side effects

had medtroinics d314trm implant dec and it caused a nerve on outside of heart that controls the stomach to flex like a hicup they turned left ventrical lead down to 1.75 and it still happened when in certain positions. got worse after several days went back in and they turned lead off said will turn back on after it heals in and is more stable. then if it stills causes the same problem dr will have to reinstall the lead and move it. how many patients have this problem and how many with time that problem stops. hope not to have to go thru surgery again. would have had implant in sept but because of change to medicare they required the ef factor which was 20 to be retested after 90 days to confirm i need the implant it was 26 with med changes so i got implant had to wear external gall defif for 3 months at a cost of 3200,00 a month to insurance kind of dumb guess they thought i would just die and not need it any similar patient with this problem please post response


2 Comments

Diaphragmatic pacing

by golden_snitch - 2013-01-13 03:01:10

Hi!

I have this problem, too. My amplitude has been turned down to 1.5V while the threshold is 0.75mV; it's the lowest amplitude the pacemaker allows. Usually, for safety reasons they program the amplitude three times as high as the threshold, but then I get really bad diaphragmatic pacing. BUT I did not having this problem right from the beginning. In the beginning I only had diaphragmatic pacing when the amplitude was 7V, so it was no problem, because I never needed an amplitude that high. In the past four years the amplitude at which I get diaphragmatic pacing has slowly decreased, so now I even get it at 1.75V.
So, I cannot say what the chances are that the problem might disappear as soon as the lead has healed in properly - in my case problems worsened with time.

If they were able to turn the lead that's causing the problems off, and you feel fine, I wonder a bit why they want to replace the lead in case it will still cause hick-ups when the healing in process is completed. Sounds a bit like what you need is the defibrillator, but the lead that has been switched off is just a normal right-ventricular (right or left?) pacemaker lead? I mean, if you don't really need it, I'd probably discuss with your doctors that they don't replace it until it's time for a battery replacement and you, therefore, need surgery anyway.

Hope this helps.
Best
Inga

add to original

by retired baldy - 2013-01-13 12:01:12

thanks inga, as i understand the left is to keep lv on sink when pumping and therefore will give better ef rate. i am still learning about the unit so dont know all the answers yet. i just hope they can prevent surgury again. the dr. and company rep says the unit will still function to stop afib and will give me a shock to restart my heart if it stops. i am feeling really good but wife is ready for me to be able to drive and do other extra activitys. i was told not to run chain saw, or weed eater so she will have to cut the wood and do the lawn. i'll let you know how that goes. i have already told her i can not vacum the floors but i think she is going to recheck with dr on that one. i wonder if i can operate a power hand saw or a sander.

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