Monitor causing burning sensation

My dad just told me he cannot use the monitor to get a readout from his pacemaker. He has had a pacemaker since 2002, and it was replaced two years ago when the battery ran out. The last two times he tried to use the monitor (Medtronic Cairlink Model 2490H), he felt a strong burning pain when it was running. He pulled the link device away and aborted the session. His pacemaker company representative told him, "That can't happen." The link device in his doctor's office causes no problem. He is going to see the doctor again in a few days.

Anybody have similar problems? We need advice in case his doctor also says he is imagining it!

3 Comments

uhmmmmm?

by pacergirl - 2012-01-14 10:01:21

Because I don't have the same type of PM as your Dad, I looked up how his monitoring devise works. I found it on you tube! Anyway it shows toward the end of the video how the monitor works. I can't see that the monitor can cause a burning sensation, so Is it possible that the coldness of the devise that is placed over the PM is what is causing the burning sensation? The old system that I used to monitor my previous would feel so cold to my skin that I felt like it was almost burning. Maybe that is what is happening?

In any case I would take the whole system and your Dad to the dr. office and have your Dad show them what is bothering him. If he won't use it then another way to monitor his PM is going to have to be considered. It is also possible that the equipment is somehow faulty. Anything is possible.

Best of luck to you both,
Pacergirl

Taking your advice

by vanrock70 - 2012-01-15 05:01:12

Thank you, Frank. I will pass this information on to my Dad.

Larry

Carelink

by ElectricFrank - 2012-01-15 12:01:30

I have the Medtronic Care Link monitor and have been using it for several years. I would wonder if he was imagining it except for his description of a strong burning pain. Also, the fact that he doesn't experience it in the office.

I'm an electronic engineer so let me give you a couple of things to try.
1. Ask him to try putting the pickup device over the pacer without the unit turned on, and with the phone line disconnected. That will isolate any problem with the phone line feeding a voltage back into the unit. It also means that there is no power to the electronics.

2. If he still feels the burning it must be due to pressure on the pacemaker site. By any chance is he pushing it too firmly against his chest? It only needs to be laying lightly against it, and works fine through clothing.

3. If he only feels it with the Carelink hooked to the phone line it is possible to run the test with the phone line disconnected, and plug it in immediately when the test completes.

4. If the burning only happens with the unit turned on then it is defective and needs to be checked out.

If you have any questions feel free to post a note.

frank

You know you're wired when...

You have rhythm.

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