EP Visit Today

Hi everyone,
I am going for a follow up to the EP's office today. Something I want to know about it is the settings. I was under the impression that I wasn't supposed to feel myself pace.

But when I lay down to go to bed, I'm relaxed and I feel like a little "flick" in my chest. I check my RHR and it's hanging out right at 50....at the exact setting the PM is supposed to help.

It doesn't go on for very long...a little "flick" here and there, but is it possible for them to play with the setting so that I don't feel anything at all?

What do I ask for? Not sure how the settings work.

THANKS

5 Comments

Might be too late for me to answer

by heartu - 2010-05-19 02:05:56

It's 1:16 pm here in Pa and I realize you might have already had your appt.

At my last EP visit I asked for a final interrogation report and a long term histogram report.

The final report will show your current setting and the final settings (setting changes made today during your visit, if any were made). The histogram report will show the amount of pacing you have been undergoing since your last visit. This will show the ranges your heart rate has been in since your last interrogation.

It's good to hold onto these reports as you can compare setting changes and note any differences as how you feel when these changes are made.

I can feel my heart beating at times of rest. Perhaps I am just more aware of it now that I have a pm. My husband says he can sometimes feel his beating when he is just sitting there. At times during the night I feel it when I am sleeping on my right side.

Let us know how your visit goes.

pacing

by dottodot - 2010-05-19 08:05:24

some of us feel some pacing. I can always tell when my ventricular lead is pacing but not the atrial one. They say sometimes it's just where it's placed. I call mine tapping but now that I know what it is it isn't a big deal. Of course my ventricle doesn't pace very much less than 1%. It's my atrial lead that paces >98%. Sometimes you will notice it less after the initial visit when they make changes

Good Morning

by MAXI1439 - 2010-05-19 08:05:54

I also had a 3 month checkup this past Monday with a similar question. My heart rate is usually around 65-75, which they tell me is normal for me. I just have been experiencing feeling the heart beat when it is up a little and it kind of scared me. My doc said that some pacemaker patients are more sensitive to feel the pacing. I previously was pacing at 50% of the time. On this visit, he said I am now pacing at 40% and he adjusted the pacemaker to pace less. The visit was Monday, and I think my body seems to feel a little bit calmer.

I hope your physician is as nice as mine and will answer any questions you may have. Just make sure you tell them exactly how and what you are feeling. That way they can determine whether the settings need to me adjusted or not.

Hope you have a good checkup.
Marcia

hi

by pacergirl - 2010-05-19 09:05:15

I just popped in to wish you good luck on your Dr. visit today. I pray that you find the words to tell your dr. what is going on and I also pray that he/she has open ears to "hear" what you are saying.

Blessings to you!
PG

hope your visit went well

by whrlgrl2 - 2010-05-20 12:05:22

I hope that your visit went well yesterday. However i must say that i have had my pacemaker for just over a year now and there are times that i feel it when it gets triggered to pace. Most of the time it is just like you said when i am in bed to go to sleep. it's most likely because when you lay down your rate drops automatically anyway and depending on your settings could have to do with why it is paceing and yep mine feels like a flicker in my chest too. It doesnt actually hurt it is more like a tickle. I dont mind it so much cause i know the device is actually workin! Good luck with everything.

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

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