Electromagnetic interferences with pacemaker

My (3-week-old) Pacemaker's User Manual warns specifically of lingering or working around sources of EMI, to the point of advising patients to move quickly through the automatic doors of the supermarket. I believe its interference with your rhythms is a transient thing, but I'm surprised your doctor isn't aware of this.

I've read my PM manual, too, and I've been careful ever since. I was just surprised that how strong the overall EMI can be at Best Buy. And don't think that I was hugging the TVs, he he he!

As for my doctor, she gave me the same instructions found in the PM manual. That's why I think she doesn't understand or believe me. I have an appointment next week, and I've taken notes in my diary about this. I'll see from there.

I'm just curious to know if anybody else has experienced this?

Yes, I have a Boston Scientific pacemaker on my right side as I am lefthanded. I held open a large sliding entry door at a hotel so my great grandchildren (pulling their suitcases) could go in without it closing on them. As I turned to go in myself, I felt like someone turned me off. I crumbled to the floor. I had no control over my body to brace myself. Once I fell clear of the door, my daughter helped me up and I felt perfectly normal.

My doctor thought that I must have had a small stroke. He wouldn't believe that the door 's EMI did that to me. I had a Cat Scan today and there is no evidence of a stroke. When I fell I felt like I did a few times before the pacemaker when I lost control of my body and fell on the lawn or on the living room rug. I am positive the sliding glass door's EMI knocked me out for a few minutes. Thankfully, I only ended up bruised all the way up my left side but no broken bones.

I have a Boston Scientific ICD and have never had trouble. They have a faraday cage “around” them that is supposed to protect them.
I have put mine to the test with generators, welding, hammer drills, and tools of that nature.
I haven’t specifically been to a Best Buy lately, but haven’t had any issues with any EMI either.
Further proof that each case is unique.
Hopefully they believe you and can make the proper adjustments (if possible) and get you back up to par.

I had a Boston scientific PM for 18 months and then had a Boston Scientific ICD implanted a year ago. I have not noticed this happen. Hopefully you can get to the bottom of this issue.

Hi I had a Boston Scientific also with ICD for 10 years prior to transplant. During that time I was concerned of the same think as I worked in the power plants of places like Hoover Dam and others. Plus I was in Substations with over 500,000-volt transformers. So when I first got my Pacemaker my EP Doctor said that to give yourself a try near them and when you come and see me I can read the device to see if it was affected. I did as he suggested and never saw any issue with the device. I worked around that type equipment daily for almost 10 years so I'm pretty sure its not the EMI. I also had a gauss meter when I did those tests and it never got close to the level that Boston Scientific said would damage the device. I don't remember the levels but I do know that in emergency rooms have a very strong magnetic that can be used to shut down the Pacemaker, but I was told even then the device is designed to reset after its removed. I had mine between 2008 and 2018 an im guessing that technology has improved since then. Hope that helps, Has the Doctor looking further into that incident?

@reduxo01
Question, do you have the exercise mode turned on in your Pace Maker? It is designed to up your pacing when motion is detected (there are other ways that it can be raised/lowered also).

I had my pacemakers for many years (since 2006 all Boston Scientific) and never had exercise mode turned on. Then about a year ago they turned it on. I had issues immediately with increased pulse rates and shocks. I even asked Boston Scientific (BS) was the cause on one extremely increased pulse rate due to my smart key being over my device. I was told by BS that it could have.

I kept have issues and tried to figured out why and what was new. The only thing was the exercise mode. I had them look at it and said was high mode which mean would increase from slight movement and pulse climb high. They wanted to lower the level but I asked them to just turn it off. Guess what, the increased pulses and shocks stopped.

I know that BS and my Pace Clinic at Mayo state be careful around electrical devices including your phones. My pacemaker is under my chest muscle but I am very careful about getting around electrical items. I know MRIs are an issue with most (newer ones are MRI compatible but your wires need to be also) ICD/pacemakers. When I had my MRI they shut off the pacemaking of my device during MRI and turned back on after tests.

I also went through 30 rounds of radiation where UFPTI required RO to use pencil beam radiation to keep as much radiation away from ICD/pacemaker as much as possible. I then had to have a weekly test to see if radiation was affecting the device. It was not.