Pacemaker Club: driving on bouncy roads

driving on bouncy roads

by GregH
2015-12-10 03:12:10
Complications
1417 views
4 comments

Hello this is my first post. I just had my pacemaker dual chamber installed just 26 days ago. I have been havening problems with my heart rate going up to the point of nearly passing out when driving over bouncy roads. Has anyone had problems like this, that can advise me?

4 Comments

Get your PM adjusted

by IAN MC - 2015-12-10 04:12:41

Hi Greg Welcome to the club ! . This is quite a regular query on here and there is an easy fix.

Your pacemaker has a function " Rate Response " which is intended to put in extra heart-beats when you exercise.

To detect exercise your PM has a built-in sensor , known as an accelerometer . This detects movement in the upper body very effectively but it cannot tell if you are running upstairs or if you are being thrown around on a bouncy road.

The easy fix is for you either to have Rate Response switched off or have it adjusted to a less sensitive setting.

If you have a PM for heart block , chances are that you don't need RR. if you have Sick Sinus Syndrome you probably do need it switched on but there are exceptions to this.

Best of luck

Ian

Great question

by Lisalac - 2015-12-11 04:12:36

I was wondering the same thing today. But I'm only 9 days out so thought it would settle. Great to know. I will need my RR on but maybe not so sensitive

Thank you

by GregH - 2015-12-11 04:12:49

Thank you lan you gave me peace of mind. My wife and I thought there was something seriously wrong. I will make an appt. with the Doctor and see to it.
Thank you,
Greg

settings

by Tracey_E - 2015-12-12 04:12:25

They send us home with a good guess, but we are all different and no two of us have the same settings, so it can take a few tries to get it just right for our individual needs. Never hesitate to call if something odd is going on like this, often it's a simple fix.