PM settings

I read on another post and posted on that post about PM settings and being tired
feeling better etc etc
I feel better then before I had the PM... but I still get tired
not as bad as before... but its still there.....and Smitty my hubby has noticed that I have a lot more energy then before
but I have a question about what you said about the settings
of the PM? how many settings are there?
I know that my upper level is set to 140 which use to be 130 and the lower is at 50
which seems to work for me... but are there other settings that could be changed to work better?
I am sorry if this is a dumb question... but my Dr has not really explained the settings to well for me to understand.so when I read about the settings well I get confused, lost etc etc
Thank you for any insight you can give me

6 Comments

Same Dr.? No, ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-02-08 09:02:13

breezy: After reading your "post", I had to look at your "profile". I could have sworn after reading your "posts", you and I had the very same cardiologist! I realize you are in Washington and I am in Texas.

Mine did not/does not share any information. What my GP said he did not know anything about while the cardio doctor was doing his "thing" to me with the PM, now all of a sudden, since the cardio got his PM monies & his share of hospital monies (he has part interest in both), suddenly my GP has some answers for me which he did not pre-PM. Cardio was not even going to see me for a year. Now he wants me to come in April. He must need more monies for vacation?

Let me reassure you, absolutely no question is a dumb question and most of the questions "posted" are answered by the "seasoned", educated PM members who know more than most of any doctors, whether the doctors are specialists or general. I can get more info. from the PM members AND for FREE, than I can get buy paying high dollar white coats!

Keep us informed, Carolyn G. in TEXAS ( :

Questions

by SMITTY - 2010-02-08 11:02:24


Hello Breezy,

No, your question on how many settings are there on a pacemaker is not dumb. I'm sorry but I can't answer that one.

I looked at a printout obtained from one of my checkups and I see more than 50 different set points that can be changed. Now consider that if you change on of those settings it could have an adverse impact on the results you get from one you did not change so then you change that one to make it compatible with the one you changed and when you make that change it has an impact on another so you change that one to make it compatible with that change, etc. Does get confusing don't it and as you can see the total number could be almost countless.

However, as I understand it our pacemakers come from the factory with some standard settings programmed into them and the doctors changes only those they think are necessary for a particular patient. Then from that point on other settings can be tweaked to meet the need of the patient. This is where the stuff can start to hit the fan. If the person making the changes misses their guess on a setting you know who pays the price. This is why I think it is in our best interest to get a copy of the printout of the checkup results because every change in a setting will be identified. On my Medtronic PM printout the changes are marked with ">". While I may not know what those changes are supposed to do for me, the marker lets me know which settings to ask about. Also, if you go in with a particular complaint, the person doing the checkup can look at the setting that may affect that function and see if there has been a recent change.

The settings you mentioned are the one we are all the moist familiar with. Again, what these settings are for each of us is determined by what our doctor thinks will best serve our needs.

I want to add your doctor is not unusual by the fact he has not explained the settings to you. Few of them will for at least two reason. One, is the doctor may not know enough about it to fully explain all the settings. Two, he may think we don't know enough about pacemakers to comprehend what he is telling us.

I got a new EP last year and on my first visit with him he was telling me about pacemakers and how mine worked. It so happened, thanks to what I had learned here, I knew what he was talking about so I asked some questions. He answered them and at the end of my visit he said I am so glad to be able to talk to a patient that knows something about pacemakers. Now he didn't go so far as to call me an expert, but that made me realize that considering how little I know about a PM some of his patients must be a real challenge.

Now my disclaimer. I have given you my best guesses and if anyone sees where I made a mistake, please correct me.

Good luck,


Smitty

settings and settings

by breezy - 2010-02-09 01:02:29

I too have a Medtronic ADDRL1 and I do have a small booklet that they gave me when I got this PM..is this what your talking about Frank?
Thank you all for your Posts..:) it all seems pretty confusing to me...so when I go in I am going to ask more questions then before... I was like in a state of shock for awhile and didn't have my wits about me to ask all these questions...but now I think I know what to ask...maybe my Dr will give me some answers.. if he thinks I know more then I really do :).....
Thanks again to all ... I love that we get so much info here...:)

Pacemaker settings

by ElectricFrank - 2010-02-09 02:02:17

I also have the Adapta L ADDRL1 and have the manual. It wouldn't be practical to post the manual here as it is 350 pages of very technical information. I have a copy of my Initial Interrogation Report taken in the O.R. after implant. (I remembered to ask for it as they were stitching me up).

When I get some time I will try to go through the report and pick out some of the common settings, look them up in the manual, and see if I can give a description of them in human words! My strong area is DDD mode (rate response off) used for the various types of ventricular blocks since that is what I have and have studied.

Apparently, Medtronic is the only one that is willing to post their manuals on line, which limits what we can figure out for the others. Fortunately, the names of the settings is very similar across pacers though.

frank

Me too

by FirstDuely - 2010-02-09 02:02:19

I also have the Medtronic Adapta L ADDRL1. How many settings is anyone's guess but as Smitty so eloquently put it, you get one changed, wait until next time, report back and make another, etc., etc.
Mine was implanted 07/31/08 at 9:50AM...it says so on the printout. And that printout itself is confusing for all the data it holds.
I for one would like to see a listing first of what each section of the printout is about. I think I know what the "Rates" section is and, under "Atrial Lead", what Capture Test Frequency and Capture Test Time are because I have been awake at 1:00 A.M. and felt the capture test happening. Of course it feels like when my heart pauses/waits when I don't get enough magnesium....at least I "believe" this is what I need to take in order to prevent or decrease the number of times the heart pauses while the pm is waiting, then realizing the heart won't beat strong enough(?), it kicks in and sends an electrical pulse.
We, meaning me, need to talk to the doctor next time in and I WILL ask some direct questions and see if I can get him to "spill his guts" in regards to settings.
Somewhere I remember that ElectricFrank had a manual for this pacer. I need to find this, too. It should be posted on this site!!!!!
What was your question? Oh, yeah...Ans: apparently there are lots of ways to program these things. The secret (pun intended) is to find out how we can maximize our use of this technology so that we all can live normal lives thus increasing the quality of our lives.
BTW, the Medtronic was my 8th pacer in 24 years. Why 8? LONG story and too late tonight.
Good night and good luck to you.
Gary in Hemet, CA

Breezy

by ElectricFrank - 2010-02-10 01:02:22

The manual I'm talking about is a 300+ page technical manual that is written for a cardiologist, EP, or engineer. It's not for the faint of heart (no pun intended).

Keep at it with your questions and don't be intimidated by the medical types. One of the first things I used to tell my electronics classes is that "If I can't explain something clearly enough for you to understand I must not understand it myself". I feel the same about the docs.

best,

frank

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