Jolt in chest question

Hi- I'm 3 months into a dual lead Medronic Avanta PM for Bradycarida, low heart beat. Not a defib. Its a demand PM set at 60 bpm at the low and 175 at the high.
Recently while reading in bed I had a jolt to the chest similar to a punch without the pain. 2 hours later another one with less impact and then one more again with less impact. It then stopped.
There were no other symptoms or anything like a heart attack.
A call to my cardio dr resulted in a appointment next week but the office said it wouldn't be the PM since it's not a defib.I just had the Medtronic tech do an inerrrogation and the PM was working fine.
Has anyone else experienced this?? What could have caused dit?? Any thoughts?? Thank you all for any feedback

George

6 Comments

chest jolt

by luckyloo - 2007-09-22 08:09:28

hi george,

i believe there should be some sign of loss of function of the lead....over sensing etc... something should have shown on the interrogation i would think. when mine came out the sensation was like sharp prickling that i felt across even my lungs. the lead was trying to pace. i had just had my lead replaced the day before and they kept me overnight thank God. it required another surgery to put it back in my heart...the tip wasn't "screwed in " good. my pacer is a demand pacer too....i have an ICD with pacemaker function turned on. i wasn't being shocked from my ICD...it was the pacing i was feeling.

i wonder if you felt a strong PVC...you get a pause between beats and then a strong beat after it recovers.

Feel them everyday...

by cottontop - 2007-09-22 09:09:34

Hi George, I feel them especially when I am not up and around doing something. I feel like my heart jerks to the middle of my chest.Not painful just really annonying. I have found that when it havppens and take my blood pressure and pulse with my wrist cuff. My pulse will be 60, 61 or 62. My pacemaker is set at 60 and every time I feel it I used to check and it is my pacer kicking in. I had half of my pericardial sac removed in Nov. of 2006 and figured I am more sensitive to feeling my heart beating. I just got checked last week and and they changed my mode and now my PM is pacing 100% in the ventricle. I feel this llittle jolts when sitting one right after the other. Does this sound like what you are having? Let me know! I can feel my PVC's also. I always tell my husbands it HOP,SKIPPIN, and JUMPIN
HA, HA ! I have to laugh or I would complain to much.

God bless you,
cottontop
P.S. I have a Dual Medtronic Adapta DR for Sick sinus syndrome and developed 3 months later Heart Block

shock

by luckyloo - 2007-09-22 11:09:22

your lead could be out of place and pacing your diaphragm or something....i felt like that when my lead was out of place.
luckyloo

Chest jolt

by georgeh4 - 2007-09-22 12:09:11

Lucky Loo- Justa quick follow up to my recent response to your feedback. If there is a loose or out of place lead doen't that mean the PM will not function properly , either not firing at the low or high end. Mine is a dual lead with a high and low demand setting. Thank you.

Georgeh4

Chest Jolt

by georgeh4 - 2007-09-22 12:09:20

To Luckyloo- Thank you for the response to my chest jolt question. How was your problem corrected?? My jolt was not electrical in nature, more like a punch to the area. Are there any other indications of a loose or out of place lead??

George

maybe it was a PVC

by maestro - 2007-09-23 07:09:30

George,

It is quite possible what you felt was unrelated to your PM.

Perhaps you had a premature ventricular contraction, or other similar irregularity.

We all have these little bumps in the night.

Good luck.

Maestro

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