Hi again,

Trying to get some ideas on why my heart rate would suddenly shoot up from about 50 bpm to 80 bpm or more (these are only approximate numbers). I have both rate response and CLS turned off. Everything was fine for the first 2 months (after turning off RR and CLS), then on the third month I've had 3 of these episodes. Each time it happend while sitting at my desk at work while concentrating on the computer screen. I first felt an irregular heart beat as if it skipped a beat and then the rate goes up suddenly, it is the same sensation as when the rate response was turned on, where I feel like I need to relax and take deep breaths in order to get my rate to come back down. It does this for about 10-15 seconds, I know it's...

 

Frank and others, I did a search of past messages re rate response setting and it was most helpful. Meet with surgeon EP that did implant in 8 days and by that time will know if increasing medicine has helped the rapid heart rate. After reading all postings, I will ask about having rate response turned off. Let you know..

 

So I am older than you by 4 months. Turned 83 February 2. Have a question about rate response. Saw cardiologist on Monday because my heart rate has been 115-125 while resting. Obviously not good. He says I won't die from it, but it is a nuisance. Duh, yeah. In some responses you have given, you mentioned you had rate response turned off. Mine is on and just wonder if my coughing or breathing or getting engrossed in a tv show, or even just walking around the house and then sitting and taking pulse might be triggering rate response. Doctor increased atenolol to 75 mg from 50 to see if that solves problem. I just have a feeling that the rate response is contributing. Just wondered what your experience was. I am not inactive but not like some ...

 

I am still hear lurking, not much posting. I am still in the fine tuning stages and the DRs are getting ready to throw me on a treadmill. I am doing great, but things aren't quite perfect like I would expect.

So, I learned today that there is another factor in how high a pacer can take you. I thought the upper tracking rate was it..., now they tell me the sensing rate is the magic number. Can anyone tell me the difference? My UTR is 200, my sensing rate is 130 or 140...I don't get it!

Anyway, every visit seems to get better.

 

Hi,
My dad had a pm installed in 2005. the pm has been working fine, but of late he's been in deteriorating health and is in the ICU since 10 days. I need to have his pm checked, but the doc informed that ela is now defunct and the technician equipped to check the pm is charging exorbitantly.
I stay in Mumbai and would appreciate if someone knew somebody in Mumbai, India that can check/test the pm at minimal costs. I am already burdened financially because of healthcare costs.

 

Is there a way to routinely download PM data so I can get a copy

 

Just had an interrogation. PM tech said that I appear to not relying much on the PM right now. Got me to wondering if the systemic inflammation (from a systemic diagnosis of AS) that caused my block at the His Bundle (if I remember correctly) might be going away???? My printout shows the rate histogram %'s as follows: AS-VS: 24.5%; AS-VP: .1%; AP-VS: 75.5%; and AP-VP: .1%. Am I kidding myself or is this even possible? This is so out of my area of expertise; appreciate any input on interpreting these percentages.

 

I read interesting material from several of the members about this and have just had the AV ablation which appears to have gone well. The technician said she set the delay at 60. Could some of you tell me what this really means as the figures you mentioned were like 140, 180 and up. Certainly I am elderly but very active and keen to get back to golf, bowls, bush walks and such. Yes I had a pm before ablation, and the rate response is on. I see there are some very knowledgeable members here on this subject. Many thanks, MT

 

For your settings on the pm to be set?

I received mine last May at the 1st check in Sept they "turned on" the breathing sensor to let my top rate go higher. But I don't think it is working correctly or it has a governor on it.

When I exercise or other "extra curicular" activities, I get so out of breath very quickly - faster than before the pm. I took my pulse the last time and it was only 100, it should have been on the 140 - 160 range in my opinion.

I hope this makes sense to some of you.

My next check is in 13 days. So do I go in an demand a higher upper level? Is ther something else either I or the doctor should be doing?

What are the normal upper/lower settings? (100% paced)

click to read more...

 

Thank you so much for all the information and answers you gave me. It is wonderful to be able to have so many people with so much knowledge! I wonder how all of you learned so much … My field of studies is literature, and I have no science background. The heart has been a mystery to me, and anything electric scares me – not a good thing for someone in my situation. But, I’m making progress, thanks to all of you: I bought a book that explains the functioning of the heart, and I have been pouring over all your information trying to digest everything possible. I’ll get there!
I continue to feel lousy, and with all my responsibilities it has not been easy. Today I finally received a call from my PM office – there was a cancellation tom...

