Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

Post Message!

First Check-up

Had a Medtronic ADDR01 installed 12/27/12 after 3 Sic Sinus A/V Block episodes on the 26th and a 20 second flat line in the hospital on the 27th.
Just had my 3 month checkup. Asked for a printout and received a page titled Rate Drop Episode Report.
Settings are:
Mode - DDD
Lower Rate - 50ppm
Upper Track - 160ppm
Detection type - Drop
Intervention Rate - 100ppm
Intervention Duration - 2min
Total Episodes Detected - 229
Drop Rate - 50ppm
D...

Read More...

All Good About to Have a MRI

Hi Pacers
Now at the 10 week mark post pacemaker fittment......all good, cycling continueing to improve every day, last week, turned back the clock 4 years with a time for a 80km ride in the hills east of Melbourne.
My cardio continues to be pleased but has suggested an MRI as a final check. I have a new model St.Jude PM that is designed to be compatable with the MRI device and my cardio and a St.Jude technition will be in attendance.
Any advice/tips.....

Many thanks<...

Read More...

2 weeks now and I have device check

2 weeks now. I have a device and incision check today. I am not sure what questions I should be asking. Can anyone tell me things that you did ask and things you wised you asked? I am having some "swings" in fluid retention -- 2 to 3 pounds differece since yesterday but by tomorrow I could have lost 4? How long should/do you limit light lifting? Thanks for all you answers it makes a great deal of difference in coping and learning as one gets on with their life.

Read More...

What is wrong?

Had a triple lead Bitronik pacer implanted 1/28/13 - Everything seemed fine until my first pacer check on 3/12/13... Whatever the tech did knocked me out cold... she said that I was super-sensitive, etc etc no problem. The following Friday I almost passed out in the supermarket - Sat. at work I was lightheaded, nauseous, finger tingling ... All of the symptoms I had with my atrial fib. ... My doctor was out sick and N.P. who saw me said that the settings had been changed (no one told me...

Read More...

New to group/PM recently implanted

Hi, All!
I'm new to the Pacemaker Club forum. I'm in my 30's and have had a St. Jude dual-chamber PM implanted five weeks ago. I have multiple health conditions, some of which include autoimmune autonomic neuropathy (dysautonomia), myasthenia gravis (MG), tachy-brady syndrome, hyperadrenergic POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), neurocardiogenic syncope. I've had dysautnomia since I was 16 years old.

Because of my myasthenia gravis (which is a neuro-muscular disea...

Read More...

Effect of Atrial Pacing

Interesting one for you technical types. Using my ECG together with the Care Link I can run a high resolution strip and watch the the effects as the Care Link programs pacing through the test.

At one point in the test the pacer is programmed to Ap-Vp at 85 bpm. During this time I can see the pacing pulses varying in amplitude so I suspect this is when the pacing voltages are tested.

Now the interesting part. At the end of this test the pacer is programmed to As-Vp (for my...

Read More...

Merlin@home USB trans. setup-dumb but easy "?"

Hi, really dumb question. I'm trying to get the USB cell tower transmitter for my Merlin@Home...and have lost the phone number. For obvious reasons, my hospital keeps calling me to make sure I've ordered it. I work 2 jobs and have an average of a 15 hour day, so it's not like I have "time abundant" to hunt for it. Can someone please help a bonehead out? What's the number? haha

Read More...

Routine pacer check

Was feeling fine when I went to the office to have my routine pacer check. I always feel a little weak afterwards after the magnet part of the check up. I started feeling really fatigued about 6 hours after the check up. Muscle and joint soreness.
I went into my GP the next day to check for the flu. That came back negative. My wife and I work in the school system and seem to always pick up a "bug" of some sort. We have been trading a cough back and forth for a couple of months. 1st t...

Read More...

rate setting

I recently got a pacemaker at age 51. I am starting to run again but noticed thAt when I pick up in intensity I get lightheaded and short of breath. What should the bpm be for an almost athlete?

Read More...

3 months

Had my cardiac visit today and all my restrictions were lifted today. I think the drs like to scare you and always like to remind you why you have your device. But I am just so happy to be alive and have my pm so I could live a lot longer! I was told I am pacing at 99% because I was not pacing equally. But now it is time to not always think about this disease and go on with life and I plan on living it to the fullest. I am only 42 and I refuse to give up! God is good! Amen!

