Testing for interference

I'm getting my pacemaker next week. If you want to find out whether a certain device interferes with the pacemaker, how safe is it to slowly get close to it?

Do pacemakers recover from interference.

From what I've seen of some messages at this site, the answer to the above 2 questions is YES.

Can you always tell if your pacemaker goes out of whack? (in my case, I notice heart pacing problems only when I exert myself -- then the pulse rate goes down -- but the pace is fine when I'm at rest).

Thanks

8 Comments

interference

by Tracey_E - 2012-10-15 08:10:00

Odds are nothing is going to interfere! It's perfectly safe to get close to home electronics, etc. It's not safe to walk into an MRI room or a power plant or a junk yard with the giant magnets that can pick up a whole car. Any other magnet- and really, that's the only thing we have to avoid- is not going to do damage. Worst case, it puts it in test mode with limited pacing until you get away from the magnet, the switch opens, and it goes back to full function with no harm done. While in test mode, you might feel odd but you will not be in danger. You usually have to be within 6" for that to happen, and even then it's pretty rare. New pm's are very well shielded.

HR slow down

by ElectricFrank - 2012-10-16 02:10:59

Sounds like the Upper Tracking Limit is set too low. This limit works by causing he pacer to skip beats when you exceed the limit. It can actually get into a situation where it is skipping every other beat.

Suppose the limit is set to 120bpm. As you increase exertion and move your natural HR past 120 it may suddenly drop to 60 and then start increasing from there.

I suggest getting a checkup appt and have them increase the upper limit unless you have some condition that prevents it.

I'm 82 yrs old and have my Upper Tracking Limit set to 150. I don't push myself anywhere near that rate, but just take responsibility for staying down around 130.

In the meantime I recommend monitoring your HR as you increase exercise level until you just see it drop. The high rate just before the drop is a rough check on the limit. Don't exceed a HR that causes the drop. My feeling is that it is not good for your body to have your HR drop right at the time you need it.

frank

Note to Frank,

by Casper - 2012-10-16 05:10:38

Sometimes I think I get more reliable answer here, Frank touched off a very senstive subject with me regarding the upper tracking rate. ..

My upper tracking rate is set at 150 bpm, I'm active and jog 5-6 days a week.

My most recent interogation report shows that my heart rate goes up to 185bpm, while jogging.

When I've asked my doctor's office if it's possible that my heart might be forced to skip a beat, they seem to be evasive and don't really answer the question.

They just say I'm doing fine.

Does anybody else experience this kind of situation.?

Casper

Interference and Upper Limit Issue

by Canadian Dave - 2012-10-16 10:10:18

Hi.

I had a pacemaker implanted Dec 20th, 2012. I was back working on the 23rd of December although I didn't lift anything heavy or raise my left arm over the height of my shoulder for the prescribed for 30 days. I took it a little easier for a few months but then started packing on weight so I have since started working out heavily and just finished the Insanity workout. I'm only a few months away form being fifty one years old and the workout really pushed me as hard as I've ever been pushed!

During the first week or so of the workout however I discovered
'that I couldn't get my heart rate over 110 bpm which was an issue as I needed to be at around 170 bpm to achieve the anaerobic workout that I wanted. I found that as I approached the mechanical limit set by the pacemaker I ran out of breath and had to slow down for 15-30 seconds and then carry on again as hard as I could. I made an appointment and went back to the pace team to have the device setup differently. After a discussion with the pace team and the surgeon who implanted it we all agreed to set the upper limit in two stages. Stage one was to set upper limit at 150 bpm and report back in two weeks.

Two weeks later we discovered that although the heart rate was up to 137 bpm it wasn't giving me what I wanted and I was still running out of air and having to slow down. Another adjustment was made this time to the blended sensors so that as my need for oxygen goes up the sensor will force an auto increase in heart rate via the pacemaker.

That was two weeks ago and I'll see what effect it made on Friday. That being said I have finished the 67 days workout and feel great. I will start it over again once the settings have been worked out. So the moral is that if the pacemaker isn't doing what you think it should based on your own healthiness you should report it back and keep adjusting until it allows you to get back to normal.

I also just wanted to mention that I have found nothing that I cannot do. I've been through regular airport scanners on many occasions, I work in a business that designs and tests RF cell phone related kit with no issues, I work around racks of computer equipment and air conditioning units, I like hard physically demanding workouts and I am a part time builder and work with all sorts of large cutting and coring tools, boilers, test gear etc. I have found NO problems since the surgery. In fact I feel like I'm twenty again.

Hope this helps?
Dave

Thanks

by ElectricFrank - 2012-10-17 02:10:55

haim.roman
Thanks for the update. Best wishes for your implant surgery. It's easy.
frank

Casper,
The type of rhythm I described when hitting the Upper Tracking Limit is sometimes called Wenckebach. Often it is associated with Second Degree Heart Block, but can also be caused by the pacemaker limit. If the doctor doesn't know what it is he/she is either lacking in knowledge or just putting you off. It's understandable that a doctor wouldn't be knowledgeable about complex electrical synchronization processes.

By the way it is possible for your HR to exceed the Upper Tracking Limit if you have any natural conduction left. All the pacer can do is cause a skip by failing to conduct from atrium to ventricles, but if natural conduction bypasses the pacer then the beat occurs.

frank

Thanks

by Casper - 2012-10-17 11:10:35

Hi Electric Frank,

Thanks for the follow up.

Note to Hiam.Roman-

Like Frank said, the procedure really is simple, best wishes keep up posted.

Casper

Clarification

by haim.roman - 2012-10-17 12:10:47

First, I want to thank those who responded & the maintainers of this site.

Now, from ElectricFrank's comment, I realize that I was not clear. I do *not* have a pacemaker yet; I due to get one this Sunday. The symptom I described is why I'm getting one.

Again, thanks to all!

I stayed up too late

by ElectricFrank - 2012-10-18 01:10:34

That last post of mine looks like the ramblings of a 82 yr old!

frank

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