Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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First PM Check Up - medics on the defensive again!

I don't think I am very good at appointments - I have come away with very few answers to my questions and am not terriby clear about the changes that were made.

What I do know is that my pacemaker has been working less than 5% of the time (I think I should be pleased) between the two chambers. For a short time he turned the settings right down and I felt completely different. He didn't actually say he had done this but as I no longer felt my heart beating and my breathing felt bette...

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First PM Check Up Tomorrow

Thanks Kaka, Vai and Harley63 for your input. I feel I am much more able to deal with my appointment tomorrow. I do hope I have someone who doesn't think "oh here we go - I've got a fussy one!" Will keep you posted. And thanks to the good looking camel for the extra help - oh sorry, I mean Heckboy!
Sue

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Interrogation today

Hello Friends,

For those interested, I had my interrogation today. PM was implanted May 2006. This is 7 months after the last checkup. I am pacing 100% in the ventricle, same as last time. Pacing 74% in the atrium compared to 54% 7 mos. ago. Leads are good and stable, life left on pacer is 5.8 yrs. We talked a bit about atenolol and some of the side effects but overall I am doing very well.

Sharon

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First PM Check Up

Hi Everyone

I have my first PM check up this Thursday - 6 weeks post op. As I am still really breathless - I really would like to have a bit of understanding about the settings and what might help me. I have a Medtronic Dual Chamber PM and the rate response switch is on. I found that out when I saw my cadiologist last week. He is taking this problem seriously and is doing all sorts of tests - so far everything is normal and I am awaiting the results of the CT scan of my lungs - he...

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Arm pains

Hi,

I have had my second pacemaker for 3 1/2 years and everything has been fine til my pacemaker check 2 weeks ago. The technicians said there was some atrial fibrillation and have referred me to a Consultant to do some tests and they also switched on a mode function on the PM which stops the ventricles being paced to keep up with the AF. Since then I have had chest pain (which I thought was indigestion to start with), aches and heaviness in my arms (both arms but not at the same time...

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Adjustment put to the test

Hi,

I posted a while back about getting a PM adjustment while in Israel on business. I thought about waiting until I got back to the states, but am glad I took the advice offered and made a tweek.

The new settings were out to the test this past weekend as I took a trip to Jordan and went hiking in Petra, the 2000 year old city carved out of stone and featured in Indiana Jones and the last Crusade. We only had a day there and wanted to see as much as possible and I was abl...

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long term effects of having a pacemaker

Hi,
I'm a 49 year old woman that has had a dual pacemaker for a little over 2 years now. I was told that I have 3rd degree heart block. I just had an it checked yesterday and the nurse said I was pacing 94% in my ventricals. I asked if that was a bad thing and she said well, over time it can be because ventrical pacing that high over years is not a good thing.
She told me to ask the doctor more about it when I see him in June. She aslo said that because of my condition (heart block...

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What is this?

So I go for my 5th PM check, just had my little buddy installed 12-15-07, and I am told that they are going to turn on my ECG recorder beacuse I have several, more then 10, atrial tachy episodes of more then 260 bpm - OH MY GOD!! I feel little hick ups here and there but I thought it was just PVC's or something. Any one else with a run away atria? What do I do? What questions should I ask next time? They are checking me in 3 months again to see what it shows, should I wait that long?

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Rate Response Switch

Hi

Would really appreciate someone explaining to me what this switch is and what it does? I have a Medtronic dual chamber PM. Seeing my cardiologist for 5 week check up and am very breathless (wasn't before the PM) and would just like to understand a bit more about this particular setting. It is often mentioned in postings so it seems to be important. I am seeing him midday London UK time tomorrow, Tuesday 11th - sorry I only just thought of this.

Thanks.

Susa...

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Not up to par: Part II

I told the producer of the film I'm on in Israel (an old friend) that I had a PM (he was shocked) and would like to check/tweak the settings. After assuring him that I wasn't about to drop dead, they found me an EP in Jerusalem and confirmed that everything was working alright. He did make a little tweak to shorten the time between my atrial and ventricle to see if that would help. Time will tell, but I'm glad I went.

