First follow up visit

what you should ask

by new to pace.... - 2023-07-19 17:58:33

first the remote clinic will have notified your doctor about your  transmissions.  If you click on the magnifying glass next to the word "logout" put in the search box your questions many answers will pop up.

If you have any questons or concerns about your device write them down and bring with you.

new to pace

Some thoughts

by Gemita - 2023-07-19 19:34:46

1) Always ask whether there were any "events" (like high atrial or ventricular heart rates) recorded and if so, could they please tell you how high the heart rates were and how long these lasted?

2) Since you feel well, it sounds as though everything is working well for you settings wise, but you could ask perhaps the percentage time you are paced in the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left ventricle?  

3) You would clearly know if you had had any defibrillator shocks, so I am assuming there were none?  But you could ask whether there were any high atrial or ventricular rate arrhythmia episodes that needed treating during the monitoring period?

4) Cardiomyopathy.  When did you last have an echocardiogram?  A three lead device may take some time before you will notice any improvements and at three months an echocardiogram may be ordered to see how well your heart is functioning.  You could ask about any meds you are taking?

5) If you have any symptoms that concern you, you will have the opportunity to ask the doctor about these since in my experience doctors are not so concerned about your settings or what was seen on the pacemaker downloads, but they want to hear from you personally how you have been and about any new symptoms.  Symptoms, if you describe them well, will give them as much information as will any remote transmission.

As new to pace has said, the remote pacing details will be available to your doctor during the follow up appointment, so don't worry about that.  Relax, enjoy your follow up and thank the doctor for all his help and tell him/her how well you are doing.  They love to hear success stories.  Good luck

I'm a little confused

by AgentX86 - 2023-07-19 22:36:38

First, welcome to the club. No one wants to be here but welcome anyway.

You said that before your implant you had a resting heart rate in the 90s and after, it's in the 60s. Pacemakers can only increase rate, not decrease it.  They must have done something else, at the same time or perhaps they've changed your drugs (a pile of beta-blockers, for instance). Inquiring minds want to know.  😉

Do you have any idea what your Left Ventricaliar Ejection Fraction ("LVEF" or "EF", for short)? Since you have an ICD, your cardiomyopathy must be somewhat on the severe side.  Hopefully your CRT-D will take care of it in short order.

Since your issue is with th elower heart conduction, your settings will be fairly simple, at least the onces that will affect your daily living.  The complicated stuff comes in with a faulty sinus node (Sick Sinus Syndrome, SSS) or AV block.  Your block is lower, in the branches in the left ventricle.

A diagram of the heart's electrical system will give you some idea of the issue (not so much the cardiomyopathy, rather the branch block).

<https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-and-function-of-the-hearts-electrical-system>