New to pacemakers

Well I am the wife of a 45 year old who now has a dual chamber PM. In august, my husband had 1 light headed experience and then on 11/7 had four episodes in a single day that brought his HR down to 0. Low and behold, in went the PM. Today we went for our first interrogation and I am a little nervous. As soon as the PM was in, other then a infrequent episodes of fogginess, he has been feeling physically well. Today they changed the settings, I guess they increased the time between sensing and pacing to 350milliseconds and I am now feeling back the way I did after they put it in. Should I be concerned? What should I look for? I am afraid to go to sleep tonight.
Vicki

3 Comments

Go ahead and sleep

by ElectricFrank - 2010-12-07 11:12:32

It is unlikely that the new settings would be life threatening or such. If things are still the same tomorrow I would contact the doc have it checked. Sounds like one of the settings isn't working out for you.

good luck,

frank

More

by ElectricFrank - 2010-12-07 11:12:46

The usual delay between sense and pace is usually around 170mS. Strange that yours is almost exactly double.

frank

If you can.....

by Pookie - 2010-12-08 01:12:55

ask whoever interrogates the pacemaker if the pacemaker representative can be present next time. Usually most hospitals have a rep....I think.

I think you will feel a whole lot better once you begin to understand the pacemaker more.

This was your husband's 1st interrogation and it is not unusual at all for settings to be changed because when we 1st receive them, the settings are usually left at the default settings, then during the 1st check up they start to "tweak" the settings for the patient's needs. Sometimes the patient (actually a lot) of the patients have to go back more than once before they feel their best.

The big thing I've learned over time is to have an open and frank dialogue between the patient and the PM Tech. Ask questions, get them to explain things. Ask for the print outs after each interrogation.

And if your husband isn't feeling good, then don't just sit back and hope things will get better - call the doctor back and tell him/her exactly what is going on as one should not feel worse after having their pacemaker implanted.

It's all new to you, but hang in there and if you have any questions at all - please post them and we will help you the best we can.

take care,
Pookie

You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

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