Abnormal Heart Sound

Hello! I just got a pacemaker implanted June 10, 2008 and all went well with the surgery. I am a 24 year old female in otherwise good health, with a dual-chamber Medtronic pacemaker implanted for extended periods of asystole occurring during episodes of vasovagal syncope.

I was just wondering if anyone with a dual-chamber pacemaker has experienced any abnormal heart sounds that have not been explained with testing (chest X-ray, echo, EKG, lab work, etc). I had all of this done and nothing surfaced as being abnormal. The sound occurs with each heart beat and sounds like a squeak, almost like a dolphin or something. It is very odd and no one seems to have heard a sound like it before. I would appreciate it if anyone who has experienced a similar sort of problem could let me know so I don't feel as confused! The doctors had no explanation/couldn't always hear it.

Thanks!!


4 Comments

Hi!

by dw5281 - 2008-06-19 04:06:37

Hi Silpa!

I had my pacemaker implanted for the same reasons as you (i think - i'm not up on all the terminology like most people!!) - my heart stopped for up to 26 seconds when i blacked out. I'm 27 & had mine implanted in Feb. I didnt have squeaking noises but i used to have a weird clicking that no one seemed to be able to hear except me - i thought i was going mad!! It only happened when i was lying down & was very very odd! I asked about it but they had no clue what was going on - as with the previous post it just stopped & disappeared after a few weeks & ive never had it since!!

Hope youre otherwise ok!

Debs x

Hi Silpa3,

by Gellia2 - 2008-06-19 07:06:56

Welcome to the Pacemaker Club.
I was about your age when I had my first pacemaker implanted.
I also had a dolphin-like "squeak" right after. This turned out to be a friction rub. My one wire at the time (back in 1975) was not the screw in type and was rubbing against the heart wall with every heart beat ---"squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak". It was very loud, too. I would dolphin squeak with each heartbeat. It did go away after about a month though and never came back. I believe that scar tissue finally affixed the wire to the heart wall. If all your tests are normal it will probably go away after your wires have time to afix themselves, too.
It is something to mention to your cardiologist or EP though.
Hope this helps and, again, welcome!
Best to you,
Gellia

No worries

by TRgR101 - 2008-06-22 01:06:04

Silpa - I'm on my 3rd device and each one has had its quirks. Although I've never had any dolphin like squeaking with any of them, they have all taken time to settle in. On one of them, the wire lead would pop against my ribs every time time I bent at the waist. Another time one of incisions wouldn't close and they had to reopen it to remove embedded sutures. Even the 2 square devices I've had (without rounded edges) finally did settle in to where I could hardly feel them. I'm no doctor and won't pretend to be, but I would assume almost anything strange you feel about this device (especially considering its your first) should go away within a month.

Keep on truckin.

Thank You!!

by silpa3 - 2008-06-23 12:06:27

THANKS TO ALL FOR THE WONDERFULLY HELPFUL MESSAGES! i really really appreciate all the thought and concern. Oops, why is this so sappy. In any case, the squeaking sound has diminished just as you all predicted, and I am not so worried anymore. It is very nice to know others have had similar issues in the past that eventually resolved. I don't know what people would do without this site!

Take Care :)

You know you're wired when...

You have a 25 year mortgage on your device.

Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.