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CHF

Hi all....posting after some very healthy years....i have had the flu twice in 3 months....worst in 15 years!!!...had been exercising well until i fell ill....one doctor now reckons i have CHF...i dont have any swelling or other CHF symptons.....just a wee chesty cough with sputum now an again....being asthmatic pretty normal for me....i do have some  PVC s that are quite annoying which i hadnt had for a long time....my PM working well...i am going to book in with a cardio...

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Member Update on Plans for the New Website and Forum

Since our last announcement at the beginning of the year, when the Pacemaker Club joined the ForHearts Worldwide community, we have been working diligently on our first major project: creating a robust, technologically advanced forum and website for the club. Our goal for the new forum is to provide a home base for connecting with others who have pacemakers, ICDs, and CRTs. It will be a resource for open conversations that benefit members, while building a community through our shared experie...

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Volts Standards for PM wire in Atrium and Ventricular

Q1 - On Medtronic PM for about 2 months.  All going well and feel it is great to help me manage heart beat a lot better.  Doc says I have volt issue with my Ventricular (V) wire - seems it is set at 1.7 volts and Atrium (A) is set at 0.5 volts.  Doc says Ventricular should be at 0.5 volts. He has put me on significant restrictions until this gets resolved.  Looked up some AI stuff and it indicated 1.7 can be normal for Ventricular + or - simply because the V muscle is...

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Presyncope post pacemaker

in June my husband had sudden Sinus node dysfunction that led to getting a Medtronic pacemaker implanted immediately. No symptoms before the first episode, healthy 72yo that only recently started taking a statin early in the year. Pacemaker implantation went well, and he was released from the hospital the next day. Almost every day since then, he is still experiencing the same feeling that he is going to pass out but doesn't because the pacemaker kicks in. He experiences some dizzine...

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Headphones

Are headphones/earbuds safe with a PM?

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Extreme heat (sauna) and cold (ice bath, cold river swimming) and ICDs

Hi, I have a traditional sauna at home that I adore spending time in. Are saunas generally thought to be ok for people with an ICD? I have had my ICD for three weeks and I was going to wait 2 months and slowly re-introduce myself to the sauna. any thoughts? My approach was going to be to limit the heat to 80% of what i used to go for and half the time. The sauna only reaches 92 degrees, max. 

I'm also going to Italy in September. We usually splash around in the (very) cold rive...

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Battery Replacement

I went for my 6 month checkup today and was told that any day now, my pacemaker should alert me that my battery needs to be replaced. She said it will either be an alarm that sounds like an ambulance or a vibration but she isn't sure which one. My question is, if it's the vibration, how noticeable is it? I'm afraid I won't realize it. And if it's the alarm, is it very loud? I have anxiety with the unknown so I'm trying to prepare myself. Also, does it go into battery s...

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Battery operated chain saw

I was warned when i received my Medtronic pacemaker NEVER to use or be too close to a gas chainsaw.  This was devastating for me as i have spent most of my adult life working on my pine forest land using such chainsaws.

i started using a small Hart model battery powered saw this year and have had no problems using it.

SO, I just purchased a Greenworks 18" 80 volt lithium battery powered saw.  It is called a "Digi pro."

i wanted to know if anyone coul...

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ICD review yesterday

Yesterday I had another ICD review in hospital (see my previous post 23rdJune ICD & AF). It was five weeks since the last review and I have been feeling well since the DDIR had been adjusted last time. I had a 5 lead ECG and the Bluetooth device place over my ICD. The two EPs were pleased that I had been well since the DDIR had been turned on last time, this is set at 55 bpm which is the same as my base setting and will it will not track the atria when it goes higher than that. This seems...

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Smart watch

Hi

I am considering buying a smart watch which will monitor my heart rate. Does anyone have any experience with a smart watch interfering with a pacemaker?

Andrew

UK

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MRI

Reference recent posting on MRI

In the world of electronic components, copper, brass, tin, gold, silver, plastics, ceramics, silicon all are commonly used, and are all non-magnetic and unaffected by the very powerful field of the MRI scanner.

Nickel is an exception.

What has been noticeable in recent years, has been the shift of component manufacturing to China.

This has given rise to cloned or counterfeit chips, chips like the ones in pacemakers. It is very unlikely t...