Read More...

Increase rate on occasion

Hi again,

Trying to get some ideas on why my heart rate would suddenly shoot up from about 50 bpm to 80 bpm or more (these are only approximate numbers). I have both rate response and CLS turned off. Everything was fine for the first 2 months (after turning off RR and CLS), then on the third month I've had 3 of these episodes. Each time it happend while sitting at my desk at work while concentrating on the computer screen. I first felt an irregular heart beat as if it skipped a beat a...

Read More...

Looking back.....

Frank and others, I did a search of past messages re rate response setting and it was most helpful. Meet with surgeon EP that did implant in 8 days and by that time will know if increasing medicine has helped the rapid heart rate. After reading all postings, I will ask about having rate response turned off. Let you know..

Read More...

question for Frank.

So I am older than you by 4 months. Turned 83 February 2. Have a question about rate response. Saw cardiologist on Monday because my heart rate has been 115-125 while resting. Obviously not good. He says I won't die from it, but it is a nuisance. Duh, yeah. In some responses you have given, you mentioned you had rate response turned off. Mine is on and just wonder if my coughing or breathing or getting engrossed in a tv show, or even just walking around the house and then sitting and taking puls...

Read More...

I am still around...

I am still hear lurking, not much posting. I am still in the fine tuning stages and the DRs are getting ready to throw me on a treadmill. I am doing great, but things aren't quite perfect like I would expect.

So, I learned today that there is another factor in how high a pacer can take you. I thought the upper tracking rate was it..., now they tell me the sensing rate is the magic number. Can anyone tell me the difference? My UTR is 200, my sensing rate is 130 or 140...I don't get it...

Read More...

Urgent checkup required

Hi,
My dad had a pm installed in 2005. the pm has been working fine, but of late he's been in deteriorating health and is in the ICU since 10 days. I need to have his pm checked, but the doc informed that ela is now defunct and the technician equipped to check the pm is charging exorbitantly.
I stay in Mumbai and would appreciate if someone knew somebody in Mumbai, India that can check/test the pm at minimal costs. I am already burdened financially because of healthcare costs.

Read More...

data download

Is there a way to routinely download PM data so I can get a copy

Read More...

AV delay

I read interesting material from several of the members about this and have just had the AV ablation which appears to have gone well. The technician said she set the delay at 60. Could some of you tell me what this really means as the figures you mentioned were like 140, 180 and up. Certainly I am elderly but very active and keen to get back to golf, bowls, bush walks and such. Yes I had a pm before ablation, and the rate response is on. I see there are some very knowledgeable members here on...

Read More...

Anyone Get Better???

Just had an interrogation. PM tech said that I appear to not relying much on the PM right now. Got me to wondering if the systemic inflammation (from a systemic diagnosis of AS) that caused my block at the His Bundle (if I remember correctly) might be going away???? My printout shows the rate histogram %'s as follows: AS-VS: 24.5%; AS-VP: .1%; AP-VS: 75.5%; and AP-VP: .1%. Am I kidding myself or is this even possible? This is so out of my area of expertise; appreciate any input on interpreti...

Read More...

How long did it take...

For your settings on the pm to be set?

I received mine last May at the 1st check in Sept they "turned on" the breathing sensor to let my top rate go higher. But I don't think it is working correctly or it has a governor on it.

When I exercise or other "extra curicular" activities, I get so out of breath very quickly - faster than before the pm. I took my pulse the last time and it was only 100, it should have been on the 140 - 160 range in my opinion.

I hope thi...

Read More...

from Ariela many thanks

Thank you so much for all the information and answers you gave me. It is wonderful to be able to have so many people with so much knowledge! I wonder how all of you learned so much … My field of studies is literature, and I have no science background. The heart has been a mystery to me, and anything electric scares me – not a good thing for someone in my situation. But, I’m making progress, thanks to all of you: I bought a book that explains the functioning of the heart, and I have been pourin...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Intel inside is your motto.

Member Quotes

I, too, am feeling tons better since my implant.