iPods and pacemaker

[Buddi12]

can you wear iPods if you have a pacemaker?

[Tos92]

Hidden should be able to help with your query!

All the best.

Tos

[MummaSoap]

Hi Buddi12

I have no personal experience in relation to your question but hopefully someone who does will be along soon to help.

What makes you think you wouldn’t be able to use an iPod out of curiosity? Is this like another post I read with some people asking about using Bluetooth earphones as well?

Best wishes

Soap 🧼

[Buddi12 in reply to MummaSoap]

it’s something to do with magnets in devices can I twitch the pacemaker working correctly I believe

[Bingo88 in reply to Buddi12]

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Just don't keep them in your top shirt pocket near your pacemaker. Brian

[Buddi12 in reply to Bingo88]

thank you

[Hanibil]

I wear mine most nights and have had no adverse effects I have a CRT- D implant

[Buddi12 in reply to Hanibil]

thank you

[Pouchielou1972]

Hello there...I have a pacemaker & defibrillator fitted (ICD) and the BHF told me I can wear ipods/bluetooth headphones as long as I keep them 6 inches or more away from the implant, so away from my chest, so not in those chest pockets on shirts My daughter used to always cuddle me with her headphones on, so that's a no no too. I used to always rest my headphones around my neck in between sets at the gym, but the pacing clinic said I shouldn't do that now. The bluetooth devices can interfere with how the implant works if any closer, but definitely safe by your ears.

[Buddi12 in reply to Pouchielou1972]

thank you good to hear

[Deejay62]

I have a CRT-D device and I wear an ear piece. I don’t seem to be able to get those iPod’s to work through my iPhone so I gave up and continued with just the earpiece. In the manual it suggests not to hold a mobile phone over your device. It mainly talks about not to do welding, not to stand too long in-front of a microwave and not to go near strong magnetic fields.

[Buddi12 in reply to Deejay62]

thank you

[Deejay62 in reply to Buddi12]

Another thing I must add, I don’t know about the newer devices. Mine is almost 5 years old. I read on here that the newer models are different. Ask your cardiologist or nurse the next time you see them.

[Buddi12 in reply to Deejay62]

thank you

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to Deejay62]

Hi Deejay. I had a CRT-D implanted in Sept last year following an out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest at local beach. I had previously had angina and a HA followed by a quad by pass op 9 years ago. But I joined the ICD facebook group for some support, mainly around the loss of driving licence for six months and that initial fear of getting a shock. But left because I found they were all so down beat and depressing. Just wanted to say I’m glad I have found some people on this site that have one, that I can talk to and get a much more up beat answer from.

[Deejay62 in reply to Swalecliffe88]

I only recently joined and I’ve found the majority of people on here are very encouraging.

I was on a face book site and it became too much with all the squabbling. My life might be cut short anytime so I want to hear positivity and encouragement. There are very knowledgable people on this site. Sometimes it takes a while for people to reply.

[Buddi12]

thank you good advice

[Buddi12]

thank you just eight weeks in so still adapting 🤔

[Sally_Scott]

I hope so cos I’ve been using them for the last 3 years

[BeeBee79]

I wear them with no problem. I also wear a Fitbit and if I’m massing my left shoulder for a sec, my ICD ;also a pacemaker) gives me a warning sign…

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to BeeBee79]

what kind of warning sign do you get ? I’ve had a few odd sharp pains very short lived ones and wondered if they are nerves still healing or the device trying to tell me something ?

[BeeBee79 in reply to Swalecliffe88]

I had those short standby pains when mine was settling in - lasted a few months. When my Fitbit gets too close, my ICD fires off an alarm noise. It always makes me jump to realise there is an alarm from inside my own body 😆

[BeeBee79 in reply to BeeBee79]

*stabby*

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to BeeBee79]

😂 yes got your gist lol. Thanks did think they were. Oh god that must be so weird having an alarm go off inside you. Don’t want to hear it, but weirdly do 🤪🤪 think I’ll just settle for a quiet life though. I do find that I don’t really give it much thought now. I did at first. Occasionally I might lean my shoulder into something and think ouch but that’s about it.

[BeeBee79 in reply to Swalecliffe88]

The first time mine went off, I leaned against my bag on a chair and my phone set it off. I jumped up looking around before realising it was coming from me. It never fails to make me jump 😆

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to BeeBee79]

I’ll take care not to lean on my bag. 😂😂 Although thinking about it I do tend to carry my bag on my left shoulder. Is it a squealing, a whistle or a bleeping noise ?? With my luck I’ll be in the middle of a supermarket queue and have everyone wondering whose squeaking 👍 x

[BeeBee79 in reply to Swalecliffe88]

😆😆 it sounds like an alarm going off in a shop - long and continuous. It feels like a lifetime but only lasts for less than a minute. It quite loud though.

I did get some laughs on a tense Teams meeting when I began rubbing my shoulder nervously and set it off. It certainly dissipated the tension 😆x

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to BeeBee79]

oh brilliant I love that story. Almost makes me want to do the same thing lol. I’m often in meetings that I could find that party trick useful and amusing.

[Buddi12]

thank you

[EMBoy]

I've had my pacemaker for nearly 4 years now and have never had any problems. I have used an iPod and my phone close to the pacemaker site. I have also used microwaves and all sorts of other electronic equipment. I used to work with electron microscopes that have large electromagnets as lenses..

None of the above have affected my pacemaker, but if they did, the pacemaker would go into "safe" mode and pace me at 85bpm until the magnetic field was removed.

I wouldn't go anywhere near a very large electromagnet (like those they use to lift cars etc.), but I am happy to use ordinary every day appliances.

Good luck with your pacemaker - just enjoy the new lease of life it will give you.

[Buddi12 in reply to EMBoy]

thank you for your help

[Swalecliffe88]

Thank you for lovely reply. I can only be thankful for the skills and technology of so many teams and people, as I would have been gone 10 years ago. Every day is precious to me now. Yes I have consulted the pacing team who all seem very helpful. But sometimes you just need someone who actually knows what it feels like to support you. I know now there are good people in this group for that now. Take care Hidden x