How low should you go?

At my last appointment they changed my low setting from 50 down to 45. They did this because while laying in bed my RHR would get down and very close to 50 if not hit 50 and I could feel the pacing here and there.

But then over this weekend I had dizziness-something I haven't had in a very long time. It could have been the warm weather and working in the yard-not totally sure. My blood pressure was good so I don't think it was anything serious. Other than a flashback to when the block was discovered in the first place. OYE!

I guess I'm a little confused at how the 45 really works. I guess it goes back to the pausing/timing question. If my heart pauses for a period of time does the PM kick in? Or does it wait for my RHR as a whole to get as low as 45?

And wondering if anyone else is set below 50? Should I go back up to 50?

THANKS

10 Comments

rates

by Tracey_E - 2010-06-07 03:06:12

If you are set at 45 bpm, your heart should not pause more than three quarters of a second. Remember it goes by second, not actually beats per minute. If you're feeling bad and you were fine before they lowered it, you might want it up again. Or sometimes they can adjust the delay, but I don't understand that one well enough to explain it :o)

Hi

by Bionic Beat - 2010-06-07 04:06:22

It's usually put down so that you can sleep well.

If you were feeling the pacing during the night, they've just lowered it a bit to help avoid that sensation.

Remember, when we're sleeping, all of our bodily functions/organs rest too.

Heart rate drops while we sleep in nature, so they're just trying to make it comfortable as it happens for you with the pacemaker.

If you were to get up and start walking around at 3 am, your heart beat would go up.

Better that you get some sleep! ;)


Best wishes,

Bionic Beat

rate

by cfritza - 2010-06-07 05:06:46

Hi Wendy,
Not sure if this is the answer to your question. But my rate was set to 50 bpm. When I slept before the pacemaker (I had a loop recorder this is how I know this next bit of info) my heart rate would go to 38 sometimes. I was told that when your sleeping that's ok but if you get up or are moving around you will feel light headed et. I know once when my rate was at 45 I felt very lightheaded so that is why they set my to 50 because we don't always know when the rate will drop so at 50 I don't feel that lightheadedness.

rates

by Genie - 2010-06-08 04:06:12

TraceyE (or someone else) please can you explain the 3/4 of a second bit? My PM is set at 60, and I'm sure yesterday my heart rate paused for at least a second when I took my pulse yesterday. I thought this was just off for 60, but you make it sound like more. I've been telling myself it was just an ectopic beat, or my poor pulse taking, as my pulse was 65 when I took it on a machine (granted, I was panicking by then)...

Thanks,
Genie

oops

by Tracey_E - 2010-06-08 06:06:29

45 is NOT one per 3/4 second, it would be longer than a second, sometimes I swear I turn dyslexic. Genie, maybe that's the confusion, lol. Let's keep the math simple and say 60 bpm because that works out to a nice and easy 1 beat per second. If the heart goes a second and doesn't beat, the pm jumps in and makes a beat. The pm doesn't average over a minute, it goes beat by beat.

Genie, I have no trouble believing you have a PhD! I do not have one, but I've been pestering cardiologists for answers to my questions and befriending people who work in cardiologists offices since 1971. I've had a few more years than you to pick up on stuff. :o)

rates

by Tracey_E - 2010-06-08 07:06:13

We talk about it in beats per minute, but it's programmed in beats per second. If she's at 45, that's one beat for every three quarters of a second. If you're at 60 bpm, that's one beat per second. It was probably an ectopic beat or you just didn't feel it. Pm's are a lot more dependable than our pulse checking abilities! If you're set at 60 and count it at 50, then I'd be getting it checked out. As long as it's around 60 and you feel good, you're fine :o)

Tracey

by SMITTY - 2010-06-08 08:06:02

Tracey,

I saw the error and was going to kid you about it, but you found before I could say anything. Forty five BPM means you have a heart beat every 1.3333 seconds. But since our heart is seldom going to beat that regular minute after minute, I suggest to anyone determined to find out what their natural heartbeat is do a manual check for one full minute. Then do four more minute checks over about a 20 minute period. Add all the numbers and divide by 5. That will about a accurate as you will ever get.

I always figure a heart beat count of plus or minus 5% is close enough. unless it is real low and I am calling the doctor.

Smitty

Still don't get it...

by Genie - 2010-06-08 09:06:03

I still don't get this. Would you believe I have a PhD?!!!!!

Genie

My PhD

by J.B. - 2010-06-09 04:06:05

I have a BS-PhD, so I've been told. The explanation I got was my BS is Piled Hip Deep. I have lots of company too.

Thanks and Sorry

by Genie - 2010-06-09 08:06:26

Thanks for sorting it out - I don't feel so bad now,

Tracey, my husband did try to explain to me the maths of this vs. the other way round, which is what you did. But his analogy involved cakes, so I completely tuned out and started imagining them instead. LOL.

Sorry Wenditt for taking over the post. I have my PM set at 60. I've been in beta blockers for tachycardia which was making my pulse hit the lower limit during the day when I was resting and it did make me feel weird to have it so low. Not dizzy, but kind of strange in my chest, like I was not breathing properly I can't imagine what 45 would make me feel like, but everyone's different and if you're used to a low rate this might feel fine. As Tracey says, if you heart pauses the pacemaker should kick in, but ectopics etc. might complicate that. If it were me I'd give it a while but if it happened again think about trying 50 again.

Again, sorry for taking over the conversation,

Genie

You know you're wired when...

You can feel your fingers and toes again.

Member Quotes

I have a well tuned pacer. I hardly know I have it. I am 76 year old, hike and camp alone in the desert. I have more energy than I have had in a long time. The only problem is my wife wants to have a knob installed so she can turn the pacer down.