DECISION MADE!

Hi - for those of you who have read my previous postings you will know that I have been in a dilemma on whether to have a pacemaker or not as i only need one if I want to carry on running or do strenuous exercise. Well I have finally made my decision -I am going to have the pacemaker and have been provisionally booked in for 17th October to have it fitted. I know a few of you will think I'm mad for having it done but I think the majority of you can understand how my quality of life is affected by not being able to run without constantly wondering if my heart is going to start missing beats which in turn makes me go a bit dizzy and turns my legs to lead. I hope I'm doing the right thing and won't live to regret it! Thanks to those of you who have helped me with the decision and I will let you know how I get on and when I run my first race post pacemaker!
Pam

9 Comments

Thanks

by PAMMY - 2013-10-04 05:10:08

Thanks Cath it's great to hear that it has worked well for you and you have got back into your running very quickly - makes me even more positive that I am doing the right thing.

Thanks also to you Ian - your comments to my previous posting were instrumental into my finally making this decision. (But i won't blame you if things go wrong!!!)

Pam

Well done!

by Galadriel - 2013-10-04 05:10:39

Hi Pam, I did the same thing myself. After 2 years of compromising my life and running, I had my pm just over 5 weeks ago. I ran my 2nd 4 miler today, and although still a bit slower, I know that as I get my fitness back, I can keep going without having to limit myself all the time. Take your time to heal at your own pace and don't expect too much of yourself too soon. You will have years to run.

I already hardly notice my pm and am absolutely sure I made the right decision.

All the very best to you.

Cath

Hi Pam

by IAN MC - 2013-10-04 05:10:48

I remember very well all the pro and con answers you had when you first raised your dilemma. For what it's worth ,in your position, with your love of running, I would have made the same decision,

I hope it turns out well for you. Best of luck for Oct 17th

Ian

Pammy

by PacerRep - 2013-10-04 08:10:11

I cant recall your previous threads so if you already heard this sorry.

I would request/demand a pacemaker that has a 'dual blended activity sensor" Tell them you want the Accelerometer AND Minute Ventilation. It makes a difference during exercise.

congrats

DonR

by PacerRep - 2013-10-05 05:10:54

I'm not quite sure what you are saying by Bi-Modal. Are you referring to a rest rate/sleep rate/night rate? When you say your other mode is 100-110, Are you referring to the max tracking rate? I know you understand these devices pretty well, I'm a little out to lunch on what your saying...sorry.

To Ian:

The sensors work fine for mild moderate or severe CI. It doesn't matter the severity, the sensor will determine what rate your heart should be at based on the input it receives, and if your heart is there it does nothing...if not it paces.

A Question for PacerRep

by IAN MC - 2013-10-05 06:10:00

Your advice to Pam to have a "dual blended activity" PM is I'm sure very good but this assumes that she will need the Rate Response function switching on.

My question is ... when a PM is newly implanted into a patient and you do the initial settings is " RR ON " the normal default setting ? I ask, because I have Sick Sinus Syndrome, I left the hospital with RR on but subsequently regretted it and had to persuade the technicians that it wasn't right for me !

So how do you decide who needs RR on and who doesn't ?
.... I know that a treadmill test helps but these are certainly not routinely offered here in the UK.

If you can shed light on your thought processes I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Ian

Answer

by PacerRep - 2013-10-05 11:10:36

RR is programmed off nominally out of the box and we activate when we suspect chronotropic incompetence. We look at percentage of pacing at the base rate and the heart rate histograms. The histograms give us a picture of how fast the heart beats over time, typically we should see it nice and flat at night during rest and lots of fluctuation during the day in a mobile patient.

Thanks PacerRep

by IAN MC - 2013-10-05 12:10:12

Your answer is most helpful and I will look at my heart rate histograms with interest. I assume that there are varying degrees of chronotropic incompetence and if you are on the borderline i.e very slightly chronotropically incompetent then I imagine that most PM's RR functions are not sophisticated enough to deal with it.

Following your comment, when I have a PM change I will demand a model with a " dual blended activity " function .... only 7 years to go !! . ( I bet PMs are different
in 7 years time, )

Thanks for your help

Ian

Another question for PacerRep

by donr - 2013-10-05 12:10:32

I have a histogram that is bi-modal. I am set at 75/130. Lower mode is between 70 & 80, which makes sense, since you spend about 1/4 - 1/3 of your life asleep. I have a second mode out between 100-110, which again makes sense to cover a life of reasonable activity level. I have little activity beyond 110., which again makes sense, since I do not run, play tennis or do many things to get my HR up to that level.

That shape has never excited me. However, I had one PM Medtronic Rep see it & give birth to a small cow. My cardio has never seemed particularly excited about it.

Why would the Rep do so?

I must have a well-behaved RR, since it is switched on, but I cannot recall ever feeling it affect me. My PM is a Medtronic w/ the adjustable RR functioning sensitivity.

Don

You know you're wired when...

Microwave ovens make you spark.

Member Quotes

I'm 43 and have had my pacemaker four weeks today. I'm looking forward to living another 50 years and this marvelous device inside me will help me do that.