Should I change PM Brand

I had a pacemaker put in about 7 years ago. Medtronic it is good except I am a runner and about a year ago I purchased a Matrix Treadmill. Lately I have been doing training runs that adjust incline and speed depending on HR. I find any time I try to use this feature because of the pacemaker and response time of actual HR, the beginning of programs the treadmill increases speed and pace WAY to fast/up incline. Example at the start of any work out my HR is 60 it takes a while for the pacemaker to adjust my rate up. I know movement causes a increase in HR but to get to a RPE of 6 it increases the speed up to 10mph 6 minute pace., It does drop speed back after a few minutes to a speed I can maintain after I few minutes....... Their must be a pacemaker made more for running... Also after about 10 minutes or so I find the programs don't push enough because my HR is within the RPE zone but it is just not fast enough for me to feel I am pushing... I am constantly adjusting speed up and down in order to get a good workout... thank 

4 Comments

Running

by AgentX86 - 2022-03-28 19:29:47

Running/walking is the easiest exercise for pacemakers to adjust to.  They directly sense motion and footfalls, which can be translated into oxygen demand. Hills can be a little problematic but within reason it should be a simple matter of settings.  All of these response times are just settings of the PM. 

Medtronic pacemakers should be fine. Start with your pacemaker clinic/tech to adjust the dwell and slopes.  He should be ble to fix you up easily enough but sometimes it takes a few attempts (they'll only change them so much at a time) and once in a while it'll take some help from your EP and perhaps some testing.

If you change your PM brand, you might find it impossible to have an MRI should you need one.

Thank you so much

by wjs1954 - 2022-03-29 07:21:27

I don't go to a EP, my cardiologist does her best but just doesn't understand my issues, she does try and talked to Medtronic. She had made a couple adjustments a few years ago. She is a fabulous cardiologist otherwis. I will be going for my 6 month check up  in a couple weeks, I am going to ask her about referring me to a EP. 

Pacer Adjustments

by Julros - 2022-03-29 10:45:26

Ask to have the Medtronic pacer representative do an adjustment. My cardiologist ordered a CAEP test (chronotropic assessment exercise protocol) with the rep preseent. I walked, then ran on a treadmill as the speed increased, and he adjusted the response and rate accordingly. 

I was struggling to walk up hills and jog, and this adjustment made all the difference. 

not your job

by dwelch - 2022-05-04 01:53:12

its not really your job nor decision to choose the device or brand. that is for the doc to do. your job is to tell the doc what you do, I am a runner I am serious about this, I do it this many days a week, I need a device that is designed for my activity, I am willing to have a larger device or a device that does not last as long to support this activity.

then the doc chooses both the brand and from the many choices from the brand and the settings for the model chosen...

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A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.