Time for a new tuner....

[Flyinfool]

Time for a new tuner....(Pacemaker)

 

It is now official, the doc has been thinking about it for the last month and he made it official today, March 21 I will be getting a new tuner installed. I check in at 11:00am and the procedure is at around 1:00pm and will take about 1.5 hours. IF all goes well I should come home sometime on the afternoon of March 22. So I guess that means that I am getting a new tuner on/for my BD.

 

My resting heart rate is often dropping to around 33-35, My whole life it was around 45. The doc thinks that with the tuner keeping me above 60 at all times it might reduce how often I am dropping out of a normal sinus rhythm and into A fib. I sure hope he is right. He did also qualify it by saying that I may still need to get another cardiac ablation even with the tuner. The tuner also will open the door to some drugs that can only be given to people that have a tuner to keep the ticker running.

 

It just seems to be so much better when the pump is firing on all 4 cylinders instead of just 2. Heck, even a Venture does not run well on 2 cylinders.

 

I will try to post something to let you all know I am still here to make and then more and to generally , , and even more to make your lives "interesting".

 

ps, The WWW will be in standby mode for a few days while I go thru all this. NO NOT OFF JUST ON STANDBY ........

 

This getting stuff sure aint for wimps.

[BlueSky]

Really sorry to hear you are having health issues. It's good that we have all these modern medical procedures to help us get through another decade.

 

My BD is 3-22 also. 75 this time

[RandyR]

See you next week. be good.

[uncledj]

I'll be thinkin' about ya brother. Best wishes for a quick recovery, and a great result.

[cowpuc]

Prayers Up and Blessings Down my brother!!! Tell your Cardiologist installer dude and the guy from Medtronics who will probably be there making sure you get the correct unit that you want a Tuner with xtra length in the leads. I KNOW that you are fully aware of the hassles associated with wire harnesses that are cut so short that they are hard to work with and can come unplugged in the terminals.. With all the bendin,twistin and backflippin you do around here to keep us on our toes, it would probably not be a good thing if the leads came unplugged from your new Screamin Eagle Race Tuner during a backflip brother!!

See you soon!! Prayers Up!!

Puc

[slowrollwv]

Jeff you get the new tuner in you won't need a jack hammer for the basement floor. You will be fired up enough to get it done with an ice pick. Hope everything goes as planed.

[RDawson]

Make sure he gets dialectic grease in the lead plugs. Hate to see you start overheating your harness.

[grubsie]

Just trying to alleviate any concerns. A pacemaker is a good thing for heart beat irregularity. Trust me, I know. I am 61 now but had a pacemaker inserted when I was 22 due to something called sic sinus syndrome which was causing my heart to drop to 20 beats a minute. Apparently what was happening was my heart was beating, then it would just sit there and just flex a little, then beat again over and over. Kind of scary as I was almost passing out, couldn't see straight or focus on anything. Boston Hospitals determined that the best solution was a pacemaker. In fact, from what I understand, I was major discussion in medical lectures in the Boston hospitals because of my age, the diagnosis and treatment. I was kind of like a unicorn of sorts back then.

 

Anyway, pacemaker was inserted and life has been good since. It may feel a little strange at 1st as sometimes you can feel the pacemaker kicking in but you will get used to it. Life can go on like normal. You can do everything you have ever done no matter how physical. I raced motocross before and after the pacemaker. Worked in construction, played sports etc. Nothing has to change in your life. A pacemaker simply controls your heart beat when needed.

 

You are correct about needing medication also to avoid atrial fib, but it's not a big deal and it does not affect your liver function. Funny quick story about a-fib. Quite a few years back, I went into a-fb and they were going to shock my heart to get me out of it. I had been moved from one hospital department to the other and at each dept., they would ask me why I was there. I was growing more irritated by the minute up to the moment I got to the place where they were going to do the shock. The anesthesiologist asked why I was there. I flipped out on him. I jumped out of the bed with all my wires attached and started yelling at him and ranting and raving when all of a sudden, my wife noticed on the monitor that I was back in normal rhythm.

