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So last Friday I had a heart pacemaker installed and I have been reading the book that came with it.  Electronic interference from various things are mentioned in there but usually says just keep 6" to 12" away from them.  Have any of you fellows with pacemakers had any issues while using command control for DCS, TMCC, etc.

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Dennis

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Dennis, welcome to the "club" as it were.  I've had mine for three years now, no problems with most any activity.  One thing to keep in mind is the larger the magnetic field a device puts out, the further you should be from it.  I.e. A welder or generator should be about 20feet from you, while a cellphone or Cab unit can be as close as your hand.  Don't be afraid but DO listen to your body.  If anything feels "off", take a step back and see if the feeling continues.

 

keep RRolling!

   I got a kick out of the "non-serious" replies and thanks guys for the well wishes.  I feel really well now but for fun I'll tell you about the week I had.

 

On Monday, 12/01, having had some shrimp in three of the previous 5 days, I found that I was allergic to shell fish.  By late afternoon I was frantic with a rash and itching like crazy.  My wife drove me to "Urgent Care" and I got a shot in each cheek, one of which was 50mg of Benadryl. By the time I left there I would say I had been turned into a zombie, but that's not right because a zombie can walk and talk.  I had to be wheel-chaired to the car and my wife had to get help to get me out of the car and into the house.  The next couple of days I felt lousy and finally on Thursday, 12/4 my wife called 911 because we couldn't get my heart rate over 46. I have had Bradycardia (slow heart rate) for some years and at night my heart rate would go into the 30s).

 

So I was an add-in at the hospital to have a Pacemaker put in which didn't happen until late Friday, 12/5.  When they X-rayed my chest back in recovery to see if the probes were placed properly, one was not and the doctor had already gone home.  We waited for him to return and when he got there I was put under anesthetic a second time and the procedure repeated.  It was 9:30 at night when I finally returned to my room.

 

I was released from the hospital Saturday, 12/6 but it took a few days to feel OK probably from all the stuff that had been injected into me.

 

Here I am in Florida, can't play golf for four weeks, and my trains are home up north. However, I feel great now and happy to still be on top of the grass.

 

Here endeth the Epistle,

.....

Dennis

 

 

Last edited by Dennis

Hi Dennis:

 

Glad you're OKAY.

 

Most of the warnings are for older generation pacemakers. The newer ones are much better with internal grounding and sophisticated circuit protection to pretty much negate any external interference. MRIs do pose the most significant risk, mostly from dislodgement of the leads, but usually good MRI technicians will notify the radiologist of issues. Used to be concerns with microwave radiation, magnetic fields causing induction currents disrupting circuits, etc., but these were pertaining to older models. Unfortunately, most of the pacemaker literature is from older models and hasn't been updated, in part because it isn't a 100% guarantee.

 

Best thing to do is keep your (assume left) arm as minimally active as possible so as to not displace the leads (sounds like this happened once already).

 

Sorry about the golf! 

 

Again, glad your are feeling better.

 

Regards,

 

Bruce

Dennis,

 

I wish  you the best of luck with the pacemaker.  I have never met anyone who did not say they felt a lot better after getting one.  They can and usually do make adjustments to the settings over time so be sure to keep up with your checkups.

 

I had a defibrillator/pacemaker put in 7 years ago and while the defib has whacked me twice I have never had any interference issues of any knid.  I work with power tools a fair amount in my otjer hobby and that has never been an issue.  Never had a problem going thru airports other than the hassle of having to get the body scans.

 

Unless pacemakers have changed over the years I am pretty sure you absolutely cannot have an MRI of any sort. And also be sure all of your doctors know you have one so they do not order an MRI by mistake. One other piece of advice, follow your docs advice as to limiting your arm movements the recommended time until you are healed up.  

 

As Peter mentioned large magnetic fields will  effect pacemakers and you should stay clear of them.

 

Otherwise I hope you much success with the pacemaker.

 

Ed

 

PS I checked my copy of Barry's DCS book and didn't find a chapter on pacemakers so therefore I think it is a safe bet DCS is not an issue. ��

Dennis,  glad they found out the allergy to shellfish and that your heart pacemaker is working fine. Stay down South when it's warm and no ice. Here in upstate New York I was walking on my sidewalk Nov 20 and it was just some leaves on it. Wrong!  Found out it had a film of ice under it, fell on my left shoulder and got several tears in the rotator cuff.  Just had surgery yesterday  to fix it, doctor did have  to cut some of it open to fix it, couldn't do it all by scope so out of action for awhile, hopefully get back to working on the layout by spring. I had quite a mess inside the shoulder to fix.

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