Using an electric wheel, and I have a pacemaker

[RebeccaC]

Hello, all.   I received a pacemaker implant in June of last year (2020).   I have also recently been looking at buying a second wheel for my studio.   There are several retail websites that now carry a warning about using any brand electric wheel by anyone who has a pacemaker.     

Quote

"This product may be harmful to a person who has a pacemaker.  Serious injury or death could occur.  Consult a physician before using.  All wheels (every brand) are harmful to pacemakers.  The person is throwing over something that creates a magnetic field when in use."   

I am going to call my cardiologist, and if necessary, the maker/manufacturer of my pacemaker to do more research, but was wondering if anyone out there on this forum has heard anything or had personal experience related to pacemakers and electric wheels.      The paperwork I received when I had the surgery to do the implant had a general warning about leaning over a running car engine, which is not something I do, ever, anyway.   

This is sort of disheartening, and I need to make a decision to either continue doing my little bit of potting on my wheel, or move to just handbuilding, or give it all up entirely (which I don't want to do.)

Thanks, all, for your opinions, and input on this.    

Rebecca

 

[Mark_H]

Hi, I would call the manufacturer of your pacemaker.  They will likely give you safe specs and what motor specs you need to look at.  Then if you can find the manufacture or the wheel motor (not necessarily the wheel brand) and see if you can get any specs regarding electro-magnetic interference generated by the motor.

Edit: there are motors that are shielded more than others, so worse case it's a no go with current motor, perhaps you can replace with a shielded motor.  Pacemaker folks will know.  They would be the folks I would trust.

 

[RebeccaC]

After I posted, I received a call from the cardiologist.   They told me that using my wheel is of no real concern, they felt there was no reason to worry.   My Brent wheel is older, so I would doubt it's shielded.   I will still call Boston Scientific myself, the pacemaker manufacturer.  

Just don't want to trundle along until it's not okay, and I fall over dead with a face plant in a wad of clay on my wheel.  

[Bill Kielb]

1 hour ago, RebeccaC said:

After I posted, I received a call from the cardiologist.   They told me that using my wheel is of no real concern, they felt there was no reason to worry.   My Brent wheel is older, so I would doubt it's shielded.   I will still call Boston Scientific myself, the pacemaker manufacturer.  

Just don't want to trundle along until it's not okay, and I fall over dead with a face plant in a wad of clay on my wheel.  

I would definitely call. Lots of appliances contain motors and electronics that generate a bunch of electromagnetic noise so a pacemaker that was not shielded extremely well from all such noises would concern me a whole bunch.  Blenders, drill motors, hair dryer, air conditioner, washing machine, dryer, fans .......... the list is endless and they likely generate more than the typical wheel.

I would suggest to definitely call and inquire but also would encourage you to make sure ANY wheel you are using is protected by the use of a gfi outlet to prevent electric shock. It’s absolutely mandatory most everywhere but in your case probably even more important.

[Mark_H]

Additionally, they also have handheld EMF meters on amazon that measure ambient EMF.  I do not know if they are sensitive enough, but the pacemaker folks could possibly give you a maximum safe EMF, and then set the meter on whatever appliance/etc.  and have another person switch it on to get a reading.  Just a thought, I don't know if it's practical, but in my mind it would be nice to get a reading on something rather than look up specs (I question if wear would incread EMF also.)  They're about $30.00 on amazon.

 

[neilestrick]

Not to add to any stress, but I would also check out the EMF readings around your kiln. There are electrical fields at work there, too, that can cause interference with electronic devices. Whether or not it's an issue with pacemakers I don't know, but it would be worth checking.

[RebeccaC]

Thanks to all who replied!!!   I've got lots to look into, pertaining to this pacemaker thing.  I also should mention that the pacemaker came along with a "monitor" that sends info to the cardiologist 24/7, and will alert them if there is any trouble/issues/anomalies with my heart.    

Thanks, Neil, for chiming in about my Kiln.  I have an L & L that I purchased a couple years ago as brand new.   Quad elements, and all the bells and whistles.    

I don't run it very often, as I am mainly a hobby potter.   I also run it at night, and don't stick around it much while it's firing except to check periodically to see that it's firing correctly. 

Bill, thanks for noting the use of a GFCI outlet.  Hubby is an engineer, and built my studio.   The wheel is on it's own GFCI circuit, I had him raise the outlet above the height of the wheel enough that I shouldn't be inadvertently splashing water/clay at/into it. 

Thanks, again, I really appreciate the thoughts.   

This forum is great!!!
Rebecca

 

[blackthorn]

Not a doctor and know nothing about pacemakers but I do have an 86 year old friend who has had one for ten or so years.  He throws prolifically every day on his Shimpo Whisper and fires it all in the local college's pair of computer controlled Geil electric and gas kilns.  I don't think anything wrong with him can be attributed to his pacemaker's interaction with ambient electric fields, though he does wander off topic frequently during conversation.