 

Since that moment, there have been a few times that I went into atrial fib. You know it when it happens. I decide to try something. I remembered that moment in the hospital when I flipped out. It caused my heart rate to increase which in turn got me back into normal rythm. So what I tried and will do from now on is to do something to get my heart rate up. I find the most effective thing is going up and down stairs non-stop as many times as I can. Always works.

 

Told my doctor at Brigham and Williams in Boston about what I was doing when going into a-fib a few years back. He was curious, and has been suggesting cautiously it to some of his better health patients and so far it seems to work for them. I am not telling you to run a marathon if you go into a-fib, but it's something to keep in the back of your mind.

 

You will be fine with you "Tuner". In fact, probably better. Hope to hear how things go over time.

 

Pulling for you.

[videoarizona]

Jeff,

 

Will be sending prayers up your way next week.

 

Awaiting word on your return.

[djh3]

Good luck. I hVe heard that some of the newer units actually the Doc can "tune" via a bluetooth and office visit.

[Jayceesfolly]

I have just had a bout of either Afib or SVT (a week ago) and am now wearing a monitor to see what is going on with my heart. I still have a week to wear this monitor and then my cardiologist will recommend what is to be done. If I have another issue with the heart my cardiologist said to do the Valsalva Maneuver to bring the heart back into rhythm. It has worked for me twice since my initial attack. It may be easier than running up and down the stairs. 15 seconds has worked for me. The maneuver is the same as divers use to equalize their ears when diving. If you have done any diving at all you should know what it is. Google "The Valsalva Maneuver" to find out more about it. Also, check with your cardiologist about this procedure to make sure it is useful for you before attempting.

 

Jim

[SpencerPJ]

Be nice to the Nurses

 

Prayers up, glad you are seeing a DR and taking preventing steps. Very common procedure now days. Keep us posted.

[bikenut]

I go in on May 22 for cardiac ablation also. A-Fib is not fun and gets old after in and out all the time. I have gone thru 6 cordial versions and now my doctor state meds are not working so on to the next step. I have been in and out for 8 years.

Good luck on your procedure and will say a prayer for you that everything works out for you.

[Flyinfool]

Just trying to alleviate any concerns. A pacemaker is a good thing for heart beat irregularity. Trust me, I know. I am 61 now but had a pacemaker inserted when I was 22 due to something called sic sinus syndrome which was causing my heart to drop to 20 beats a minute. Apparently what was happening was my heart was beating, then it would just sit there and just flex a little, then beat again over and over. Kind of scary as I was almost passing out, couldn't see straight or focus on anything. Boston Hospitals determined that the best solution was a pacemaker. In fact, from what I understand, I was major discussion in medical lectures in the Boston hospitals because of my age, the diagnosis and treatment. I was kind of like a unicorn of sorts back then.

 

Anyway, pacemaker was inserted and life has been good since. It may feel a little strange at 1st as sometimes you can feel the pacemaker kicking in but you will get used to it. Life can go on like normal. You can do everything you have ever done no matter how physical. I raced motocross before and after the pacemaker. Worked in construction, played sports etc. Nothing has to change in your life. A pacemaker simply controls your heart beat when needed.

 

You are correct about needing medication also to avoid atrial fib, but it's not a big deal and it does not affect your liver function. Funny quick story about a-fib. Quite a few years back, I went into a-fb and they were going to shock my heart to get me out of it. I had been moved from one hospital department to the other and at each dept., they would ask me why I was there. I was growing more irritated by the minute up to the moment I got to the place where they were going to do the shock. The anesthesiologist asked why I was there. I flipped out on him. I jumped out of the bed with all my wires attached and started yelling at him and ranting and raving when all of a sudden, my wife noticed on the monitor that I was back in normal rhythm.

