General Medical issues thread

[blackcat20]

Still having regular dressing changes post abscess surgery, I just really want a nice proper shower.

 

[Pushka]

Still having regular dressing changes post abscess surgery, I just really want a nice proper shower.

My DIL in UK who is about your age needed urgent abscess drainage too. Very uncomfortable based on location too. Hope it clears quick.

 

[JohnK]

You have to lie flat and still for several hours - there are 2 sessions in which you have to do it. Morning and afternoon.

I've seen photos of the machine. Looks very similar to MRI including the claustrophobic aspect. I struggle to lie flat on back for more than 5 minutes. Not sure how I'll get through 75 minutes.

Appointment next Thursday. I can go and see the machine first and if I'm not comfortable I can cancel. They don't provide medicine. I'm not sure 2 xanax is enough but I've never taken 3 xanax.

 

[prozac]

I am under 70
Its two injections with second 2-6 months after first
$250 each ($25 back from MediPrivate)
Shingrix
Never want to get shingles so will take anything

Is this lifelong protection?

Haven't had this nor a flu-shot ever. Haven't had flu in 8-10 yrs, surprising given my poor heart health.

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to set a heart rate alarm on a Fitbit device? Was lawn mowing yesterday in Sydney heat when I got very strained. I continued on as I stupidly told myself I only had one small part of lawn to complete. When i finished I was quite distressed and I realised the pacemaker had gone into heart block (where it drops every 3rd beat). It took a long time before the discomfort stopped and around an hour for my HR to drop below 100 (unusual). I needed to rest for the remainder of the afternoon.
For medicos the attached image might be of interest. My PM has an upper setting of 164bpm. When it drops a beat, HR drops to 100-102.
It would be handy to have the Fitbit alarm when my HR reaches say 150-153 BPM and I then know to stop what I am doing before HR reaches 161-164 bpm when it switches to heart block.

 

[Quickstatus]

150-153

I suggest even that is too high

Sounds like your pacemaker is a modern version.

Newer (enhanced but not fairer and simpler) Dual chamber pacemakers have an ability to increase the post ventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP) when the intrinsic heart rate is too high. When too high the pacemaker will increase the refractory period where it forces the heart to rest (refractory period). Sometimes you may need heart to beat as fast as it can - say if you are in shock (bleeding etc). Which is possiblywhy pacemaker upper limit is set to 160. But that's only for emergencies

Aim for a lower limit and Maybe set your Fitbit limit to no more than 120. But also listen carefully to your body - you know when you are out of juice. In other words don't blow the gasket.

But please also check with your pacemaker people.

 

[prozac]

I suggest even that is too high

Sounds like your pacemaker is a modern version.

Newer (enhanced but not fairer and simpler) Dual chamber pacemakers have an ability to increase the post ventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP) when the intrinsic heart rate is too high. When too high the pacemaker will increase the refractory period where it forces the heart to rest (refractory period). Sometimes you may need heart to beat as fast as it can - say if you are in shock (bleeding etc). Which is likely why pacemaker upper limit is set to 160.
However in your case I suspect you over exerted yourself.

Maybe set your Fitbit limit to no more than 120. But also suggest listen carefully to your body - you know when you are out of juice. In other words don't blow the gasket

But please also check with your pacemaker people.

I know how it all works and even know how to do most of the calculations required as I was asked to get involved when they understood I understood the technology and I was having weekly adjustments over 6 months to try to get it to work at all. It was an arduos process. I have a unique high setting because it would not work properly using factory settings. The PM people have notes on file to never adjust the settings. One of my problems is PMT which we have managed to adjust out, and one of the reasons for a high HR setting is so I don't drown surfing ... it is not nice when you are in a big surf and your PM switches to heart block because you have hit 129, or 139bpm depending which limit they selected.

Yes, over exerted. I tend to push myself. I'd just like a Fitbit alarm that alerted me I was getting close so I could ease off. All I can find is time related alarms.

 

[Quickstatus]

PMT

You are the first PM user who knows about PVARP and PMT (pacemaker mediated tachycardia)! Most don't even know if they have a 1 or 2 wire.

Yes the upper limit on the PM is there to cover the emergencies - like shock or using your example getting dumped in the surf.

