among other annoyances, it's very difficult to wear a bra now as the straps often get caught on it while I'm moving it's very irritating. 
 

Anyone ever heard or had this problem? Wondering if a breast lift would be covered by insurance so I wouldn't have to wear anymore...

 

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Weed-wacker and lawn Mower

I'm abut 2 days away from the 6 week post-implant mark (not that I'm counting.... *haha*).  I know what exercises and range of motion I can  now engage in but forgot to ask about activities like using my battery operated weed-wacker or gas powered, push mower.  Mother Nature has been having a field day and I'm now faced with jungles of tall grasses and weeds (think 3+ feet tall.)   I'm not worried about EM fields but more so if these are safe activities for...

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2 lead pacemaker

I had AV node ablation in 2021, and received a PM 2 weeks later.  Due to the ablation, I'm Pacer Dependent.  My cardiologist wants to replace my 2 lead PM with 3 leads....My ejection fraction is low and so is my blood pressure, with symptoms of heart failure.  

Anyone else, pacer Dependent?  I'm a little nervous to change out one PM for another, while being dependent on the pacemaker I have...

 

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Mowing my lawn on day 2

It's been about 44 hours since discharge and I feel so much better. Evidently hypoxia as a way of life was not the best option. I have a light electric mower and a small yard during prime grass growing season. I've been able to mow pretty well one-handed previously. They say I'm not restricted with my right arm. Do you think it's too soon to do something that active?   

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Knee surgery

I am scheduled to have a knee replacement but I am worried about having general anesthesia or nerve block since I have a pacemaker controlling my heart. Does anyone have any experience with similar situations?

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Pacemaker

Hi all I had my pacemaker implanted in February 2021 after being diagnosed with complete heart block, the electrical system of my heart wasn't working as it was supposed to the AV Node wasn't picking up the signal from the SA Node to tell it it's your turn to do your thing, all checkups have been good until my most recent.

My yearly checkups with the clinic has shown my pacemaker usage around 4 to 5 percent but my recent checkup shows 100% usage in the bottom chambers of the...

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Clinic follow up - DDR or VVI?

Following on from my recent thread about settings, I have now had my out-patient visit and discussed in detail with the cardiologist my issues. I am in a cleft stick - either to leave my settings as they are (because changing them runs the risk of further  PMT) or revert to VVI to act of a backstop if my rate falls to below 40. On the current settings with sensed/paced AV delay of 225msec and similar Post Ventricular Atrial blanking I am mostly fine but on exercise this only allows ...

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Home from the hospital today

Good evening everyone.  I am a brand new pacemaker receipient.  I've had been having intermittent dizzie spells that would last a second or 2 for the past several months. Most days I would have none but some I would have 3-4 episodes.  Finally I had my wife check my pulse during/after an episode and it was at 50 then jumped back up to the 70's. She was a cardiac nurse so we decided to go to the ER just to check. We were about to be discharged with a referral to follow u...

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Mechanical Valve Noise

While at Cardiac Reb for therapy due to a biological valve replacement, the supervisor was mentioning that some people with mechanical valve replacments in lieu of a biological valve, have experience constant noise or clicking from their valve. Some people expressed that it really disturbs their sleep or when being quiet to read. Has anyone here experienced this?  My tricuspiod valve was torn during Pacemaker lead removal and had to be replaced.  Note: Biologic valves have a 10 year...

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GOOD OLD FASHION GINGER

Just curious to see if taking ginger while being on blood thinners is ok to take. I love lemon and ginger in my tea and i've heard it does wonders for your digestion system and inflammation which i have.  thanks all

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Anyone with a Boston Scientific CRT-D been erroneously shocked multiple times?

I was recently working out and got shocked 6 times. My EP was pretty confident it was legit until he saw the interrogation. Has anyone experienced this? If so, did you receive any information about long term damage? My echo was abnormal and my EF was reduced from 52% to 43%. I feel like crap and have no confidence in my heart or device at this point. 

 

 

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conditions

 I feel pinched now and then on the lower chest PM side. Is this normal? (a minute ago)

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Heartbeat felt in area of pacemaker.

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting.  I received my first pacemaker in April and my recovery has gone very well.  In the last few days I've been feeling strong heartbeats in the area of the pacemaker - not all the time but several times a day.  At first I thought it was muscle twitching and wondered if it was nerves regenerating but I'm now sure it's my actual heartbeat.  I plan on calling my cardiologist in the morning but just wondering if any of you h...

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Fatigue

I am waiting for my St Judes pacemaker to send a signal to my remote, indicating the time for replacement. I am extremely tired & wonder if anyone else experienced fatigue with low battery

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Heart rate

Heart rate question after pacemaker adjustment kind of long story..

About a year ago I decided to try HR training for 1/2 Marathon.. I went to the pacemaker clinic numerous times to get my pacemaker adjustments to where I could run without increasing heart rate to much because of body movement, meaning sensitive was lower. I also had day time rate set at 40 night time set at 35. Forward fast ,, I decided I was not happy with the clinic (because of their cost for interrogation ever 3 mon...

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Low Intensity Vibration Plate: OK with PM/ICD?

I suffered third degree heart block and got a pacemaker/ICD ten years ago. I also have osteoporosis. Both these things were caused by my chronic illness of sarcoidosis. I can't exercise a lot so I'm looking at a low intensity vibration plate to help my bones. But I wonder if that might have any impact on my pacemaker. Would love input from fellow PM/ICD folks!

(I did find one earlier post on this but it's from 2010.)

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Pacemakers for cyclists - finding an EP

I have bradycardia and exercise chronotropic incompetence. My age is 70. Resting heart rate 28 - 35 and cannot increase heart rate beyond 100 under rigorous cycling conditions.   From Holter monitor, ECG and exercise routines looks like I have a pause in the sinus node (PR ~ 3 to 4 seconds) and Type II, Mobitz 1 (Wenkabach) AV Block.  

I'm a competitive cyclist.  Looking for the best PM that tracking respiratory change.  Also looking for recommendations...

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Irregular heartbeat on my blood pressure machine

Is it normal to have irregular heartbeats even though I've got pacemaker,I've had ablation and I'm 100% paced 

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Settings - what do I need to ask?

I am due an appointment with the cardiologist and EP this week. I am still having trouble with exercise. I think the pacemaker is working correctly - it is triggered to fire if my p-r interval exceeds 225msec and this happens fairly consistantly once my intrinsic rate goes above about 105 when I seem to  develop AV block. Once working I feel that my cardiac output falls and I have to stop (I become light-headed, sweaty and a bit breathless) and can only continue...

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TV programme

Watched a UK documentary last night on heart transplants and a patient having a pacemaker replaced.

Unhelpfully, the surgeon doing the pacemaker talked about battery replacement but later corrected himself by changing that to generator.

A relative of mine whose mother had a PM always insisted it was a battery change.and it took 10 minutes to do. Holter monitor possibly. I don't bother arguing.

The girl was in her 20s, but surprisingly they gave her a general anesthetic....

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Member Quotes

Life does not stop with a pacemaker, even though it caught me off guard.