 

Hi Guys,

I am the worst poster ever, as I only visit here when I need some advice - I prefer to ignore the pacemaker drama if I can, but now, after a year, a week before my annual check up, I had a vasovagal syncope drama again - I fell over at work, but did not pass out, so that was better, but I was annoyed as I have been symptom free since my PM implant..

Went to the doc, and he said my left ventricle is being overpaced, as I have had in excess of 10,000 "dips" in the past month, that the pacer has rectified, and pacing the heart so often has my battery down from 13 years last year to 6 this year, and overpacing the left ventricle is bad?? He wants me to change it to a slower response, but last year they sped it up...

 

Dan, Thanks for all the info, something I am now looking into as I just had an AV ablation, got pm 15 mths ago, . I had no luck with the website you provided which I do want to access. It ran me into a bunch to choose from and I am not experienced enough to go there. Any further advice on finding it, as I am certainly interested in optimising my remaining years. mt

 

Good day pacers,
I just got information this week from my cardiology group that my Medtronic Carelink telephone monitoring program now has a website that you can sign up and see your telephone monitoring activities. It will allow you to sign up with your pacer serial number and create an on-line account where you can see the dates and results of your activites. Didn't know about this until this week. Thought I'd pass it on to our members who have Medtronic pacers. https://www.mymedtroniccarelink.net/.

 

I just recently had to have my pacemaker settings adjusted because I was experiencing fatigue, shortness of breath and light headedness. The nurse, along with the Dr. and the "device expert" finally agreed on an adjustment and I do feel better but I am feeling more "jittery" and still a bit tired. Is this common after an adjustment and how long does it take to get used to it?

 

Not compatiable with wirless phone- and I am not always at a landline- live sevearal hrs from hospital-
This is stress for me-
I have been told there is a way to do with cell phones but very expensive-

 

Not compatiable with wirless phone- and I am not always at a landline- live sevearal hrs from hospital-
This is stress for me-
I have been told there is a way to do with cell phones but very expensive-

 

It has been awhile since I posted here. My bestfriend has had her surgery to implant a 2nd pacemaker in her stomach. The 30 year old leads were to occulted to be removed. Originally her electrophysiologist told the sturgeon to place 2 leads in to make this pacemaker a bipolar PM. We have now found out that this was to complicated so she now has 2 leads but they are both unipolar. Her original PM has been turned down and the new pacemaker is turned on to be the main pacemaker. The 2 PMs have some interference and every 3 hours to the minute she has a thumping in her stomach PM.Since she is such a rare case I wanted her to go to a more advanced Heart facility but it is done now. Does anyone on this blog have a situation similar to hers?

 

Hi all
well as the title says I went for my post op checkup
they did an ECG test and then the PC tech laid a do nut
shaped ring on my chest over my heart and checked with a laptop and told me it was all within tollerances then said can you feel this he said it is like a mobile phone
well My PC/DF vibrated and I nearly jumped off the bed
he told me if I felt that to call the doc and if it went off two or three times call an ambulance
the doc took of my dressing and said it was healing nicely
also getting to use my arm again
thanks for all your answers
John in OZ

 

Hi all. Today I went to the hospital for my AV delay optimisation. All looking good so far.

The Head of Pacing & a Dr (not my EP but a registrar, I'm in the UK) did the optimisation. It was done by echo scan while connected to the PM computer as well.

They found my AV delay was set at 180 but this was too long. With the echo they found it was optimal at 140. It was fascinating watching them doing the echo & seeing the changes
in chamber filling as they altered settings etc. They did scans at different AV delay settings to find the optimal. They also increased by HR by 10bpm in stages to observe the changes on the echo.

The Head of Pacing reset my AV delay to 140. She also turned on a function that shor...

 

First of all, please let me thank you for all the information you gave me. I am studying carefully, and I hope to understand better what is happening to me. Here is my background:
I am 74 years old, and I take care of my 81 years old husband – the love of my life. We have been married for 50 plus years. I have lost both parents and my only brother to heart disease. I have been diagnosed with SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) for about 15 years. I have it under control. I was diagnosed with third degree heart block in 2004, and I received then my pacemaker. About 2 months ago I was helping my husband to the bathroom, feeling sick, light headed, nausea, cold perspiration, etc., when all darkened around me and I passed out. I wa...