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Not up to par

So here I am in Israel on a 4 week consulting trip. I'm 5 weeks out from my second PM implant and I'm just not feeling great. The PM is working insofar as I can tell my checking my pulse, but it doesn't seem to have given me my endurance back for climbing uphill or fast walking. My pulse is pumping away, but I still feel out of breath. My last PM had me feeling so normal that I forgot about it. My settings must be off from what I had before.

My question is, should I wait anoth...

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4 Week Check Up Questions?

Thanks to everyone who responded to me re trying to come to terms with it. The help is much appreciated. The swelling and bruising is going down but the pacemaker is quite raised in my chest - particularly one side. I can feel the corner sticking out - I really don't like it.

I have my first proper check up on Monday with my cardiologist. I have been seen briefly a couple of times because of the severe swelling and the fact that I am short of breath. I had another exercise ECG w...

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help

Hi everyone,
well I flew out to Ohio last week to see my cardio. I have a biotronik cylos PM and am still slowly learning about it. I love this site, but most of you have a different kind of PM so things get a little confusing for me.

The Cylos is supposed to detect a drop in BP. My BP is very low so I faint all the time. I found out this week that my BP is so low that 24 hours a day I amon the threshold of syncope. I just got my rate response/senor turned up. That means t...

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Still short of breath

I have chronic a-fib/flutter. I have had an A/V node ablation and permanent pacemaker implanted in 1998. Since then, I have had to have it replaced in January 2003. Everything was going fine, until this past summer. I became short of breath, and it was getting worse and worse. I was hospitalized in Jan 2008, with dx of exacerbation of asthma. I was put on massive doses of prednisone, abx, and neb treatments. I did get better (was around cats, which I have a known allergy to.). But after 6...

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Checkup yesterday

With the dust up going on, I almost forgot to thank heckboy and smitty for giving me suggestions for questions to ask at my PM check yesterday.

I got the information I wanted, and also learned the pacing in the lower chamber has dropped from 34% last year to 18% this year. A positive for me! :-) The pacing in my upper chamber has held at 0% for the past year as well.

Again, thanks to heckboy and smitty for your great suggestions. I truly appreciate it!

Theres...

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Checkup Tomorrow

I am having a quick checkup tomorrow and just wondered if you all can tell me what questions I need to be asking. I'm not even sure what my low setting is! I am going to ask that one for sure. I am not having any issues, just have a PM (Guidant) that is under recall so it gets checked frequently.

Any suggestions/thoughts/ideas will be appreciated!

Thanks,

Theresa

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First Check Up

Well I went to the doc yesterday for my first check up. He said things look great. He did say I have a slight infection from where I had a bad cold. He said that it would get better in a week or so. He told me thats where the pain/pressure was comming from. So thats good to know. One down point. I did have another PE. (clot in my lung) Im a factor five so I have had many. But he wasnt very happy about that cause of the pacer wires! So ive been through the ringer! hehe My pm in now set @ 70 and 1...

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Tired

I was just relased after my pacemaker implant 6 weeks ago. The doctor wanted me to take 2 more weeks off. I am very stubborn and told her I was ready to return to work. She said ok but no heavy lifting and I said well then I can't go back to work. So she wrote my note with no limitations. After leaving my appointment in Chicago I went straight to work at the Rescue squad. I did not even run a rescue call and by the time I went home at 6pm I was so very tired. I was only there 6hrs and I am think...

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Not feeling well!

I have been fighting some virus or atleast I am sure that is what it is all week. I was wondering if anybody seems to have problems with settings when you catch something?
I have had so many palipations lately and can't get them undercontrol. They are disturbing me where I can't sleep or when I fall asleep my heart beating wakes me up. I am stubborn and try to avoid going to the dr for as long as I can.But I have a trip coming up to chicago so I called today and am waiting for the nurs...

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Made to feel like its all in my head

Hi

Since Christmas 2007 I have had some episode of light headedness, both arms feel heavy and numb (like when you have pins and needles, but without pins and needles sensation), awareness of my heart beating (although not too quick approx 105-115, sometimes it is low approx 60).

On Saturday 16th feb, I was sat having a drink at work when the above happened it was witnessed by my work colleges who said I went a grey colour and sweaty. From this episode I was admitted to ho...

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My pacemaker has ultimately saved mine and my unborn child’s life for which I am thankful.