Most Recent Messages in General Posting

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Got Muscles?

I've had my Pacemaker almost four months now. I am into bodybuilding and have a very muscular build so as I continue to get back the hard body I notice my pacer becomes very visible, no big deal really, however, the leads exiting the pacer going under the collarbone are being pushed against the skin I swear it looks so paper thin and becomes a bit sore at times. Some times it feels as though the leads will break through the skin. even my wife has taken notice of it. I've talked to my Dr. about...

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READ VERY INTERESTING SITE

http://www.chfpatients.com/implants/pacemakers.

This would be good for new pace maker clients

Please let me know how you feel bout this site I found online

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Who's online

On the old fomat you could tell who was online and now you can't.How can u do so now,

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I'm ready to give up!!!

Why does it take so many tries to login to this forum?

Also, half the time I can't post a comment because it tells me something I've done is invalid -- when it really isn't!!

I'm ready to give up...and that makes me very sad.

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Dealing with the pacemaker!

Hi,
I am 21 and just got a pacemaker put in a week ago today. I faced 2 ablations before they determined that I had no choice but to get a pacemaker my 30% chance turned into a 99% dependent on it 7 hours into surgery when my heart started dropping. I am curious to know if it really changed your life dramatically getting a pacemaker. I feel very lucky and blessed to be alive and I would love to hear any advice any of you have. Thanks so much.

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~*~Happy Birthday to BOWLRBOB!!~*~

Happy, Happy Birthday..... from all of us to you!
Happy, Happy Birhtday....in 1942!
HEY!
Bowlrbob: March 24, 1942
Happy Birthday Bob! I hope you have a great birthday. Do you realize that your b-date is very cool? March 24, and then your year: 1942. Then you could switch it and be like the year: 1924 and March 42....only i now just realized it doesn't make sense, so never mind, hahahaLOL!!!
take care,
~valerie

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SITE FORMAT

I think I have posted about as many messages or replies on this site as anyone during the last several months. I did it because I felt like I may be helping someone and I was returning a favor because this site provided an untold amount of help for me during the trials and tribulations I went through with my pacemaker. In addition as I gathered information for my reply, I usually learned something for my own benefit. But this new format will drastically reduce my participation if it doesn’t brin...

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PM and new to this forum

My first day home after a three day visit at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle WA. Chauffeured to the hospital Tuesday morning in a red limo that looked something like a Hummer; this after passing out at work. They found out my heart was not keeping any sort of normal rhythm that one could march by, dance to or anything else. Doctor Fellows and company implanted the Insignia I Ultra in me on Wednesday, patted me on the head and said you will now be a new man; OK fine looking forward to it.

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There is a cure for A-Fib.

From the Boston A-Fib Symposium, January 11-13, 2007.
Here is an excerpt from the conference.
New research and medical developments in A-Fib, featured a live demo of a Cryo balloon catheter ablation at Massachusetts General. Cryo ablation seems to be significantly safer for patients than standard RF ablation. The Cryo balloon catheter may become a major improvement in the treatment of A-Fib. It has already been approved in Europe, with close to 100% success rate in isolating the PVs...

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New Medicine

I have been on 5mg of pindolol but kept getting severe muscle cramps. Yesterday the doc switched me to toprol xl. I was wondering if anyone has experience with toprol xl?

Thanks, boatman

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shellshocked!

hi,

I am a very recent recipient of my pacemaker- admitted suddenly into hospital 3 weeks ago, and had it fitted 2 weeks ago. I am just coming to terms with my implant, healing well and phasing myself back to work. I am considered fairly young to have this procedure (49), consider myself fit and active, and want to get back to "normal" asap -that is get to a point where I am not defining myself soley by the fact that I am a pacemaker user. I am interested in other people's experience...

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seat belts

The recent poll made me wonder if everyone knows you can "climb thru" the seatbelt and have it only around your waist. This is legal. It would be very dangerous for me to use it in the standard fashion, as it passes very close to my prominently bulging pm.

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Anemic now!

I posted after my EP said my symptoms were not because of my PM. My PCP ordered bloodwork and it turns out that I am pretty seriously anemic. My levels are very low and she says that would cause my symptoms. I am now on iron supplements and will retest in three months. Has anyone else gone on the low fat, low cholesterol (eat nothing but chicken) diet only to turn up anemic? Well, at least I know my EP isn't clueless!
Michelle

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Hello!

Hello everyone! I'm new to the site, but have been reading the posts for over a year. I'm looking forward to communicating with you all! This site has been a great source of information and encouragement for me. I want to see if I can post this before I go into "my" story. I'm having a terrible time posting anything! Have a great day! Bambi

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Disneyworld with a Pacemaker

My now 15 year old son had a Medtronic EnPulse E2 DR Series Pacemaker implanted in December, 2005, to compensate for a Second Degree Heart Block. He is about to go to DIsneyworld with the local high school Band/Orchestra/Choir trip. I have my concerns even though his health and checkups have been great since that time. Does anyone have any suggestions/information either pro or con for activities he will encounter in the various Disney parks?
This is my first posting on what appears to be...

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7 Days and Counting

I was shocked yesterday to discover where all my energy went. My handy little St. Jude Identity, which has served me well for 3 years, one month and 2 days, reached battery life on March 8, the very day I became a zombie. I'm now in battery saving mode, which apparently means that if I don't have to walk more than a few feet and take really slow deep breaths (hibernate maybe?), I will last until Tuesday morning when I get a new St. Jude. Where oh where is the Energizer Bunny when I need him?...

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Website Feedback

Hi Blake,

It's been a few days since I last logged on and just saw the new website format today. So I am trying to get acquainted with it.

If I may I would like to share some feedback. (I sent similar feedback to the webmaster address under the contact info, so I apologize for redundancy here).

I think the site looks nice and professional. However, I am already finding it frustrating at best to use. I think it's too complicated and cluttered. There are also some...

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New member, new pacer

Hello to all! I recently had a pacer implant 2/26/2007 and am happy to say that I am on the mend w/o any complications thus far. I had experienced "episodes" that would often involve seizure like activity. One recent episode was witnessed by my son which
scared the living daylights out of him. I had recently changed PCP and mentioned this to him upon a follow up for a back injury. He quickly made referrals to an EP and a neurophysiologist after the results of a Holter. One test led to...

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ICDs & Amiodarone

On Feb 21st,2007,my husband passed away. In June,2006 they implanted an ICD and a week later he got 5 shocks,one so bad he felt like it was going to knock him out of his chair. They put him back in the hospital & put him on Amiodarone.They sent him home and he started having trouble breathing. I kept calling his heart Doctor and he did nothing except a chest xray & said his lungs were fine. From June till Feb I was complaining to the doctor that he was having trouble breathing. He did nothing.

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Getting used to it!!

Hi Blake,
Thanks for the new website.You did a great job.I was a bit confused at first but now I have worked it all out!
I love all the "youre wired when" jokes.
Regards from Kay(rewiredaussiegirl)

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You know you're wired when...

You can proudly say you’re energy efficient.

Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.