 

Since that moment, there have been a few times that I went into atrial fib. You know it when it happens. I decide to try something. I remembered that moment in the hospital when I flipped out. It caused my heart rate to increase which in turn got me back into normal rythm. So what I tried and will do from now on is to do something to get my heart rate up. I find the most effective thing is going up and down stairs non-stop as many times as I can. Always works.

 

Told my doctor at Brigham and Williams in Boston about what I was doing when going into a-fib a few years back. He was curious, and has been suggesting cautiously it to some of his better health patients and so far it seems to work for them. I am not telling you to run a marathon if you go into a-fib, but it's something to keep in the back of your mind.

 

You will be fine with you "Tuner". In fact, probably better. Hope to hear how things go over time.

 

Pulling for you.

 

In my case it is exercise that usually triggers my A-fib. Any time I let my HR get over 120 it is almost guaranteed that within the next hour I will go into Afib. I am not sure I want to try pushing it back up to try to clear it.

 

I have just had a bout of either Afib or SVT (a week ago) and am now wearing a monitor to see what is going on with my heart. I still have a week to wear this monitor and then my cardiologist will recommend what is to be done. If I have another issue with the heart my cardiologist said to do the Valsalva Maneuver to bring the heart back into rhythm. It has worked for me twice since my initial attack. It may be easier than running up and down the stairs. 15 seconds has worked for me. The maneuver is the same as divers use to equalize their ears when diving. If you have done any diving at all you should know what it is. Google "The Valsalva Maneuver" to find out more about it. Also, check with your cardiologist about this procedure to make sure it is useful for you before attempting.

 

Jim

 

This is interesting, I may give it a try next time. It does not sound like it can hurt anything.

 

I go in on May 22 for cardiac ablation also. A-Fib is not fun and gets old after in and out all the time. I have gone thru 6 cordial versions and now my doctor state meds are not working so on to the next step. I have been in and out for 8 years.

Good luck on your procedure and will say a prayer for you that everything works out for you.

 

Good luck on your ablation. The worst part is laying still in bed for 6 hours after the procedure with the clamp on to make sure there is no bleeding. The next worst part comes that day after when they remove all of the temporary plumbing that they installed.

 

 

I am fortunate that I have almost no symptoms when I go into Afib. All I get is a feeling of fatigue, and I get that often enough when not in Afib. There are many times the only way that I notice I am in Afib is when I look at the heart rate displayed on my watch and it is not where I would expect it to be for my current activity level. I can then pull out my ECG and check for sure and email the strip off to my cardiologist.

[BlueSky]

My wife had an irregular heartbeat when she was in her forties. She went to a specialist and he was talking about medical procedures. when on the treadmill in his office her heart beat was regular after exercising. She declined the medical procedures and took some homeopathic remedies and started walking for exercise and her heartbeat became normal and still is at 57. I was 69 when my 3 yr 7 month job in FL ended. Towards the end of that job I worked 6 12s for 14 months. I ate too much getting up to my heaviest at 260lbs and wasn't exercising. My heartbeat was irregular at the end of the day when I was tired. I came home, lost 30 lbs,got back on my exercise program which wasn't so heavy, 50 minute rapid walks around the subdivision, one set of pullovers and curls on my total gym, pushups from the knee, situps, and squats 3 times a week and my heartbeat was normal. Now, I'm almost 75 and the irregular heartbeat has returned at the end of the day and I think I have some heart congestion because I feel some pressure in my chest when I walk very fast. So, it's time to drop another 30 lbs. I'm trying to psych myself up for that. It's tough to do.

 

I forgot to say that I ate a lot less and lost 30lbs when I came home from the job in Homestead, FL. I'm sure that helped a bunch.

