Medtronic remote assistant

Hi all,
I haven't posted for a long time. Had my annual PM check last week. Since my last check I have had a number of days where I get 5-6 strange episodes. My cardiologist thought they were vasovagal attacks. Anyway I expected that the PM check would not indicate anything as it had in the past, but this time it showed a number of strange beats, I'm not sure what, but the technician was checking for noise and mentioned ectopic and fast beats. So I now have a devise called a remote assistant which can be used with the Kappa series. When I feel a symptom I am supposed to press a button on the devise (about the size of the magnet that they use) and hold it against the pacemaker and it is then supposed to record the last 3 minutes. I just now hope that I will have another bad day so that I can do this, but with Murphy's Law I probably won't get another day for months. I also hope that I am alert enough to remember to find the devise and use it in time as after these events I am not quite with it for a short time.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone has used this or have heard about it.
Robin
PS Does anyone feel that they are almost not present in the room with their cardiologist and technician present when they are getting a PM check? I feel as if my pacemaker is the only thing in the room. The doctor and tech are there discussing the results and you feel like saying hey! I'm here too.

1 Comments

Oh! boy

by Peter.Nash - 2007-11-26 11:11:36

Hi Robin,
I think we have all been there.. walk into the room and they plug you in and talk among them selves..... In my expeience if you don't say nothing they just say fine see you next year or whatever... but what I did find if you make your self heard and ask questions and don't be fobbed off... you can get a lot of useful info from the techo's and staff .....generally about 3 of them when I have my ICD checked.. I have always found them quite helpful once they know you and understand that you are not going away.... I love it when they say are you sure your ICD fired or paced any one who has an ICD fire will know if it went off or not.. you get some wierd looks from them at times.... but I guess they learn things from us as we do them ...... on the whole I find the whole experience very useful even if I did get run over by a wheel chair while I was there ..but that is another story..
hope you gadget works for you keep it handy ,keep us posted .Peter.N

You know you're wired when...

You have a dymo-powered bike.

Member Quotes

I have an ICD which is both a pacer/defib. I have no problems with mine and it has saved my life.