**Whoa** when they play with the settings

Had my settings "played" around with yesterday for the first time and it was like " WHOA! " short of breath and quite ill feeling. The nurse said if you get that feeling again come back to the clinic as this is the symptoms of Pacemaker syndrome.
**Do any of you get that feeling during your checkup when they fiddle with the settings? ***

I was in DDDR and the cardiologist requested it be changed to AAI mode but the Pacemaker nurse felt I wasnt quite ready as I developed 2nd degree block with a higher heart rate.

Currently my settings are 60-130, but am quite active and feel my high setting is too low but will test it out next week during my hiking trips.

5 Comments

I know the feeling.

by bobad - 2009-07-04 06:07:55


When I was in hospital getting my pacemaker, I got a bad bout of PM syndrome. I was standing, and blacked out and fell. The wife and nurse said I cussed everyone out, but I don't remember any of it.

They made an adunstment, but it did it again about a week later. I was washing the car and felt so dizzy I had to go to the ER (didn't black oout, but close). They sent a tech from 50 miles away and made another little adjustment, and that fixed it.

When they interrogate and run a few tests, every time they force a retrograde signal (from ventricle up instead of from atrium down), I throw a hissy fit. I grab my chest and go "Ack! hey! hey! HEY!!! " until they turn it off it. The tech laughs and says "You don't like retrograde signals, do you?" Yes, I hate that feeling that my heart is trying to take a trip outside without me. :

So,,, I'm guessing it's fairly common. Good luck!

Yes

by ppt - 2009-07-04 08:07:25

I have been diagnosed with Pacemaker Syndrome and yes when they play with the settings I go "Whoa!" I get this big "bubble" that comes up too - a bit dizzy. But it took many months to diagnose pacemaker syndrome - wore an event recorder for a total of 6 weeks - you are not alone ! be patient though - it may take a while before things settle down :-)

PM Syndrome

by lady4law - 2009-07-04 11:07:32

WOW, so they have a name for it....hummm, never knew. Yes, I have that happen every 3 months when my Dr does the readout of my PM. After the read out they "play" with the settings and turn it up for a second or two.

They tell me, right before, you are going to feel something and I also do. However, I also feel it in my throat, strange, right? Is it just me? One of my leads has worked it's way to my neck.

Bunch of @#$%^

by ElectricFrank - 2009-07-05 01:07:54

What you are feeling is sudden changes in HR or timing. These are a normal part of the office test and don't mean a thing as far as your hearts condition.

If your problem is AV block the mode that makes the most sense is DDD. In this mode the pacer senses the atrial beat and uses it to pace the ventricular beat. This gives the nearest to a natural rhythm.

An upper rate of 10 is bit on the low side if you are physically active. The upper rate is enforced by causing your heart to skip beats and is uncomfortable.

My suggestion is to request a programming session with a rep from the manufacturer. Most cardiologist's, while good at the "plumbing" aspects of the heart really don't understand the electrical aspects of pacing. Add that to having a "pacemaker nurse" who is second guessing the cardiologist and you aren't getting the best shot at life.

Pacemaker syndrome is one of those terms that can mean so many things that it is meaningless.

I've been through it all and have gone from being told that with my heart it was risky to raise the upper limit to hiking at 13,000'. I got to the point where I wrote the cardio a letter and gave them choice of setting my upper limit to 150 or I would find another cardio. That was nearly 4 yrs ago.

best,

frank

frank

Dont know about some things

by walkerd - 2009-07-05 08:07:16

posted above. I do know that when they test your pm you can and probably will feel it. I know when my cardioligist checks mine he tells me I may feel something, oh yea do I when he was done I told him if they could market that they could put the alchol compaines out of business hahahhahaha.

dave

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