Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

Post Message!

Pm info

Hi
I have had my PM 12 months, and last December they switched on the Overdrive Pacing to stop AF. Since then I have had no AF that I know of, and for the first 4 months I had no problems and would not know I had a PM. For the last 2 months when I exert myself I get a sensation in my chest that last no more than 2 seconds and is like an ache that goes towards my throat. I see my EP in a week. Has anybody any idea what this could be and how I should handle it with my EP.
Cheers
Roy...

Read More...

coincidence ? ? ?

Hi,
Had my first PM check on Friday & everything went very well.The only (slight) concern was with my incision area which is still sore & red but they say it has been sewn too tightly but should sort itself out soon.
They seemed happy about the PM's performance & said it was kicking in 59% of the time & l dont go back for 12mths now. So l left the hospital feeling very pleased with myself & my PM. But since then l have noticed almost constant palpitations,l am in permanent Afib so that...

Read More...

Syncopal and pins and needles

I had my pace maker fitted due to syncopal black outs. I used to get lots of live with lots of symptons including a pins and needles sensation in my legs and round my lips. The pace maker has helped me so much, doing so much I couldn't do before but now and again I still get pins and needles. Has anyone else experienced this? Did feel like I was a bit of an experiment when having pace maker but at least it has turned out positive. Lots of things dr couldn't explain.

I need to go back...

Read More...

update.. lots of setting changes

Hello everyone! Been a while since I posted. Things have been going remotely well heart wise at least, until the past month or two. Things seem to be getting out of control for me again. I had my pacemaker interrogated two weeks ago which showed nothing out of the ordinary for me other than I had like 43 mode switches in about a month. Typically that indicates my atrial tach or the inappropriate sinus tach. So today I met with the EP doc. I vented my frustration about the fact that drugs are...

Read More...

Pacer Defaults & Mild Exercise

Hello all!

I had a Medtronics Revo pacer implanted on 22-APR. In a brief experiment I encountered something unfamiliar to me.

Background: Supraventricular tachycardia, sick sinus syndrome, severe bradycardia.

I got on a standard LifeCycle at the gym for a 15 minute test. Level 4, mid-cadence just to see how I'd feel since my recovery efforts are nearly of my own direction and education as unfortunate as it is. I maintained a 140-150 bpm HR until 6m 30s and then...

Read More...

Frank Analysis

Frank- this is primarily for you (but anyone else that can interpret the settings, feel free to comment). After getting my new ventricular lead 3 days ago, I mentioned that I was still feeling skips and that one reason I called with a problem was the large number I was having during exercise. Below are the changes made. Can you explain them and give me any idea of what to look for once I resume normal activity? I haven't noticed any skips since I've been home but do occasionally feel jumpy in th...

Read More...

New Member

Hello, all, I am new to the PaceMaker Club and have a St. Judel PM that was installed Jan. 06. My PM was installed due to bradycardia and electrical impulses not firing correctly in the lower changer, as what I recall what the cardiac surgeons told me. The doctors and tech told me that the battery life is usually five years from insertion. Therefore, I go to a tech monthly now to have it checked. The number she gives to me is 2.6, and my understanding is that it has to be at a 2.5 level befo...

Read More...

Advice please !!!

Hi,
Although l still haven't been for my 1st PM check-up yet (nearly 8wks!) l am expecting an appointment anyday. I have had a rough time with the incision area which is at last improving well,but because l have felt bad with this l haven't really been able to "test" the effect the PM is having on my heart. l can tell l dont get the very slow beats l used to get (which is why they gave me PM) but still get load of palpitations due to my A-fib l guess?
What l need to ask you wise people...

Read More...

time zones

I am a 10 day out of emergency surgery pacemaker receiver. This summer we are travelling back home to the maritimes, which has a 4 hour time zone change. My settings allow my heart rate to drop to 50 between 11 pm and 5:30 am BC time. Does the pacemaker somehow change time zones or is this going to be a problem for me?

Read More...

