Anyone with experience, I'd appreciate your input please.

Thank you in advance

My doc recommended not using 2 cycle equipment. Something about the EMF of the magneto

FWIW I used to wear a heart rate momitor while in a Cardiac Rehab class. One day I got sidetracked by a phone call and didn’t remove the wristwatch monitor, had to get back to work quick.

I was riding my 82 Harley and once I got in the parking lot and saw the display reading some real high number, I forget what it was. At first panic set in until I realized the chest monitor was in my pocket and off me, it was picking up the ignition signal from the bike.

My work involves strong magnets.
A couple of colleagues have pacemakers, and we're all aware of it so as to keep them and the magnets away from one another.

No welding was mentioned at one point

If I recall correctly a strong magnet can be used to "shut off" a pacemaker. One of the medical scanning machines has high magnetic fields (cat scan?) so we cannot be subjected to those examinations. I was also warned to not carry my iPhone, which has a magnet to position it for charging, in my left shirt pocket.

I actually thought about my iPhone in my shirt pocket because of the speaker magnet that made sense to keep away. They said no issue what so ever and I put it in my shirt pocket quite often.

I was told there’s nothing in daily life you have to worry about affecting your pacemaker. I didn’t ask about an MRI though.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
If I recall correctly a strong magnet can be used to "shut off" a pacemaker. One of the medical scanning machines has high magnetic fields (cat scan?) so we cannot be subjected to those examinations. I was also warned to not carry my iPhone, which has a magnet to position it for charging, in my left shirt pocket.

Years ago, the pacers were set up so that if they got too close to a magnet or strong electrical field, they simply "defaulted" to a rate of 60 beats /min. ....Now , pacers have become much more sophisticated and have more tricks (including defibrillator). Bottom line...check with a pacemaker specialist or cardiologist to find out what kind of tricks that your particular pacer does and what to avoid .... jmo.

You should wait until someone can confirm this but (in the past) I think it was recommended not to stand really close to a mircrowave oven when it’s running.

Three docs said microwaves are fine, just fine.
No problems there.

( Unless you are inside)

They come in at least 2 battery sizes, a 10-year and a 15-year. 15-year is a little bigger. Wife getting a new battery Monday. I have many batteries in garage but she wont let me replace it to save money.

I had a PM installed in Oct 23 and was told to not put a cell phone in my shirt pocket because of the magnet. It makes the PM default to a preset rate and hold that until the magnet is removed. When I asked about microwaves, the doc giggled and said no prob. Don't know about welding but it makes sense. I was using my backpack blower this past weekend with no issues.

Mine has the device that sits on the bedside table and retrieves daily activity from the PM and beams it....somewhere. If there are strange rhythms the doc will call, probably a couple days later.

Mine is still very visible under the skin on my left chest. Doc says I don't have any fat there for it to work into so you can see the device and even the wires - kinda freaky.

Oh well, my male underwear modeling days are over anyway.

I’ve had one for years. Definitely be aware of magnets. I believe most smartphones now have strong magnets for wireless charging. Don’t lean over a running engine. I was warned to not use an electric blanket. Also was told to avoid activities that cause excessive vibration as that may cause the leads to shift. So I had to retire my reciprocating saw.

Funny how you get so many different answers. I asked about so many things (even shooting fully auto) and they finally said nothing in your daily life will have any affect on it. Mine also talks to a box next to my bed and keeps track of any unusual activity and does a monthly test.

quote:

Originally posted by parrotdog:
My doc recommended not using 2 cycle equipment. Something about the EMF of the magneto

I have had my PM for almost a year now (Medtronic brand). I spent the first month learning what to do and not to do. It came with booklet that has some general recommendations, and two strong ones: no chainsaws, and no arc welding. Chainsaws I guess because of the magneto. Arc welding I can easily understand. I ended up giving my two Stihl chain saws to a good friend/next door neighbor, and my Millermatic 2xx to another good friend/neighbor.
 
I spent an hour on the phone with Medtronic, with a guy whose job is only to answer consumer questions about PM safety.
 
Magnetic, electrical, and radio frequency fields pose a problem, but for consumer level products, keeping a distance of 12" between the PM and the device is the chief caveat. The guy said, in general, if you can plug it into a 120 volt outlet, the 12" rule should cover you. 240 volt motors are a no-no, and I have only one, my air compressor, and it only runs rarely. I just stay away if it happens to kick in while I am in the garage.

So far, other than getting rid of the equipment mentioned, I have lived as normal. I am teaching myself to weld with oxy-acetylene, which should be sufficient for my limited needs. I had the oxy set up already on hand mostly for bending steel.
 
I have not felt any reaction when around those things that produce the fields (and according to Medtronic, you would feel it if it were interfering with the PM)
 
ETA, do not keep your cell phone in your shirt pocket.
 

No more left shoulder shot gun shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
No more left shoulder shot gun shooting.

I had a coworker that got a pacemaker; his doctor told him that.

DO NOT go through the metal detectors at the TSA airport checkpoints. Use the full body scanner or the 'pat-down'. (Just had an airport pat-down today BTW...)

Mine is a Boston Scientific PM. Implanted 2.5 years ago at UofM hospital, Ann Arbor MI.

Seems like it took a good 2.5 months for the pain/discomfort related to the implantation procedure to go away.

I have the bedside monitor as well.

I have had a PM for a number of years. Hasn't affected my life at all. My M.D. didn't suggest any restrictions other than the ones already mentioned here. No pain at all. People with PMs can live a normal life span.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
No more left shoulder shot gun shooting.

I also bought a shearling seat belt pad to slip over the driver's side shoulder belt, where it crosses right over the PM. Day-to-day, the belt would not present any problem. I was thinking of a sudden stop, where the belt locks up to keep you back.