Race car !

I was helping my Son tune in his racecar for Saturdays dirt Championships and had the motor at a high RPM's after adjusting the valves, I felt a small pain in the middle of my chest, after we killed the motor on the car, I felt my heart beating at least 95 plus bpm plus a little stomach fluttering, I took some deep breaths trying to bring the rate down. I have SSS and this is the first time in 6 weeks or more that my HR jumped up, I later went home and laid down for the night and as soon as I did, the rate dropped to normal rate. I was told I have tachy brady, but this was the first time I felt it since PM implant July 25 2012. Wondering if the ignition from the motor caused this rapid heart rate or the PM was effected by motor Ignition and caused it. Hummmmm !! I stayed calm to avoid any anxiety that normally follows anything out of the norm for me.

William

5 Comments

same problem here

by Dogcatcher - 2012-10-10 05:10:32

If it's like mine then the vibration from the motor caused it, my PM sets off my heart rate when there is any kind of vibration from even driving a car that rides rough, my doctor said it is because they have set my Pacemaker to be super sensitive because I am very active, I also have Tachy Brady. You should have seen it when I actually drove a Race Car lol.
Cherye

Sensor

by wrg - 2012-10-10 06:10:20

My sensor is turned off, actually my PM has been just keeping my heart paced at 60 bpm at rest, my Doc said he felt I didn't need sensor. I question him about SSS also. Yes vibrations do strange things to my heart rate too. And yes I loved racing sprints in the day myself, talking about a heart rate, when you hit the oval at 120mph, it would get you all your stuff up and going. lol
Anyway I hooked myself up to the equipment they sent home with me and they called back and said all looks fine, could be a little dehydrated. From ear infection, been on advil for the inflamation from it and the fliud on my ear.

William

motor or battery

by Bevof NC - 2012-10-10 08:10:30

Hi, I have a list from Boston Scientific..(.Guidant at the time) I got it and it said never to lean over a lawnmower motor when it was running. My lawnmower handbook even said if you have a pacemaker... do not lean over the motor when it is running, also. I would think that a car motor would be even more powerful a magnet than a lawnmower. We should be careful of distance with any appliance, tho we can use them with care. Good luck and wishing you the best! Bev of NC

Engines, etc...

by donr - 2012-10-11 01:10:40

...Do any of you have your Rate Response turned on? The correct magnitude of vibration will trigger it & give the kinds of response you are suggesting.

The RR switch will think, because of the vibration, that you are undergoing heavy physical activity & need the increased HR. Its sensitivity is adjustable.

As for running engines affecting a PM. A lot of us crawl under the hood (Bonnet to you, Ian) (figuratively) of running cars/trucks/boats, etc w/ not a single effect.

1) Diesel engines cannot affect your PM - they have no ignition. (Except for vibration - & man-o-man, do they vibrate!) They only have an alternator to supply electric power for accessories. Magnetic fields from them are usually not powerful enough to affect your PM. Also - it's kinda tough to get your PM close enough to the alternator to affect it w/o being whacked in the chops by the fan blade & having all your teeth knocked out. Ever seen a squirrel or cat that tangled w/ a fan blade? Not pretty!

2) Gasoline powered automotive engines. Read the above about diesels for info on car alternators. Same applies here. Also, the magnet in an alternator is INSIDE the device & the mag field is pretty well captured by the device - not much leakage at all.

3) Ignitions: Ignitions in current models & for the last perhaps 10 yrs have high energy spark systems. You don't want to get zapped by one of them! Now, to prevent interference w/ auto AM radios, the ignition systems are shielded. You, therefore should not get any interference w/ your PM from ignition radio frequency noise. Your lawnmower is probably not as well shielded, but the radiated energy drops off in intensity quite rapidly & your PM is well shielded, so you'd have to probably lie w/ your chest on the top of the engine to have any problems. WARNING!!!!! you do not want to get your shirt collar/lapels caught up in the spinning flywheel that the rope starter is wound around. Getting cheek to cheek w/ the hot exhaust is not conducive to a pretty face.

3a) A history lesson for those interested. Well back before even Ian, Smitty, Frank, myself & any other old Fahrts near or over 80 were born, radio frequency energy for broadcasting was generated by causing very high voltages to create sparks while jumping gaps. An frequency-tunable electrical circuit called a tank separated out & increased the frequency that was to be transmitted. You see, a spark contains every imaginable frequency known.

That's why your AM radio can sometimes have static that is in sync w/ the speed of your running engine - you have a bad spark plug or poor shielding on one of the ignition wires.

4) Remember that all owners' manuals are written by some lawyer weenie who does NOT want to get sued & thereafter run around neked from the waist up because he did not warn someone of a potential problem, no matter how far fetched, w/ his/her product. Remember, also that Mickey D's coffee is HOT - DON'T spill it in your lap!

5) My lawyer told me to include the following disclaimer - If you have an ICD - be careful around vibrating machinery or potentially high magnetic fields. They just might get confused & fire & that is far more terrible than a PM slipping into "Test" mode temporarily.

Don

engines

by kiml1123 - 2012-10-11 12:10:36

I was always told to stay away from engines because the alternator has a magnet.. just thought I'd share

You know you're wired when...

Your old device becomes a paper weight for your desk.

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.