pvcs and pacs after pacer placement

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to have pacs and pvcs after you have a pacer placed? I work night shifts and when I come home in the am I am exhausted. I do not sleep well during the day so for days I am a zombie.. I feel like my heart is pounding when I am trying to sleep and when I wake up I have "skipped beats" or palpitations and I though that when I got the pacer this would all quit?? I am only 2 weeks post op

4 Comments

Pacer Rates

by pacemaker writer - 2010-01-10 07:01:05

I can't answer your PAC/PVC question but your pacemaker will keep your rate from falling below a certain rate. It cannot keep your heart from beating (on its own) faster than that rate.

I've heard the same things as Wendy wrote about these kinds of beats, but I would still follow up with your doc to see what's going on.

update

by silygirl30 - 2010-01-10 07:01:32

Yes.. I did have many pacs and pvcs before the pacer. I have had 4 ep studies and three ablations. The last ablation was for atrial tach. but the previous ones were for PSVT. I have just been concerned because they put in a Dual pacer and I didn't need Ventrical pacing so I have been worried that what I am feeling is that stupid ventricle pacer kicking in when it shouldn't. I guess I will call the doctor again tomorrow. I am sure they are getting tired of me.

Yup

by wenditt - 2010-01-10 07:01:39

I can tell you that I NEVER has PAC's or PVS's before the pacemaker....but I have them now on a daily basis.

I have asked several times about them and this is what I am told
1. They are not dangerous
2. That is sometimes is a result from caffiene, stress, tobacco use or anything of the such that would "irritate" your heart.
3. You can get medication to make them stop but my doctor asked me not to and asked me to try to ignore them as best I can,
4. That it is possible you had them before and just didn't notice. It's possible that now that you have the PM, you are in tune and ultra aware of your hearts beats, therefor you are noticing them.

Better off asking the Dr. to make sure. I am not sure what your condition was that got you the PM in the first place so better safe than sorry and always ask.

Good luck-
Wendy

Pacemaker self test

by ElectricFrank - 2010-01-10 10:01:28

One other cause of strange skipped beats or a short run of fast beats especially during the night is the pacers self test. They are programmed to run some tests that have to do with the amount of energy required to pace your heart. They can be set to do the test anywhere from every few days down to every 15 minutes or so.

The test involves speeding your heart up and then slowly reducing the pacing voltage until it skips a beat. Then the voltage is increased until pacing starts. Actually, the test feels a lot like the one they run in the office. If you happen to wake up during the time the test is running it can be a bit of a surprise when you are still too groggy to know what is happening. Mine is set for 3:00AM once a day and I rarely notice it. I can only imagine what it would be like to have it set for every 15 minutes.

frank

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