Backup Mode

I have a Biotronik Evia DR-T dual lead pacemaker installed a little over a year ago for bradycardia. Today I went in for my routine annual check-up with my EP. When he tried to perform an interrogation he kept getting an error message. After an hour on the phone with the manufacturer tech support they found out my pacemaker had gone into backup mode.My last home monitor transmission was 1/6/15. I flew to Florida that day and returned on 1/11/15. From what I was told when a pacemaker goes into backup mode it should reset itself in 24 hours. Mine did not. Only 2 things that I am aware of could have caused this. 1) Airport security scanner which I highly doubt as they are supposed to be very safe and I have been through this exact one before. 2) The Relief Band I wear for motion sickness which I cleared through my EP prior to travel and he said it would be fine. I was not around anything else while in Florida that would have any affect.

Between the EP, the EP nurse, and the Device nurse I was overloaded with information regarding backup mode and am now trying to sort out exactly what it is.

The EP mentioned that only my ventricle would pace in backup mode and that I was pacing at 70bpm low setting (I am usually set at 60bpm). He said they needed to get to the bottom of this as he doesn't want me pacing that high and he couldn't believe I couldn't feel it.

The EP nurse said with it pacing that high and only the ventricle it was no wonder that my legs have felt like boat anchors starting the day after I flew to Florida until now. I go to the gym a lot and run a lot and haven't had any changes to my normal routine but all of a sudden my legs are fatigued. The EP said no, shouldn't have any affect on leg fatigue.

The Device Nurse said he's been doing this for 13 years and has never seen a pacemaker do this and not reset itself like it is supposed to.

I guess my question is, has anyone else ever had this or heard of it? Also, what exactly does "backup mode" mean? My EP said we want to get to the bottom of this because we don't want to have to replace it if we don't need to. Replace the pacemaker? Which is really ironic because before they found the error he was planning to interrogate to see if I even needed the pacemaker anymore since my adrenal surgery/Conn's Disease was cured. He said they wouldn't remove it because there was risk in removing it but maybe I didn't really need it. He just wanted to know out of curiosity. Once again I've stumped the medical world. They should pay me!!!

3 Comments

Appointment Thursday

by valley01 - 2015-01-20 05:01:16

Before I left they still had no answers and scheduled me to come back on Thursday to give them time to research themselves and try to figure this out. All 3 (EP, EP Nurse, and Device Nurse spoke to the manufacturer tech support on the phone and then the manufacturer tech support got his manager on the phone. The only contradiction was the EP saying it shouldn't cause leg fatigue and the EP nurse saying it would. Everything else was different information, too much for me to retain in one sitting apparently because by the time I got home and tried to sort it out I was missing big pieces. My EP did call me again this afternoon to assure me they would do everything they could to get to the bottom of this and also to assure me that I am completely safe in backup mode, my heart will continue to beat. I agree with you though, if it comes to replacing it I'll get a second opinion. I have looked some online but so far have not found anything helpful in my situation. I am planning to take my Relief Band with me to my appointment Thursday. It is fairly old technology (10-12 years?) so maybe back then they were not safe for pacemaker patients.

yikes

by Tracey_E - 2015-01-20 07:01:39

That would absolutely explain why your legs felt like lead!

When you flew, did you go through the regular metal detectors or the new 3d scanners? The scanners are xray and perfectly safe. There have been a few cases of settings being wiped out from the metal detectors. It's rare, but not unheard of and the main reason I never go through them even tho many people do without issue.

Definitely take the relief band along and let them test it, but on the off chance something like that would have an effect, it would only theoretically be when it's less than 6" from your device.

What is the relief band? I get carsick and airsick more and more easily the older I get. I won't let it ground me, but it is frustrating. I wear SeaBands. They help. Sorta :)

Motion Sickness

by valley01 - 2015-01-21 07:01:18

Hi Tracy,

I have had motion sickness since I was born, my mom told me she couldn't ever rock me as a baby because I would get sick and any car ride was miserable with me all the way into high school where I got a little better but only if I was sitting in the front seat looking directly ahead. If you haven't tried TransdermScop for motion sickness I would highly suggest that first. It's a patch you wear and lasts for 3 days if you are on a cruise of something. I used it for years when I had a boat and was in some pretty rough seas with no issues. Then I developed an allergy to it (I think more the adhesive, not the medication) so I found the Relief Band. It is a watch-like band you but on your wrist with 5 electrical pulse settings. You apply a conductivity gel to your wrist and it shoots tiny electrical pulses into your wrist. It really works for me, I wear it on planes and boats mostly. I tried Sea Bands, they didn't help me at all and the motion sickness tablets you can buy only made me tired on top of being sick.

http://www.transdermscop.com/prescribing-information.htm
https://www.reliefband.com/

The airport scanners I went through were both the new 3D safe scanners which is why I'm thinking the Relief Band. My band instructions say not for people with pacemakers and it is an old model - about 10-12 years old. The new ones say pacemaker patients to use with caution and not to place directly over pacemaker. I did wear mine when I flew to Mexico last year 2 months after getting my pacemaker with no issues so maybe I'm way off and maybe the pacemaker just malfunctioned on it's own and the timing is coincidence.

I do love the power of suggestion. Yesterday my EP said he couldn't believe I didn't feel like my heart was racing and I really didn't. Now today I feel like my heart is racing.

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I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.