But I would suggest the Fitbit limit should be less than 150. Maybe 120?.

I don't have a Fitbit but they do have HR notifications:

 

[prozac]

You are the first PM user who knows about PVARP and PMT (pacemaker mediated tachycardia)! Most don't even know if they have a 1 or 2 wire.

Yes the upper limit on the PM is there to cover the emergencies - like shock or using your example getting dumped in the surf.

But I would suggest the Fitbit limit should be less than 150. Maybe 120?.

They told me there was one other patient but that was years ago. They were very keen to have me involved. We even played around with calcium levels thinking maybe the uptake in the soft muscle wall was insufficient. In the end it was just I am a one off and i don't need any medicated assistance.

I know how the PM works, but not the fitbit.
If anyone knows how to set a HR alarm on a fitbit will be appreciated.

 

[JohnM]

They told me there was one other patient but that was years ago. They were very keen to have me involved. We even played around with calcium levels thinking maybe the uptake in the soft muscle wall was insufficient. In the end it was just I am a one off and i don't need any medicated assistance.

I know how the PM works, but not the fitbit.
If anyone knows how to set a HR alarm on a fitbit will be appreciated.

Forget the alarm - get a lawnmowing contractor.

 

[OZDUCK]

My wife and I have both had a single dose of shingles. Luckily both times we recognised the symptoms early enough for the anti-viral to be fairly effective. I had it on my face and luckily it only temporarily affected my one good eye. My wife had it on her lower back and it seemed to hang around a bit longer for her.

 

[prozac]

Forget the alarm - get a lawnmowing contractor.

But then I need to go to the gym.

 

[JohnM]

But then I need to go to the gym.

But wouldn't regular, frequent, gentle gym exercise inside where it's cool be more beneficial and less stressful than episodic (once/month or fortnight?) lawnmowing?

 

[prozac]

You are the first PM user who knows about PVARP and PMT (pacemaker mediated tachycardia)! Most don't even know if they have a 1 or 2 wire.

Yes the upper limit on the PM is there to cover the emergencies - like shock or using your example getting dumped in the surf.

But I would suggest the Fitbit limit should be less than 150. Maybe 120?.

I don't have a Fitbit but they do have HR notifications:
View attachment 319364

I have a Versa 2. Looks like I need a Versa 3 to do this.
"What are heart-rate notifications?
Charge 5, Inspire 3, Sense, Sense 2, Versa 3, and Versa 4 notify you when we detect that your heart rate is outside of your high or low thresholds while you appear to be inactive for at least 10 minutes."

Thanks QS.

 

[prozac]

But wouldn't regular, frequent, gentle gym exercise inside where it's cool be more beneficial and less stressful than episodic (once/month or fortnight?) lawnmowing?

I see I haven't mentioned the hedging, tree lopping, sewer digging, re-locating plants, fire-wood chopping, and my almost industrial scale shredder/chipper (a very satisfying toy). I just shouldn't have worked in the heat of the day. Only mentioned the heart block as it is interesting to see a pictorial of PM dropping every 3rd beat. I might need to buy a newer Fitbit in order to be able to set an alarm to notify me I am approaching a heart zone.

 

[tgh]

You sound like a very industrious senior citizen prozac , 'onya..
My spin on getting old is that it is better to die in boots than slippers ( or sneakers)...

 

[prozac]

You sound like a very industrious senior citizen prozac , 'onya..
My spin on getting old is that it is better to die in boots than slippers ( or sneakers)...

This is my theory too. If you stop doing everything then everything stops.

 

[TheRealTMA]

My spin on getting old is that it is better to die in boots than slippers ( or sneakers)...

Why?

 

[MARTINE]

I am having a brain fog moment trying to link the excellent document from national vaccine Australia.
Will try again but basically 4 years coverage w Shingrix but up to 10 - of course immunity wanes with age.

Will try again

 

[MARTINE]

https://www.ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2021-07/Zoster vaccine for Australian adults fact sheet_19 July 2021_Final.pdf



Okay - that works

This doc explains all the shingles vaccines - who should get what - immunity duration and schedule.
Page 5 covers many Q’s posted upthread

 

[Major]

I wan't sure but checking my vaccination statement I received Zostavax in 2017