pacemaker

Yes

by AgentX86 - 2020-01-30 23:16:53

Restrict movement on the pacemaker side but that doesn't mean keep it motionless.  Make sure you do everything you'd normally do, except reach above your head, behind your back, or extend your arm fully.  Use it for everything else.  This is important.  Also, you should not lift above 10lbs (some EPs say 5lbs).  If you do accidentally reach for something you shouldn't have, don't sweat it too much (we've all done it).  It's hard to do damage but you don't want to tempt fate either.

is it working?

by Pacemaker_Sally - 2020-01-31 01:04:39

when you have your 6-week check up at the pacemaker clinic, they can share with you some of the stats from your pacemaker. For example, from my dual-chamber pacemaker, they told me I was paced ventricularly <1% of the time and atrially 20% of the time. They recorded my heartrate reaching a healthy 150 BPM.

my heart block is triggered by swallowing <1% of the time. so I notice what feels like a speedbump when I swallow 'wrong' and then, instead of the downward spiral of an av block, I just carry on like nothing happened. magical!

Sensitive

by Theknotguy - 2020-01-31 09:22:33

Some people are more sensitive to electrical action than others.  When I first got my pacemaker because the voltage was set higher I would occasionally feel the tickle of the electrical impulse followed by the hard thump of the heartbeat.  I can also feel my afib and not everyone can do that.  At or about 90 days they reduced the voltage on my pacemaker and I rarely feel the initial electrical impulse now.  

Based upon your question, you may be one of the sensitive people and be feeling the effects of the higher voltage.  Or you could just be feeling the effects of the heart activity after the initial impulse.  If it doesn't bother you too much I'd just wait out the approximate 90 days and go forward after that.  At the very least you know your pacemaker is working.  

I hope you quickly adjust to your pacemaker and everything goes well.  
 

Be careful

by Lady Lee - 2020-01-31 14:49:33

I got my 5th pacer last week.  I'm doing most with left arm as pacer is on right but try not to lift right arm because don't want to take chances.  My neighbor helps me when I need help and I'll be watching my right arm carefully for about 3 months to make sure everything stays good.

It's Friday!

by AgentX86 - 2020-01-31 16:29:47

To answer your last question,  yes I am very aware when my pacemaker is engaged - I'm still breathing. ;-)

Yes

by Julros - 2020-02-01 12:17:55

I felt my pacer engaging almost continually, probably due to the fact that my left ventricular lead was "floating" in the vein, and the output was kept high so that it would capture and function. At each check, the output was incrementally lowered, so at about 4 months it no longer kept me awake. 

Left ventricular lead floating

by AgentX86 - 2020-02-01 22:18:23

That's the normal placement for the LV lead in a CRT pacer, in the veins of the coronary sinus.  The leads enter the heart through the right atrium so the LV lead has to cross over into the left somehow. To ger there yhey use a vein leading to the coronary sinus (the major vein that returns blood from the left side of the heart, back to the LV so that it can get to the lungs) .