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PMT na MRI

Ik heb in oktober 2023 een edora 8 DR-T gekregen na verschillende flauwtes. Ik kreeg de pacemaker omdat er bradycardie werd vastgesteld. Van oktober tot begin juni heb ik geen flauwtes meer gehad. Op 31 mei werd mijn pacemaker een uur uitgezet wegens een MRI scan, na de scan werd de pacemaker terug geactiveerd. Op maandag 3 juni kreeg ik opnieuw een flauwte. Op de pacemakeranalyse was te zien dat ik een half uur voor de flauwte 56 seconden atriale tachycardie had ( ik had op de analyses voorh...

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Lotions or ointments that can be used with a pacemaker?

One of our friends told me the day after implant that i have to be careful with any lotions or ointments that I put on the skin.  Is this true?  Also my neck aches and usually I use "Ling Chi Tong Medicated Oil" to ease it.  It works so well but i want to be sure that its safe with the pacemaker.

Is there any one in the Pacemaker club that knows anything about this. I would be very grateful to hear.

G.

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High heart rate whilst asleep

Hi

I am 7 years with a Medtronic dual lead pacemaker and two stents inserted two years ago for 99% blocked right coronary artery

Pacemaker was for ventricular standstill of 25 seconds whilst asleep. 
I wear an Apple Watch as like to monitor my heart rate at night. This morning my report tells me that I had a heart rate of 109 bpm  sustained at that rate for 30 minutes whilst asleep . I've had the odd high beats during the night but only lasting a few beats...

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Update on angiogram procedure yesterday

Yesterday I was admitted to hospital to have an angiogram to look for coronary artery disease because I have been getting severe chest pain.  This time they gained catheter access by going through the Radial artery in the wrist which was less traumatic than going through the Femoral artery in the groin some years ago.  I have only mild swelling, bruising and pain at the moment.

During my angiogram yesterday, my doctors confirmed I had evidence of vasospastic angina.  My c...

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Outsourced PM Check "Visit" Report Finally Came In The Mail

As I previously posted, I was scheduled for a Rhythm Management Group remote "visit" (no visit) on June 13.  The 7/2/24 chart report had no information. PM Clinic said that it means all is good. I requested the full report. It finally came in the mail today, sent from my local PM clinic.  I am happy all is well.  But it leaves me with many unanswered questions.  Besides name, rank and serial number, this is all that is on the single page:

TINY LINE GRAPHS&n...

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Back to the H. Pylori Discussion

So apparently it was Norovirus that gave me stomach bloating and cramps for a few days. That's gone.

Now because my primary decided to check me for numerous bacteria's via stool test... I have H. Pylori which I posted on another post.

I saw my primary dr today and he wants me to take 3 medicines (antibiotics included) for 14 days. This is insane. 
I try my best to eat healthy and I feel fine but I have complete heart block sooo I'm afraid of having really bad...

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PM too close to shoulder bone w Update

Update 2: Two hours prior to surgery, Dr's office called and said insurance hasn't approved the repositioning yet. Cancelled until further notice. Yet, I'm supposed to continue living in this pain. The US medical system/insurance is broken.

Update:  Saw my dr today and they said it looks like the first surgeon implanted the PM too close to a nerve bundle causing the intense shoulder/arm pain. I will be having a revision tomorr...

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Late 2013: Diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

November 2013 I was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy. This didn't look good, as my heart was severely weakened . I had severe shortness of breath, and congestive heart failure. My heart's EF was only 15% at the time. An angiogram showed no obstructions. The left  ventricle was dilated and the mitral valve was re-regurgitating. I spent 3 days in the hospital under observation. Given Lisinopril and Carvedilol even though my blood pressure was normal.

Mo...

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Lead Extraction

Went in for a new pacemaker and a lead extraction of old capped lead.  Subclavian vein was cut and I bled out requiring 6 transfusions and CPR for 3 minutes. 10 days later I needed VATS Thoracotomy and Decortication lung surgery to remove the large plural effusion and blood clots.  I had chest tubes in both surgeries the heart surgery being the largest and most painful.  I now have intercostal nerve damage and intermittent nerve pain and constant numbness in my side a...

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You know you're wired when...

You can hear your heartbeat in your cell phone.

Member Quotes

I'm a runner, mountain climber, kayaker, snow skier, bicycler and scuba diver. The only activity among those that I'm not yet cleared to do is scuba diving, and when I am cleared, I'll be limited to diving to 50 feet.