Taps on :41 of every hour

Hi there!

by Lavender - 2024-08-06 18:33:49

Lol at your calling the tech a little twerp. I wonder what setting was changed in Nov 2023. I also have a Boston Sci and Latitude monitor. 

I have twice in the three years I've had my device- called the manufacturer directly. They can hook you up with a nurse who explains things. You will first speak with a tech who can transfer you to the medical support team. I always got concise help from them. When you got your device you received a little booklet with contact information. Look there. 

I saw this online:

For technical assistance, or urgent issues impacting patient care, please call the Technical Assistance Center at 1-800-949-6708.

Questions about Boston Scientific products? Contact customer care at 1 (888) 272-1001.

More contact info

by Lavender - 2024-08-06 18:43:07

My booklet says technical services:

1-866-484-3268 (24hours)

Is anyone there?

by piglet22 - 2024-08-06 19:40:26

Joking aside, if the company rep says it's not the pacemaker, it's hard not to go along with it.

The pacemaker has a realtime clock for data logging, so the possibility exists for events at a preset time.

There are no moving parts apart from possibly a sounder for alarms or maybe a vibration device for the same purpose.

You could have a look at the manual for your device and see if there is any reference to alarms.

Or you could ask the clinician, politely.

I wouldn't rule anything out, but it does sound unusual.

Let us know how you get on.

Tapping

by Stache - 2024-08-06 21:29:50

I have an Abbott dual-chamber pacer.  My first year was a bit difficult as I didn't know what to expect.  My doctor had the Abbott rep come and readjust my settings.  He explained what he was doing and certain adjustments caused some taps which he corrected.  It took about an hour to make and explain all the adjustments to me.  I haven't had any issues since.  I think a lot of my issues were I just didn't know what to expect and was not used to my pacer.

Stache

by piglet22 - 2024-08-07 04:36:20

Interesting to hear that.

Do you think it was a tap you could feel or did just sound like a tapping noise?

I don't know anything about Abbott devices, always having had Medtronic.

If it's down to some function of the device that you aren't aware of, I can imagine that it could cause some anxiety.

Descriptions / Language Matters

by Penguin - 2024-08-07 05:49:27

Hi, 

If it's happening that regularly, it does sound like something pacemaker related or perhaps situational / routine related that causes a reaction by the pacemaker.  I have no idea what it could be, but I do know that sometimes the language / descriptors that you use can help resolve a situation.  I'm not referring to the 'little twerp' comment, I'm referring to the word 'taps'.  

Does it feel like electrical current and would the word 'zaps' fit for example.  Could it be a run of ventricular pacing in relation to a test that may be programmed. That can feel like a series of what I would describe as 'zaps'. 

Taps infers noise. Zaps may infer electrical sensations.  Just a suggestion. 

I would "respectfully" ask for the original settings to be restored

by Gemita - 2024-08-07 06:10:03

Traci, I am curious, how do you know these taps are occurring at 41 mins past each hour?  Does this mean they are disturbing your sleep and waking you night after night?  

I note you say these are “silent” taps and yet you “feel” them.  Have you noticed any other symptoms that could suggest the adjustments that were made last November have affected your pacing and therefore the “regularity” of your heart beat? 

I have felt my heart beat as a tapping regularly and irregularly all my life with and without my pacemaker, so I don’t really see what the problem is other than the fact that your tapping sensation apparently only occurs on the hour at 41 mins past the hour?  That is hard to understand.

If you are noticing symptoms with these regular on the hour taps like a higher heart rate, some breathlessness, an irregular heart rhythm, an uncomfortable sensation, they may be able to pinpoint the exact problem?  But you may need to be more specific than saying there is a "tapping" when you seek further advice.

With respect, if you haven't already, why don’t you go back to your clinic and ask them if they could kindly change your settings back to the "actual" settings you had before you started experiencing these regular taps?  If the taps stop you will have your answer.  I certainly wouldn’t recommend you start getting angry with your pacemaker team.  There is always a more effective way to handle these issues.

Google

by piglet22 - 2024-08-07 11:00:29

Searching for Abbott devices noise etc., yieled nothing,

Clearly some devices can alarm (ICDs)

https://www.suddencardiacarrestuk.org/information/treatment/icd/icd-sounds-and-alerts/

I'm inclined to go with the rep.

They should know their devices, often more than the clinicians.

Good luck

How about "pulsing?

by IrishToast - 2024-08-07 20:00:59

Sometimes I will get a pulsing muscle twitch somewhere that feels like someone tapping. Could a signal from your PM cause such a twitch?  

Get a copy of your device intorregation data

by Rch - 2024-08-08 01:55:13

Hi

You have B.S. Guidant implanted 2020 for complete heart block and you had been doing well until the device tech made some adjustments. Why would the tech make any adjustments if it had been working well for you? Was he/she trying to minimize your Vp which was 100%? Do you suppose they reprogrammed your AV delay to reduce Vp? 

You should discuss this with your EP and if you are unable to get an appointment with your EP, I would suggest you request a copy of the device data and post it on this site. Members on this forum have seen it all!! You wil get several helpful suggestions which you can use to start a conversation with your providers. 

I have B. S. Accolade and I do feel both atrial and ventricular capture tests lasting about a minute every 21 hours. If there is a loss of capture, the tests would be repeated in an hour. But I don't feel any other housekeeping activity right on the clock every hour! 

IrishToast

by piglet22 - 2024-08-08 05:46:17

Quite possible.

Damaged lead, damaged/loose connector, mode change.

The weakest point in any lead with a connector, is the point where the flexible lead enters the rigid connector.

My twitching started at the generator site and radiated out to my left arm.

56th minute

by PortCityPacer - 2024-09-11 13:06:55

Hi Traci, I am having the same sensation from my Boston Scientific CRT pacemaker that was implanted July 8th except my episodes occurred at the 56th minute of the hour. The episodes occur almost always while I am resting or relaxing and never when I am active, like at the gym doing cardio. At first I thought they were just random but after starting a log I suddenly realized they are at the 56th minute. I am gathering data for my next visit to my cardiologist.