Pacing much more than last year

Though I have written on here numerous times about how much I've been able to run, and get faster seemingly since getting y pacemaker, today I learned of a situation. I got my PM last August and at my October inspection, they found that I was pacing 6% of the time. Now, a year later, I found oput today that I am pacing 33% of the time. I am concerned and do not quite understand why this is occurring. Has anyone else expeienced this?
Thanks, I await your input.

PS though I haven't written in some time, last month I competed on an ultra team in a 211 road race through the Appalachian Mountains. I raced 33.3 miles in six different legs. Hope that didn't tear my heart up :)

3 Comments

Not sure

by Angelie - 2009-10-09 11:10:49

I do know that 6% isn't hardly nothing. Just once in a great while your pacer didn't sense a signal and initiated one for you. 94% of the time your own heart was doing everything- naturally.
33% is quite a jump, but still low on the scheme of things.

I used to atrial pace at around 33%, but now I'm 100% atrial paced.

Also, what chamber do you mostly pace from?

I was wondering with all your running could it be that your vagal tone has increased? It is very normal for intense athletes to have an increased vagal tone, which could lead to a otherwise healthy low pulse. Maybe you're pacing more because you've increased your vagal tone and your natural rhythm is chronically significantly lower than your pacer low limit. Therefore causing the increase in pacing.

My pacing increased because my sinus node doesn't work anymore, and my own rhythm is junctional which is my AV node taking over the sinus node's job (which isn't necessarily a great thing- just means basically no atrial electrical activity at all)

I hope your pacing increase is due to your running, and not anything else. Running is GREAT for your heart if you're able to do it. So good that it sometimes makes your pulse especially slow.....

Hoping for the latter. I'm curious what the doc's take is on this. Have you asked your doctor about it?

Angelie

More pacing

by ElectricFrank - 2009-10-10 01:10:57

The increase in pacing % could be from your increased exercise. During the times of increased HR you may just need more pacing support. You would likely notice it if you were pushing it too hard.

One thought: are you by any chance hitting the upper limit your pacer is set for? That can cause strange things to happen.

frank

how do you feel?

by Tracey_E - 2009-10-10 07:10:51

It's not uncommon for usage to change as they tweak your settings and as your heart gets used to having a pm. And as Frank said, if you use it more with exercise, then it's possible your usage went up as you got back to running. As long as you feel good, I wouldn't pay too much attention to the numbers.

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