Brushing teeth and rate response

Hi Guys, 

I've had my rate response turned on for a week now after having my PM for nearly 8 years. This morning I was brushing my teeth with my right hand which is the same side that my PM is on. A few seconds in, I felt a little out of breath and like my heart was racing. The tech explained to me when they turned it on that the PM senses movement, and so I was just wondering if the simple action of brushing my teeth might cause it to kick in and if I'm not exerting myself, would it make me to feel out of breath?

I've had a some 'funny' sensations in the past few days and so don't think I'm liking RR at all. The tech wanted to put it on a high setting because she felt that my HR was quite adept at getting up on its own after they asked me to jog up four flights of stairs and I was at 155 beats (I'm 34yrs old). But my Cardiologist insisted on a mid range setting. I don't really know what they mean, but feel like I either need my settings adjusted or it turned off altogether? 

Before having RR turned on, my HR could easily get up to 150-180 when training which is something I do 3-4 times per week. 

 

5 Comments

It happens...

by RandomICD - 2017-04-06 08:39:08

 I brush with the opposite side, but hair drying with a towel causes an affect. Also driving along bumpy roads, but I've noticed that less as time's gone on.

settings

by Tracey_E - 2017-04-06 09:30:42

They can adjust the sensitivity of rate response, both how much vibration it takes to get it going and how fast it goes. It's normal to take a few tries to find the right balance between going up as needed on exertion and driving you nuts because it shoots your rate up every time you sneeze. If you don't like it, call and ask them to try something else.  I choose to have mine very sensitive. It's annoying sometimes when I get sob walking up the stairs, but at the gym it's terrific. 

If you get up to 150+ on your own, why did they turn it on? It's meant for when your heart doesn't get up on its own.  Sure sounds like you did ok on your own with it turned off. 

Plan B for teeth brushing!

by LondonAndy - 2017-04-06 14:19:29

I hadn't thought of that problem!  I agree with TraceyE's advice, or if you are looking for an alternative, how about getting an electric toothbrush? Less vigorous arm movements ...

Not an ideal solution of course, just a suggestion as I just like to find solutions to issues I can do myself.

I feel you

by CrockerNut - 2017-04-06 22:44:00

I have only had mine for 3 months and went through multiple adjustments with rate response, and the last one was so sensitive I could get it to 120 by walking to the refrigerator (step vibration), taking a ride in a sports car on a semi bumpy road or by gently tapping on my chest in the general area of the Pacer. I was so fed up, I had them go to closed loop setting last Friday... Which has brought on its own set of problems just as irritating. 

Going back Tuesday

by pmgirl - 2017-04-07 03:23:09

Thanks for the the replies. TraceyE, my Cardiologist decided to turn it on after a 24hr holter monitor test showed that my HR didn't go up past 110 beats and the home monitoring showed a conservative HR range...so he thought. It wasn't until I read the letter that he sent to my GP (he always sends me a copy) that I realised these were his reasons, sighting Chronotropic Incompetance based on the above factors. 

What I didn't get to tell him was that they day we did the holter monitor, I drove 2 hours home and then proceeded to sit on my couch for the rest of the day beofre going to bed, getting up and driving 2 hrs back to Sydney before taking it off. So to me, it makes sense that my HR didn't go above 110 in that 24hrs. Then in the clinic when he was looking at the home monitoring graph, it didn't show much of a HR variation, however when he called the technician in to do a proper download and turn on rate response, she commented (under her breath) that on her graph you can see that my HR does get up there and that it's of course not going to sit at 120-160 all the time and so the incidence would be a lot less compared to sitting at 60-90 BPM. 

I did a download this morning and spoke a technician who said that at the time I was brushing my teeth, my PM didn't record anything...but it did kick in whilst I was exercising one night last week. I'm going back on Tuesday to have another interrogation and take things from there.

You know you're wired when...

You prefer rechargeable batteries.

Member Quotes

I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.