Self Test Mode

I just had my 1 year PM checkup at the PM clinic. I was told I had paced 2% over the past 12 months. I mentioned to the nurse that did the check up that I could tell when my PM was doing it's thing. She said she would turn the self test mode off as she did not feel it was needed. That was 1 week ago and I have not felt my PM doing it's thing since. Is there any chance she could have turned the PM off altogether by mistake? Is that possible. I am sure this is just a little paranoia but I would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks
Howard

3 Comments

Hi

by Gellia3 - 2011-02-06 11:02:42

I don't think you need to worry. The self check that they are talking about checks the impedance of the wires by sending out a higher voltage. Many times that higher voltage can be felt.

If the check is not necessary (as was in my case also) they just turn it off. I had mine turned off because it was affecting a muscle in my arm every three hours and making it violently jerk. Not good when holding hot coffee.

If the nurse turned off the impedance check as she indicated, you would no longer have that feeling.

Hope this helps!

My best to you,
Gellia

Trust Your Feelings

by SMITTY - 2011-02-06 12:02:36

Hi Howard,

I would doubt that the nurse would turn off your pacemaker without authorization from the Dr. It could have been exactly what you were told. What you were feeling was the self test feature and with a 2% pacing rate you don't need self testing. There are also at least other two settings that I know of that can be changed to cause you to not feel the PM.

One is the voltage of the impulse from the PM could be lowered, if it was high voltage that was making you feel the PM. The other is the low set point could have been lowered and the PM is not pacing the heart as often. As an example, say the low set point was 70, but your normal heart rate was most often 70 or above and fell below 70 only occasionally. Only when it went below 70 would the PM would kick in and hold you at 70. If that low set point were changed to 60, than the PM would not pace until your heart rate set below 60 which means it could pacing your heart even less.

No matter what the nurse did, so long as you feel all right, I would not be concerned.

Good luck,

Smitty

Thanks

by The Fish - 2011-02-06 12:02:53

Thanks for the helpful replies. I feel more at ease now and am sure all is well. Hope all is well with each of you too!
Howard

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