Edited March 14, 2019 by BlueSky

[cowpuc]

Just trying to alleviate any concerns. A pacemaker is a good thing for heart beat irregularity. Trust me, I know. I am 61 now but had a pacemaker inserted when I was 22 due to something called sic sinus syndrome which was causing my heart to drop to 20 beats a minute. Apparently what was happening was my heart was beating, then it would just sit there and just flex a little, then beat again over and over. Kind of scary as I was almost passing out, couldn't see straight or focus on anything. Boston Hospitals determined that the best solution was a pacemaker. In fact, from what I understand, I was major discussion in medical lectures in the Boston hospitals because of my age, the diagnosis and treatment. I was kind of like a unicorn of sorts back then.

 

Anyway, pacemaker was inserted and life has been good since. It may feel a little strange at 1st as sometimes you can feel the pacemaker kicking in but you will get used to it. Life can go on like normal. You can do everything you have ever done no matter how physical. I raced motocross before and after the pacemaker. Worked in construction, played sports etc. Nothing has to change in your life. A pacemaker simply controls your heart beat when needed.

 

You are correct about needing medication also to avoid atrial fib, but it's not a big deal and it does not affect your liver function. Funny quick story about a-fib. Quite a few years back, I went into a-fb and they were going to shock my heart to get me out of it. I had been moved from one hospital department to the other and at each dept., they would ask me why I was there. I was growing more irritated by the minute up to the moment I got to the place where they were going to do the shock. The anesthesiologist asked why I was there. I flipped out on him. I jumped out of the bed with all my wires attached and started yelling at him and ranting and raving when all of a sudden, my wife noticed on the monitor that I was back in normal rhythm.

 

Since that moment, there have been a few times that I went into atrial fib. You know it when it happens. I decide to try something. I remembered that moment in the hospital when I flipped out. It caused my heart rate to increase which in turn got me back into normal rythm. So what I tried and will do from now on is to do something to get my heart rate up. I find the most effective thing is going up and down stairs non-stop as many times as I can. Always works.

 

Told my doctor at Brigham and Williams in Boston about what I was doing when going into a-fib a few years back. He was curious, and has been suggesting cautiously it to some of his better health patients and so far it seems to work for them. I am not telling you to run a marathon if you go into a-fib, but it's something to keep in the back of your mind.

 

You will be fine with you "Tuner". In fact, probably better. Hope to hear how things go over time.

 

Pulling for you.

 

WOWZY WOW WOW WOW does this all sound familiar Grubs,, big difference though is mine showed up when I turned 60ish where your came in at 22 = I can see what that young age would have :stickpoke:in the medical field.. Dead of winter, sittin in my family Dr.'s office for a follow up on some brain fluid leakage repair, nurse noticed HR below 25bps, called in the Dr., switched over to a portable EKG to make sure the 24bps was not due to Finger monitor being out of calibration, Dr. comes in, see's 24bps on EKG (this actually looks a lot like the Dr.), says stand up, stod up and HR went instantly to 102bps, another , Dr. would not let me leave for fear of frost bite (Fool was feeling much better at that time and was actively able to and :stickpoke:us with WWW), she was insistant that we go right to Cardiologist for Tuner, Cardiologist and her had big arquement related to whether or not I was passing out - she was concerned with my "quality of life" - Cardio concerned with Insurance Companies only approving for Tuner if I was passing out, made appointment for next day @ Cardio. Went full course with Cardio doing everything from excersize plan while wearing EKG belt monitor to drug therapy, bunch of stress tests including some nuclear stuff. A few months into testing I passed out when standing up off front porch bench and messed up my Dupytren's hands pretty good, was in for the Tuner install 2 days later with a Dr.'s sheet that had "Sic Sinus" written on it . During the pre-op for the Tuner install is where they found out I have an enlarged heart and also found the Micro Brewing of blood happening in my urine which led to them discovering Prostate Cancer which lead to them finding Abdominal Cancer which probably saved my life :guitarist 2:cause that puppy was doubling in size every 90 days and the tumor attached to my bladder was the size of my fist when they pulled it..

Here is an interesting thing Grubs,, when first installed I was running on the Tuner just under 95% of the time, most recent checkup = 78%! You see anything like that in your experience?

