New Pacemaker question

Hi everyone, My Husband had his pacemaker put in on Saint Patricks day. He is healing up pretty good. He can finally sleep without a thousand pillows and his arm doesn't hurt much anymore. Now the stitches are itching like crazy.

This morning he was brushing his teeth and his pace maker was kicking in like crazy he said. Also he feels it kick in when he drinks. Is it true that its doing this because he is kinda of holding his breath? Any ideas?

3 Comments

Pacemaker Question

by Pookie - 2009-04-03 07:04:27

Hi.

Just my 2 cents worth but I thought we were never to feel our pacers "kick in" IF the settings are tweaked correctly.

Right after having my pacemaker I had a strange sensation at the same time every afternoon...it ended up being the self-test going off, which I had the techs reprogram to the wee hours of the morning while I am asleep.

IF I were your husband (or anyone else with a pacer for that matter) and I wasn't feeling quite right or I could feel my pacer working....I'd call your pacemaker clinic and see if you can come in to have it checked out.

Apparently when we all first get our pacers, we go home with standard settings, well, we are all different and have different needs, so it is VERY common to have the pacer adjusted a few weeks after initial implant.

The surgery was only on March 17 so I am going to guess he needs some adjustments to his settings. He really should call and see if he can get this resolved.

Pookie

Drinking while Brushing

by furnhusch - 2009-04-03 07:04:54

Make sure he drinks either before or after brushing. Never during.

Pacemaker To Active

by SMITTY - 2009-04-03 08:04:35

Hi Lama,

Like Pookie said, your hubby should never feel his pacemaker when it is doing its job if the settings are right. Just to be sure we are on the same page, that statement is for a pacemaker and not a defibrillator. However,it sounds like his "kick in" whenever he increases his physical activity so my guess is that the rate response is on. That feature is supposed to increase the heart rate when physical activity increases but it can be detuned, fine tuned, or whatever you wish to call it, so that it is not so eager to go to work. Or, he can do as I had to do have the rate response turned off if that is the problem. My heart rate did not need anything to make it beat faster when I was doing something physical.

Regardless, he should contact his doctor because like was said earlier, our pacemaker should be our silent partner. And why it is kicking in when he is drinking I have no idea, except to me that is more proof his pacemaker needs some fine tuning, which is not unusual for a new pacemaker.

I wish him the best,

Smitty

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