Fire Away

I know the dr. said I wouldn't feel the pm fire. But some members here said they do feel theirs fire off. What does it feel like? I don't go back until the 21st but have keeping a log of all the "strange" things I have been feeling. Trying to match them up...so truly do't know what it feels like.

Any thoughts?

5 Comments

Fire Away

by Ed McG - 2009-10-12 06:10:45

First, your pacemaker may not be firing off if you feel nothing. You'll know after your visit the 21st.
When the pacemaker fires it may present differently. Sometimes the heart beat feels "stronger". Sometimes it feels like the beat occurs when you wouldn't expect one. I had a problem and when the pm was doing a self check the beat was actually painful. That I got fixed in a hurry.
If you can't feel your pm pulse and it is pulsing, you're lucky.

Strange Feelings

by wenditt - 2009-10-12 07:10:01

Sometimes I feel like a pause and then a power beat if that makes sense. Feels like I am getting the beginning of an episode but then a strong, hard beat that can be a bit startling to say the least....scary almost.


Everytime I go to get it interrogated...I bring my list of what I think are strange things but the NP tells me "no events recorded." I know this process has been difficult but I didn't think I was at the point of making things up in my head yet...LOL

PM sensations

by ela-girl - 2009-10-12 07:10:16

Hey there, Wenditt.

Typically, if one is going to feel the pacemaker pacing, it will be the ventricular beat because it is the "stronger" of the beats. It could also be the self check Ed is speaking off or if you have rate response that could also prove to be an issue. Sometimes what one feels could also be a symtpom of his condition--PVCs, PACs, atrial fib, etc.

What are some of the strange things you have been feeling? You can always private message me if you want to chat about stuff!

Feel better,
ela-girl

Yes, no events recorded

by pacergirl - 2009-10-12 10:10:34

I have experienced something like what you are talking about. My EP said to me recently that just because my pacemaker didn't record it doesn't mean that it isn't happening. He went on to explain that things happen all the time. Jolts, flashes and events that are never recorded because they are too short lived. That they just don't last long enough for the pacemaker to record it. If the pacer recorded everything the memory will fill up and the battery would be very short lived. So there are settings to prevent that from happening. My pacer has to have an "event" last x amount of seconds before it will record the event. However, the last time I was being interrogated the thump, bump thump did it as I was sitting there and created quite a stir amongst the people present. I just smiled and said well how about that! ha ah. See, I'm not totally mad... these things really happen, recorded or not!
Pacergirl

Fire Away

by Drin6969 - 2009-10-13 09:10:40

Wenditt,
I have those occasional thumping sensations as well with the hard beats that take my breath away but last a short time. I was told that it was likely PAC's as I had them before the pacemaker was inserted. I don't feel my pacemaker 95% of the time and it is always startling to feel the pause followed by the hard beat. Mine last about 5 beats each episode and then go away.

You know you're wired when...

You can shop longer than the Energizer Bunny.

Member Quotes

I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.