pacemaker self check routine

hi..
im a newbi to this site so not 100% with all the abreviations

i just had a biotronic dual chamber pacemaker fitted about a month ago after a revael device (implanted heart monitor) showed my heart had stopped for 30 seconds

after my 1st monthly checkup the tecnician said my pacrmaker had been used 40% she said that meant the 1 wire had been in use for 40% of the time since it was installed and was not to woory as its probably just a night time configuration.
to rectify this she said she could make the pacemaker do a self check every night at 3am,(while i was asleep). hopefully saving battery life. the self check would do the same precedure as it did when i just got there and she was checking the device....
i thort this sounded logical and agreed

i dont wake up at 3 am but i am waking up a 4 40 am every morning with a panic attack symtoms..this has done this every morning now for about a week at exactly the same time.
im guessing she set it a 4 40 am and not the agreed 3:00 am

So...my question on here is , is this necassary to do this self check every day..does any1 else have same sympoms etc etc


thanx for your time tony b

6 Comments

Timely Post

by Joanne79 - 2011-07-12 02:07:08

I have been a member here since early May when I got my pacemaker. I had my first check-up six weeks later. It showed that I was using the PM 32% and also revealed that I was in afib frequently and, at least once, for 21 hours straight. I received my St. Jude Merlin@home transmitter that day as well. I had to go back to the cardiologist's the following week and now am on digoxin and Pradaxa for the heart. I was major bummed out about that but don't like the prospect of the alternative if I don't take these drugs. I think my transmitter is set for 3 am also. I know I got it hooked up properly but I always wonder if it is actually reading and reporting info from my PM every night. Guess I will ask that question when I go back to the doctor the end of August. I do not have panic attacks or any other symptoms since using the transmitter.

Joanne79

abbreviations

by Tracey_E - 2011-07-12 07:07:04

If you look in the left sidebar under Information, there is a list of common abbreviations.

tony

by walkerd - 2011-07-12 07:07:37

do you have a home monitor that they sent you after you had your pacer put in? If so it transfers readings to it and it is monitored well supposedlly it does and if any problem show up it is forwarded to your doctor and they will probably contact you, that is what I have and that is what it does, other than that someone else will have to tell you if they do a self check without the monitor because Im not sure. If not I would contact your doctor.

dave

also have home monitor, but no problems

by wjhughes420384 - 2011-07-13 09:07:45

I have a home monitor that downloads my heart also, have never noticed it. they fax me the printout once a month, so I can see what is going on. my lungs have a tendency to fill up with fluid, so they also will send me the printout if my fluid levels are high, so I can take extra lasix.

update pacemaker self check routine

by tony-alb1 - 2011-07-19 01:07:15

just an update.......... the hospital have turned off the self check system and also they phoned me the next day to say they had spoke to biotronic who told them there is another function that they could disable and could i go in so they could update my pacemaker....
i did and all seems ok now..i am not waking up at 4:42 am now :)......
my family have noted that i seem to be hot and sweaty most of the time but ill put that down to it being summer ill see how it goes in a few months time...
to comment on the post above .......every 6 months or so (previous to my pacemaker being fitted 6 weeks ago) i wake up in the night choking the choking wakes me up and i often cough up blood at the same time .......i have got a pulmonary valve leak which i think is linked to this happening but my doctors have said that is impossible but does any one have same symtoms????

Im glad I found your post!

by NettieA - 2014-05-05 03:05:56

Last night I was about to go to sleep, when my heart started racing, like as you describe, a panic attack.
I've been reassured that it's when the PM is doing the self check. Usually this happens at night, and I'm not woken up by it. But occasionally it happens when I'm awake. Another time I was at work, and had to have some time out as it was making me feel queasy. It really drains me and leaves me feeling agitated. Same thing at the check ups too, when the technician sets the tests going, I feel like I've had a huge shot of caffeine!!!
Anyway, thanks for the post, it reassured me that I'm not the only one who feels these checks!!
Hope you're keeping well :-)
NettieM

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