First checkup

Yesterday, my 76th birthday, I had my first check up and all went well. Settings are 60 and 140. I pace the upper chamber 39% of the time and the lower chamber 57% of the time. Does this sound reasonable?

I feel ever so much better and one of the nurses thought that I was in my mid 50’s, of course I was flattered, but took it with a grain of salt.

Read More...

Periodic Check-ups in Australia

Have read with interest the practice with post PM insertion checkups in other countries, particularly the USA.

It seems that practices differ beteween countries and even within the same country.

I thought I would share my experience here in Melbourne, Australia.

I had a pacemaker inserted 22 months ago by a local cardiologist/electrophysiologist who is a Professor at a major university and attached to one of our major hospitals. He is a recognised authority here...

Read More...

Hung

Hi all
my name is Hung le, and I have a 3 year old son, who have a dilated heart. Rcently I have him implant a CRT. At the second check up, his doctor has increase dual chamber biventricular pacing AV interval to 100ms from 60ms. After that, it seems that he is quite more often tired and short breath. Should I wait for a next check up or keep on monitor and have it set back to what it was. Cuold anyone please tell me what is the "100ms fo AV interval would be different from the 6oms AV inte...

Read More...

What happens when the phone line is disconnected?

Greetings All,

Does anyone know what happens to the Merlin monitor when the phone lines are down?

The 1st time the line was down for just a few minutes, so I did not worry about it.  The other day my dear husband was backing up a large trailer into our drive way where the phone lines hang low. Not thinking about them, as he backed up he pulled the lines off the side of the house.  We are very blessed to have a retired telephone company employee living next door. Toge...

Read More...

Exactly What Does My St. Jude Merlin Report To Doc

I've had a St. Jude pacemaker for just a month. I am wondering exactly what information Merlin transmits to my doctor's office.

Read More...

short of breath & tired

First out of the hospital felt great and had plenty of go power...After first check up my tech made some 'minor' changes and I now have shortness of breath and loggyness after only minor efforts.

Will be going in shortly and wondering what questions I should be asking tech/doctor to get back on track

Read More...

Request Heads Up

I am scheduled to receive my second pacemaker, Adapta SR ADSR01, in two weeks. I currently have a depleted Kappa 701. Any suggestions regarding tweeking settings? I want to benefit from those who have gone before!

Read More...

Rate response poor, nearly always at 60

Hi

My 83 year old mum has just had a pacemaker fitted. A Medtronic, though I do not know the model (a recent one though). The reason was her heart rate was very low - it would drop to 45 at times - when doing moderate activity her heart rate would also drop, not rise, sometimes.

Initially the PM was just set to 60, and that is all it ever did. So we took her back to get it adjusted, because the rate response was not working. They said stuff about grey response and supposedl...

Read More...

DDD mode to AAI<=>DDD

I have a Medtronic Adapta, installed after valve surgery for heart block. 10 months post-op had a PM check up and nurse said I was not pacer dependent. For the whole time I was there I did my own AV conduction. Because of this the EP changed my programming from DDD to AAI<=>DDD. Basically when I have conduction the PM just watches the heart, if 2 ventricle beats are missed the PM switches to DDD mode to keep the ventricles going. The PM does periodic checks to see if conduction has returned.

Read More...

Hysteresis

Ok so last month I posted a question about a setting called restasis. Well I was wrong... it was hysteresis. Maybe that will make much more sense and someone can explain what it does. I went back to the doctor yesterday and since the setting change I had four episodes of atrial tach or afib they were not sure which so they want to change my medicine again and add another beta blocker to try to slow down rate further. I still think they just don't know what to do for me! It is very frustrating!

Read More...

Well, I went for the check up

Hello everyone,
I pray that you are having a good day. I measure my days as "my good heart days & my bad heart days", always praying that I will have more good days of course.
I got my St Jude PM 5 weeks ago. Yesterday was my first pm check-up. I was in and out in minutes. I was told to come back in a year. Is this normal?
They kept my rate set at 75 but changed some setting to make my battery last longer.
I took a list of questions with me and the guy sort of brushed me...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Your old device becomes a paper weight for your desk.

Member Quotes

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.