Help me to understand my settings (UK)

Hello,

I received my PM on 5th July 2011 due to bradycardia, and I am still new and clueless. I have a Zephyr XL DR 5826 and two leads, though my ventricular lead is not really doing much. I am 50% paced and so far I was enjoying my new life. I started sleeping better, being more active and for the first time in my life able to start running.

Initially I was told my PM will have a setting for the minimum rate (the rest and the base one), a higher 'exercise' rate plus that it should monitor/record any palpitations and similar episodes. I had my second PM check up yesterday and for the first time I received a print out with my new settings. Could someone answer few of my questions?

1. Who are the people doing my PM check up in UK? Is it a doctor, a cardiologist or a technician? They never want to tell me anything and act like it is top secret and I would not understand anyway :)

2. In 'Basic operation' part it says that sensor is on and the threshold was changed from Auto (+0,0) to Auto (-0,5), and that the measured avg is 2.3. What is the threshold?

3. What is the slope?

4. What is the max track rate and max sensor rate?

5. For 'Stored EGM Configuration' and 'Episode Triggers' it says 'episode collection is disabled'. Does it mean my PM is not recording any data about my heart misbehaving? Would this explain why my PM info said 0% palpitations when they checked it yesterday?

6. And finally, they changed my base rate 60 -> 70, rest rate 50 -> 60, max track rate stayed at 130, and max sensor rate 130 -> 140. I am not sure if I am happy with these. Last night I felt like I overdosed on coffee and could not sleep, I felt light-headed and then my heart was racing (at 70 but that's how I felt). Today I went for my run and I was more out of breath and tired running up the hill then usual (though I had 4 days of rest since my last run). Do you think I just need to get used to my new settings or I should contact my PM clinic and ask for a change?

I hope someone will be able to help me or at least point me in the right direction.

Ag.

6 Comments

Perhaps....

by TLR - 2012-01-20 03:01:11

You should stop stressing about it so much, relax a bit, and stop getting so obsessed about the numbers. You need to bear in mind you have a heart condition which supports your heart's natural pacemaker, you will still find it harder to perform physically but isn't that part of the challenge and fun?

It will be a tech that does your checks. A cardio or doc wouldn't have a clue how to operate the machine nevermind what settings to put it on. My tech is fantastic, very knowledgable, efficient, always remembers me, and she's good looking aswell.

As for all your settings, and technical questions, I really cannot help sorry. I've never worried about the numbers, as long as I'm alive who cares?

edit...

by TLR - 2012-01-20 03:01:42

That should have read:
"You need to bear in mind you have a heart condition FOR WHICH YOUR DEVICE supports your heart's natural pacemaker,"
Sorry

Thx TLR

by amc - 2012-01-20 05:01:48

Hey,

Yes, yes... You are right I should not be stressing about things but I do like to know and understand what is being done to MY body. Besides not asking right questions from the beginning caused me a bit of a 'frozen shoulder', DVT in my left arm and 6 months on warfarin...
Anyway, I feel worse now then on my previous setting. Lower stamina when running might be a coincidence but my base rate is definitely to high for me. Did you experience any heart discomfort after your check-ups?

Ag.

Just chipping in

by Tattoo Man - 2012-01-20 06:01:34

AMC, ..Ive been looking at this Forum for a year before joining...one thing is clear, and will I guess it will always be so.
We are all somewhere between being not interested...to desperately scared.
All of these feelings are REAL for the individual.
No posting can take these feelings away.
Knowing what the Tech Stuff means is for some essential, for others not
Knowing how a PM affects lifesytle some /others ditto
Knowing how a Pm affects how you feel about it ..ditto
Chuck in ..Sport ..Excersice..Sex..who knows ...bungee jumping ??

I'm a uk Pm guy, and ..hey.. run..( up to 24 hour relay...wooo!

Tattoo Man

Private message if you wish, there is other stuff that the Forum would seem inappropriate, phone nos etc, ..and they are right

Take care out there amc

A few thoughts...

by Heidiglassmeyer - 2012-01-21 01:01:01

Hi AG! I think your questions are very valid especially since you have started running and experiencing difficulty. First, I am not familiar with your PM, I am paced 100% so my need is a little different, and I live in the US but I can relate to a few of your statements. The fact is you had undesirable symptoms after your settings were changed.

6. They increased your resting rate from 50-60 and you had trouble sleeping...I had the same issue. My Medtronic PM has a sleep mode which was changed from 50 to 60 and I had to have them change it back. I am a light sleeper and I also felt like my heart was racing when I was trying to go to sleep. I was changed back to 50 and no problem since. As far as your running, was it possible that you were exceeding your upper tracking rate? did you have any of those symptoms before the change? Not saying your settings are wrong but if your difficulty sleeping continues, and you have symptoms when your HR is high during aerobic activity, maybe you need to but adjusted again. I know it took several adjustments before I was happy including running on a treadmill with my EP and tech there until I had no symptoms. I have read about other members doing the same. Not sure if that is an option for you in the UK.

As far as your other questions, hopefully another member will join in and give you specific explanations.

Take care,
Heidi

Underpar

by pvelt66317 - 2012-01-26 10:01:51

Ag, I'm having the same questions. PM set at 70 pbm resting while it was 40 before due to running some 40 years. Now my running heart rate goes up to 130 where it hardly ever got over 110 before the PM. I'm feeling fine but want them to lower the resting rate to 50. The response was they leave it at 70 to prevent episodes of A-fib. I've had only one checkup so far and he says I'm pacing only a small percentage of the time. So I'm confused as to why my running rate is going up to 130.

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