I Found A Fix For My Problem!

See my original post here.

Cliff's Notes version: I'm a life-long cyclist who had a pacemaker implanted November 2016 after developing a Wenckebach A/V block. No matter how the E.P. tweaked the settings, I would have a meltdown on my bike after only 20 minutes and would have to turn around and limp home.

Between my cardiologist and the E.P. they tried everything: echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, stress test while watching my ECG AND the pacemaker in operation; they saw nothing.

The E.P. passed me on to his colleague who was briefed on my tale of woe. I gave him my "up close and personal" story. He seemed pretty confident he knew what the problem was because he saw the same thing happen in ONE other patient who was a marathon runner. Doctor said this problem does not occur in 99.9% of pacemaker patients, but in certain hardcore athletes it can be a problem.

If I understood him correctly, he said he turned OFF the PMT Intervention feature. "PMT" stands for Pacemaker Mediated Tachycardia. I later discovered that by default, the feature is turned OFF so either my E.P. turned it on at some point or maybe I misunderstood the doctor. Either way, he changed its ON/OFF state from one to the other.

I tested it for the first time today and the difference is like night and day. It took a year but it was worth being persistent.

 

3 Comments

Good news!

by Gotrhythm - 2017-10-19 22:30:03

Another demonstration that "your pacemaker is working fine," doesn't mean the problem isn't being caused by the pacemaker.

Glad you got the answers you needed.

Exactly

by Peter P. - 2017-10-20 23:06:49

Early on in my struggle to solve my problem, one cardiologist said maybe "I would have to live with it."

And yeah; my E.P. kept insisting my pacemaker was working properly. Don't get me wrong; he never gave up and believed I wasn't dreaming that I was having problems, but he concluded at one point that he ran out of ideas and wasn't ashamed to ask one of his partners to have a look. 

Obviously I'm glad I stuck it out but the expense of the all the visits, tests, and time off from work, can be a real deterrent.

PMT-on vs off ??

by Stillrunning - 2018-08-10 15:01:07

My PMT is also on but always has been through two pacemakers both Medtronic Adapta ADDR. I was a runner 40 + years had to finally stop due to hip arthritis at 73,, switched to biking and can ride up to 50 miles but mostly 20 to 30’s

my trouble is it’s extremely difficult to get my HR up,, it wants to stay around 110,, mostly 90 to 100 unless I push really hard up hill and my legs scream for more oxygen eventually I can get 125-130 but by then I have to back off till the new blood gets to my legs after a couple a mins but then my rate drops back down quickly to 110ish and I’m back where I was. I’m sure it’s setting related because I can tap pluse the PM heart rate goes up for a while and I can push for maybe 3 or 4 mins with the legs feeling refreshed. Sometimes I’m lucky before a uphill and due to rough roads the HR is in 130’s and I feel great on that hill until road smooths out and it drops back to 90-100 again.

what does PMT have to do with something like this,, also I’m afraid to start making adjustments after 2 years to find a setting that worked with running but seems no good a all for cycling ,, here we go again 

You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

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