recent appointment

Pacing percentages at sleep?

by Gemita - 2021-06-23 04:51:06

Athena, what is important is "how we feel with our pacing", not on our pacing percentages alone, since percentages can change depending on our activities, whether we are at rest, on our stress levels, on our heart condition, on our medication, whether our hearts are beating steadily in normal sinus rhythm or beating erratically during an arrhythmia.  

Importantly, our pacemaker settings can affect how much we are paced in upper/lower right side heart chambers.  Adjust the settings and our pacing needs may reduce or increase in some instances.  Patients with heart block will see a greater percentage of pacing in the right ventricle, often up to 100%, depending on the degree of heart block, whereas those with Sick Sinus Syndrome where their natural heart pacemaker needs support, will often see up to 100% pacing support in the right atrium, depending on the degree of sinus node dysfunction.  So, a lot can affect our need for pacing support Athena, including our age and other health conditions.

Looking at your percentages, you are clearly not pacemaker dependent and for a lot of the time your heart, with your current settings, is doing very well on its own without pacing support.  My pacing percentages were right atrium 98.7% and right ventricle 7% when last checked.  I have Sick Sinus Syndrome (tachy/brady syndrome).  I go back next week for another device check.

What are the specific questions you want to ask Athena?  There are a lot of knowledgeable folks on this forum who will be able to answer many of your questions.  Remember a pacemaker, its settings, the condition it treats is not an easy subject to grasp, that is why our doctors need years of study and work experience.  Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't immediately understand something. It will take time and none of us ever stops learning anyway.  That is what life is all about.   Be patient and learn things slowly and thoroughly.  If you can, you could ask for a copy of your pacemaker settings (or at least a summary sheet) when you next go for a review.  I have to request mine "formally" here in the UK but access to our medical records is usually given.

I see your pacing percentages are for when you are at rest (sleep)?   Mine are not broken down to my knowledge.  Just a percentage figure overall for my pacing requirements 24/7.  You could question them as to whether you only seem to need pacing support at night due to sleep apnea when your heart rate might fall too low and pause.  Otherwise I would be happy with your percentage figures and any treatment you might be on for any palpitations.

HAPPY HEART

by athena123 - 2021-06-23 07:06:29

THANK YOU GEMITA FOR YOUR VERY KIND WORDS AND FEEDBACK. I WILL IN TIME GET TO KNOW ALL ABOUT MY CONDITION AND THE ACRONYMS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PACEMAKER. YOUR A TRUE GEM.

questions

by new to pace.... - 2021-06-23 08:42:29

For me to remember the questions or anything else i want to ask.  I write down(type on computer)  then print and take with me.   Keep adding to the questions until i see the doctor.

Sometimes i ask the doctor to write the answers(do ask that  they write legiblly).  That way will know all the answers .  Since i do not hear well and only get some of the answers. Or i bring someone with me to write the answers to the questions.

  You might ask if you can tape his answers.  Some will allow and others are afraid to be sued.

new to pace

Nerves

by Persephone - 2021-06-23 18:13:05

Hi Athena - I think maybe a lot of us with anxiety issues think we need to just try harder and keep "soldiering on", but that is not always the case.  Keep asking questions of your medical team, even if you're not prepared to ask them all at once when it's convenient for them.  Is there an email option for corresponding with them?  If not, they should be able to take a call from you and give a message to the doc or clinic to call you back when they can.  Keeping a log of questions / issues to raise has been really helpful for me.