Cant help but wonder what kind of lop eared varmint ol Fool will be once he gets his tuner... Will running at 60bps cause his blood to warm up above the ice in the veins a we have come to know him? Will this produce a reduced change in his general altitude to have to cover the planet with WW or will his love for :snow: actually be increased? One thing for sure,,, there is never a dull moment around this joint as long as we have the likes of our lop eared Fool varmint roaming the halls of the clubhouse pulling his WWW in a wagon behind him:thumbsup:!!!!

[grubsie]

Here is an interesting thing Grubs,, when first installed I was running on the Tuner just under 95% of the time, most recent checkup = 78%! You see anything like that in your experience?

C

 

Hey Puc, It was just the opposite for me. Since I was young and very active, the pacer barely fired. It would only fire when sitting around. My a-fib always kicks in when I am in a rested state although very, very seldom. The same symptoms which caused me to get the pacer in the 1st place.

 

My original cardiologist passed away several years ago and I met a new one at a local hospital who wanted to test the state of the pacer because it was the original and very old. Funny, because it was so old, they had to go into the storage unit in the hospital to find the unit used for this pacemaker. They dusted if off, fired it up and discovered that it was basically brand new. That's how seldom it fired over the years. They decided to remove it and just try the more modern medications available which didn't exist back when I originally got the pacer. They left the wire in so as to avoid any problems with scar tissue buildup. I am on 20mg Flecanide twice daily and a baby aspirin.and it's been working fine. I still go into a-fib every once in a great while, maybe twice a year at most, but me getting my heart rate up takes care of it. I keep myself on the go constantly which seems to help avoid a-fib.

 

Still have the pacer. Keep it in my office. Here's a pic:

[campfire12]

good luck Jeff. Hope all works out, we"ll be thinking about you and send prayers for a speedy recovery!

[Chaharly]

Time for a new tuner....(Pacemaker)

 

It is now official, the doc has been thinking about it for the last month and he made it official today, March 21 I will be getting a new tuner installed. I check in at 11:00am and the procedure is at around 1:00pm and will take about 1.5 hours. IF all goes well I should come home sometime on the afternoon of March 22. So I guess that means that I am getting a new tuner on/for my BD.

 

My resting heart rate is often dropping to around 33-35, My whole life it was around 45. The doc thinks that with the tuner keeping me above 60 at all times it might reduce how often I am dropping out of a normal sinus rhythm and into A fib. I sure hope he is right. He did also qualify it by saying that I may still need to get another cardiac ablation even with the tuner. The tuner also will open the door to some drugs that can only be given to people that have a tuner to keep the ticker running.

 

It just seems to be so much better when the pump is firing on all 4 cylinders instead of just 2. Heck, even a Venture does not run well on 2 cylinders.

 

I will try to post something to let you all know I am still here to make and then more and to generally , , and even more to make your lives "interesting".

 

ps, The WWW will be in standby mode for a few days while I go thru all this. NO NOT OFF JUST ON STANDBY ........

 

This getting stuff sure aint for wimps.

 

Good luck with everything!

[Flyinfool]

Well I seem to have survived the surgery with only a few minor complications but at least I'm still around to harass you guys and keep the infamous www running.

[RDawson]

Very glad to hear that.

[grubsie]

Good to hear that everything is good. Did you ask what brand tuner they used? I hope it's the newest Power Commander.

[cowpuc]

Good to hear that everything is good. Did you ask what brand tuner they used? I hope it's the newest Power Commander.

 

Definitely a HD :big-grin-emoticon:Screaming Eagle Race Tuner as that lop eared wheelin dealin Fool varmint's home is only a couple miles from the Manufacturer of that puppy!!

[cowpuc]

Well I seem to have survived the surgery with only a few minor complications but at least I'm still around to harass you guys and keep the infamous www running.

 

WE MISSED YOU!!!

 

 

[BlueSky]

Happy Birthday Flyinfool!