EP and PM rep

i see a few post and have had recommendations for the PM rep to be present for PM fine tuning.  A few questions:

1 - During the 1st few months that you had your PM Did you have scheduled appointments with an EP or call if needed?

2 - If you have scheduled apps, how often did you see the EP?

3 - Many people mention having the PM rep there when they saw the EP.  How do you manage that?  Do you call the rep and request them to be there, when you make the appt do you request a rep be present, does the doc call for the rep?  I have no idea how to have this happen.

Thanks

4 Comments

Answers

by Good Dog - 2016-11-25 16:16:27

1.) My first PM was implanted 30 years ago. As I recall during the first few months after the implant I had one appointment.

2.) My appointments were then scheduled at 6 month intervals. I didn't start to get remote checks until about 10 to 15 years ago. My first Cardiologist (EP) scheduled me for checks every 6 months, but my next EP, a few years later after we moved, scheduled them every three months.

3.) I never asked for the Rep to be present, but he did just show-up at one of my early appointments. I think that you can call your PM manufacturer andd ask them if it is possible and or ask your doc. However, I am unsure how the Doc will take that. I guess I might worry that he'll be offended. However, if you tell your doc that you still aren't feeling good and he responds by saying that he has done everything that he can, then you'll certainly be very justified in asking for your PM Manufacturer Rep. The thing is, the doc is in charge and the Rep can't do anything without the doctors permission. So there could come a time when you need to fire the doc and find a new one. Nothing wrong with that.

Hopefully TraceyE will post here and advise further. She has written about having her Rep present as well as how helpful he was at optimizing her settings. 

Hang in there!

Sincerely,

David

opposite of David

by Tracey_E - 2016-11-25 17:37:42

My doctor does not do the programming himself, always the rep. He's there on the premises if we need him and programming changes are a prescription so he has to approve them. If something odd shows up I'll get a call from him or his NP, but I usually only see him once a year. I used to go in every 3 months, but with remote monitoring just once a year now. They have one day a month when the rep is in the office, that's when checks are scheduled. When I've had issues in the past that required programming changes or just checking the pacer between clinic days, they called the rep to meet me at the office. The doctor is always the one to contact the rep, decide if the rep will be here,to approve all changes. 

TY

by Cajun Girl - 2016-11-25 19:37:49

Thanks for both of you for your responses.

I am going to call Monday to see if I can get in sooner.  If not, I have no choice but to wait the two weeks.

If things don't get changed and I don't stay awake more, I am going to search out another EP.

That's all I know to do!

You are right

by Good Dog - 2016-11-25 20:14:49

I think that you are right to try to get in sooner. Finding a new EP is also the best thing to do if this one isn't working for you. You have to be your own best patient advocate.

 

David

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