Rate Responsive PM Setting

During my first pm checkup, I told the Medtronic rep that I was a type A personality and was frustrated with my lack of endurance and breathlessness and asked about my lower and upper limits. My lower limit is set at 60 and my upper limit is set at 120. Those values were set at implantation time. My rate responsive setting is not enabled and she said it was my decision whether to turn it on or not. She said that if I play tennis or really exert myself then it would take awhile for the rate to slow down. I have decided to wait to discuss this with cardiologist on Tuesday - but does anybody have experience with this? Thx in advance ! :-)

10 Comments

rate response

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-10 09:01:25

Does your atrial rate go up on its own when you work out? If it does, I'd leave rr off. It's always better to use your own natural pacemaker when you can. Rate response is for people who's atrial rate doesn't increase like it should, like SSS.

Lows and highs

by heckboy - 2009-01-10 09:01:49

I'm 46. My low is set at 50 and rate response is off. I think that means there is no high, but I'm not certain. Before I had the rate response turned off, my high was set to 160.

When I check my pulse after a 5-10 minute warm up at the gym, my HR is usually around 140...when i check it during my workout, it's between 110-120.

Leave it off if you can

by ElectricFrank - 2009-01-10 11:01:39

The only reason for rate response is if your natural sinus pacer is malfunctioning. Otherwise, with it on you have two competing sources of pacing which can cause all sorts of problems.

The lower/upper limits and usually set to 60/120 or 70/120 by the pacer manufacturer when it ships. This way if the implanting surgeon isn't training in setting them you have workable, but limiting settings. The problem for an active person is that an upper limit of 120 doesn't allow for much exertion. The problem is worse than it might seem because the way the pacer enforces the upper limit is by skipping beats. This produces an irregular hear beat which is inefficient.

I'm 78yrs old and it took some convincing to get mine set to 55/150. I actually don't push myself to 150, but it gives me some leeway. Like I told the cardiologist, it may be risky for someone my age to go to 150, but if a mugger was chasing me in the parking lot I'll take the risk! I use a HR monitor and shoot for a rate around 140, which keeps me from hitting the limit.

frank

hrm

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-11 02:01:07

What kind of hrm will work depends on what type of pm you have. Any sporting store will have them. You can get hrm's that are a watch that you touch with your finger for a reading, or the ones that have the chest band which are usually more accurate but not practical to wear 24/7. Polar with the chest strap are probably the best rated for the lowest price. None of those worked for me- they read 0- though some members haven't had a problem.

I got a hrm ring from Brookstone recently, it works in infrared instead of radio so my pm doesn't interfere with it. It seems to work pretty well but it's too clunky to wear when I'm not working out.

Off to google powerglove, never heard of that one!

powerglove

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-11 02:01:42

check out the reviews on amazon, a few love it but most reviewers can't get it to read.

Thx As Always

by ppt - 2009-01-11 06:01:06

Thx for all the good info - off to a Sports store tomorrow :-)

try it on

by Tracey_E - 2009-01-11 09:01:36

ask to try it in the dressing room before you buy it. They usually don't want you to do this but after I returned two of them I started asking!

More on HR Monitor

by ppt - 2009-01-11 10:01:08

I looked it up on the web - got the idea. There are so many models? Any Manufacturer known to be superior? I kind of liked the PowerGlove - seemed simple - could wear on my left hand (I am right handed) etc etc... Any thoughts?

HR Monitor?

by ppt - 2009-01-11 10:01:45

What is a heart rate monitor? How does it work? I have been thinking about a SoftTouch for sea tbelt as well as PM is on the edge and it is really uncomfortable. Thx...

SoftTouch

by LGreensweight - 2009-01-11 12:01:16

I bought the SoftTouch for the seat belt. It stays in place pretty good, even though my heavy winter coat is a little on the slippery side. I also got the comfortHer bra strap pad and occasionally still wear it even though my incision is healed.

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