Electric Frank please advise

I noted that you had answered someone talking about PVC is that the same as ectopic. I know I panic and believe me I took all your advice and I do think my pacer is OK now. It is just when I get these runs of ectopics all day for about three/four days it sets me back.

My dad died when he was in his 50's and likewise his mum and dad and I think my problem lies there.

If you can advise I would be grateful.

Many thanks Julie

3 Comments

Thanks Pookie

by Jules - 2010-01-08 04:01:32

Thanks for that and yes I agree with you Electric Frank seems to know all about pacers and puts everyones mind at rest.

What is Junctional Rhythm? I feel most of my ectopics in the upper abdomen weird or what. With the bad weather at the moment exercise is down to nil apart from working. When snow and ice clear I am aiming to get out there and prove there is nothing wrong with me.

Cheers Pookie

Ectopic vs PVC

by ElectricFrank - 2010-01-08 06:01:27

The way it seems to be used in medicine is that ectopic beats are an uneven heart beat. PVC's are a particular kind of ectopic beat. Kind of like pot holes are a particular kind of rough road!!

frank

Ectopic beats

by Pookie - 2010-01-08 10:01:44

Hi again, Pookie here.

I asked Frank the same question about a year ago and I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I share it will all of you. It might even save him some wear and tear on his keyboard...just kidding.

This is what he wrote to me & it helped a lot!!!!!!!!!:

Ectopic means unusual location (why can't they just say it) so an ectopic atrial is one that is paced from somewhere other than the usual spot in the SA node. One of the effects of this is to upset the normal sequence of left and right atrial contraction (kind of like a car engine with the timing misadjusted). There is delicate sequence of events involving the timing of the atria and ventricles where each one delivers its load of blood to the next one in line. While we still can have adequate blood flow if the timing is off it produces something like the car engine knocking. All this just doesn't feel very comfortable. What makes matters worse is that the feelings that go with it can make us anxious and this upsets the timing even more. I'm beginning to think it just goes with the territory for those of us with electrical problems.

You could have the Junctional Rhythm as well as the ectopic atrial rhythm since they both are heart conduction problems. (He was right on the money for me on this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

As far as the fall back rate thing in your case it is hard to check since you have AV conduction. With my AV block it is easy. I just had the Medtronics rep turn off pacing which left my ventricles on their own. My HR drops down in the 35 range only being paced by its fall back.

I realize it is hard to remain calm and cool when all this thumping and bumping is going on. In some ways the cardiologist is right that your worry is affecting things, but not that you worry too much.That implies you can just turn it off. One thing to keep in mind..we have a whole pacemaker forum full of people having varying degrees of the same symptoms. Many have been around since I joined the site in 2005. Few if any are dead!

So I'm going for a 3 mile walk and stir up some of my thumps and bumps.

Frank & Pookie

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

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I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.