Magnets and Pacemakers

[2travelers]

Hi: I was not going to post this on this board because it is really just a general posting (but where should I put it?). I have been on this board for the past few months getting all sorts of good info in preparation for our Russian River Cruise, so I decided to post it here. I just finished reading about all of the safety issues in St. Petersburg and the need to keep our money and passports safe from pickpockets. A few months ago I decided that I would give in and purchase a Scottvest travel jacket. I decided against the more popular travel vest, because we will be traveling again in March of '08 and I wanted the option of having a vest with removable sleeves. I absolutely loved the jacket with all of the hidden pockets, and pockets within pockets. When I started packing for our trip (we leave on Tuesday -Yea!) I put the jacket on an proceeded to take out all of the info cards placed in each of the pockets. I wasn't paying too much attention to them, except that in the pocket with the heavy magnet closures the shape of the card was a bit different. This one I read! It gave a warning that these magnets can affect pacemakers to the point of shutting them down. I read and reread the warning...which said to wear the jacket at your own risk, or call your physician. Now, last month my husband had an emergency pacemaker inserted. I really was a bit concerned. Research on the iternet said the magnets affected pacemakers at a distance of about 1 1/2 inches away....speeding them up and at times shutting them down completely. So, now I had a dilema...I really love the jacket/vest so do I chance speeding up or shutting down this guy's heart or send the jacket back :rolleyes: ....HUMMMMM...in the end, I took the jacket to the tailor and asked him to remove all of the magnets. It is interesting that nothing about this was mentioned when I bought this product (it wouldn't have mattered, he didn't have the pacemaker at that point) - but I just wanted to give a heads-up the CC members. There are more and more products being made with these new magnets, including jewelry, and sweaters...neither the manufacturers nor physicians are warning folks about this very real danger (could they not know???). I expect that my husband will tell the cardiologist at his next appoinment - but in the meantime, I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn''t stopped to read this card; maybe something or maybe nothing. No one wants medical problems during a trip - and this is an easy one to avoid....now back to packing :D

Ronnie

[Coral]

That is pretty darn scary.

 

The one thing I was concerned about when reading about traveling to Russia was the medical issues. I brought which felt like a medicine cabinet with me - just in case. I saw my physician before I left and he prescribed several meds (I am allergic to several and didn't want to chance that in Russia).

 

The last thing I wanted to be was sick in Russia. There was one person in our group who had bronchitis and I felt sorry for her. I also avoided her bus because she was coughing something awful.

 

Have a great trip!

[joek]

Ronnie,

 

It certainly was a good thing that you read the warning card on the jacket, most would just glance and throw. I have a pacemaker and know that a magnet can stop the pacemaker, and I avoid any close contact to one. When my pacemaker is checked by the doctor, a magnet is used to stop the action so an EKG can be done. When the magnet is removed, the pacemaker resumes.

 

You did avoid a serious danger.

[2travelers]

Hi Joe: I alway joke that we bring enough meds with us when we travel to replace a hip if necessary. In this case, all the meds in the world would not have hepled! My husband is "pacing" continouosly - so it was either him or the jacket! Tough choice, but having the magnets removed was a happy medium :D. Yes, it is a scary thought, and Joe, you are right - this was avoiding a serious danger. One article I saw when I researched was about a woman with a pacemaker wearing a sweater with magnetic closures...she had no idea why she was so sick, until they took the sweater off her in the ambulance....BINGO. Scary that something so simple can cause so much trouble. (but I really do love the jacket!!!!) Happy to get the word out to fellow travelers.

Ronnie

[PennyAgain]

Ronnie, thanks so much for your warning. My husband has 2 Scottivest jackets (one with removeable sleeves). We are glad for your information. He doesn't have a pacemaker, but does carry credit cards and other things that can be ruined by magnets.

 

Yes, you can ruin an ATM or credit card with a magnet.

 

Be careful of the pockets in pockets. My husband put our airline tickets in one of the pockets and then couldn't find them! Several minutes of furious searching and he found them.

 

Scottivest is a small company. Why not call them and tell your story? You could save lives!

[2travelers]

Hi PennyAgain: Your husband has the same jacket I bought. I know how easy it is to lose things in a pocket, there are so many. I was taking the cards out of each pocket when I came across the card with the warning.( I think I counted about 27 cards) This morning I read the card again and on one side it told about problems with ATM cards and key cards. Although they do say that there have been very few problems that they heard about, the magnets have only had positive feedback. The other side of the card warned about pacemakers. I did call them on Friday and I left a message. Do I think that the warnings will be in bigger print, in the decription of the jacket on the internet, and placed on the jacket in a more prominent place? No, I don't think that would be very good for business....so, I guess it is up to the consumer to be aware of all of these things. As long as the warning is there, the company is not liable for any problems. I would never have thought about ATM cards, credit card or key cards. Live and learn. Also, I expect to use only a few pockets inside the jacket. The hard drive in my brain is shot, so I can't even remember where I left my shoes - oops - on my feet! Unless you own this jacket, you can't imagine the number of hidden pockets...I can understand how your husband can lose the plane tickets :D

Ronnie

[PennyAgain]

Ronnie, card keys! Yes! Hadn't thought about those.

 

Talked to my husband about this situation. He keeps his credit cards in his pants pocket (also Scottivest product). He loves those pants. He thinks that is far enough away to protect the cards from the magnets.

 

I don't know where you live, but the first Scottivest jacket we ordered was much to warm for our climate. The people in the office are very easy to talk to. Why can't they make a jacket/vest with NO magnets?

 

I want a jacket for myself, but can't figure out the sizes. Obviously there are too many pockets for me as well.

 

Take a look at the pants. I have washed my husband's many times and they still look good. He wears them very often as there are plenty of pockets for his gadgets and techo stuff.

[2travelers]

Hi: We live in Central New Jersey, but I bought the Scotti Vest for travel. I expect to wear it here in the Fall just because it is so nice. We are heading for the Russian River Cruise, so I am not even bothering to take the sleeves. I usually wear a size 6 or 8, and I bought the jacket in a S. Funny, it comes below the waiste and when you zip it, it is snug on the hips, but a M would have been way too big. Scotti Vest did call me back. I spoke to a lovely woman who told me that now they sew the warning into the jacket. She said she thought the warning was also on their website, but I have not checked that, and I don't remember seeing it - even if I did - it didn't pertain to me at that point. Seems that the company checked with physicians who told them that most pacemakers have built in alarms and will start to beep when they are in close proximity of these magnets. I certainly don't remember the cardiologist telling us that. Can you imagine my husband beeping evertime I went near him. We wouldn't have a clue :confused: She also mentioned that now they put the warning on the paper work when you receive the jacket. I am thinking that I am not the first person with this issue. In any event I told her that I thought the warning on the card should be in a more obvious place and just a bit bigger than a 2x3 card. I did tell her that I had the tailor take out the magnets. The first thing this man said when he saw me was "there were 24 magnets in the jacket". The jacket is about three pounds lighter. I never asked if Scotti Vest would have taken back the jacket, but I did tell her I posted on CC and that many people were now aware of the problems that can occur with these magnets. She said they had tested the credit cards and room keys and only in the UK did the room keys need to be reprogramed. I will say the jacket is a bit more comfortable to wear. I intend to replace the inside pocket closures with some velcro....that should work quite well. Hopefully we will now get off the ground with no more glitches and the trip will be wonderful. (my plane tickets stay in my Baggalini - a nylon bag with hidden pockets in three sections - talk about finding you stuff :D.