Biotronik pacemaker?

Hello everybody!
I'm 29 and recently got diagnosed as having bradycardia (my heart rate is usually around 40) and chronotropic incompetence. I've also developed Dysautonomia when this all started, so I think it's all wrapped up in that. It's been ongoing for about 3 years, but until this past spring, every doctor dismissed me when I said I was exhausted, dizzy, and short of breath all the time, etc. Finally someone listened though, and now here I am getting a pacemaker in a few short weeks. I actually got multiple opinions before jumping on the pacemaker bandwagon though. The first cardiologist I saw didn't run any tests whatsoever besides listening to my heart. He was the first person to say I needed a pacemaker and automatically scheduled surgery and was going to use a Medtronic. Feeling uneasy, I went to other doctors, and although the outcome was the same, I felt better about it since they actually ran every test they possibly could, even a cardiac MRI. Long story short, the electrophysiologist who will be handling my surgery wants to use a Biotronik pacemaker. He said it would bring me closet to what I was normally, physiologically speaking of course. The only thing is, I can't find much info or reviews on it. I'm worried about the Closed Loop Stimulation being too much for me in terms of response to emotional stress, etc. Also, it's not yet FDA approved for MRI's, which, as a young person with a chronic illness worries me. So... If anyone has any input, advice, experience, etc. with this pacemaker, I would gladly appreciate it! Thanks so much in advance!!

10 Comments

I don't have Biotronic brand..

by Duke999 - 2013-07-29 04:07:56

Hi Elizabeth, I don't have a Biotronic brand PM, but I have Medtronic Revo MRI RVDR01 which is MRI safe I believe. It is a dual chamber. And I have bradycardia like you.
Just thought I share that with you. Whichever you decide to go with, I wish you a successful journey.
God bless.

Duke

biotronic

by federico - 2013-07-29 05:07:49

Elisabetta io ho un Biotronic da piu' di tre anni e ti assicuro che è perfetto.é doppia camera e non da nessun problema....abbi fiducia......auguri

I don't have a Biotronic, either.....

by donr - 2013-07-29 06:07:21

...but "Golden_Snitch" knows quite a bit about them. Here's a couple places to look:

Closed Loop Stimulation Biotronic - Google subject

Experiences with closed-loop stimulation
Posted by golden_snitch on 2013-07-01 15:02
PaceMakerClub search, top right corner of home page

Try sending Golden_Snitch a pvt msg. she is good at replying & gives a lot of good info. She's top notch when it comes to this subject. Tell her Don sent you.

Don

I had options

by bearss27 - 2013-07-29 08:07:29

My ep gave me options of if I wanted a mri devise or not. He gave me the option of if I wanted that or just the longest battery life but he said he recommended the longer battery life because of me being 24. He told me that if I would end up needing a mri later then we would just look into installing the mri pacemaker then but told me if I wanted that one now he would do it. I ended up just doing the adapta dr and its not mri safe but feel that I have not needed an mri lately and just take one day at a time because he said the mri life would not last as long as the other but I never really looked into the difference because I really didn't have long after he told me but I thought it was a good thing the ep gave me the option cause it made me feel like I was apart of my care. Keep us updated and good luck.
Mary Katherine

Thanks everyone!

by ElizabethR - 2013-07-29 09:07:10

I wasn't expecting anyone to really respond. How awesome! Anyway, yeah the hospital I'm having it done at uses all the main ones and someone I know just had theirs done there recently and got the medtronic one. So I know he's not just trying to push the Biotronik one on me for his own benefit. So I'm leaning on trusting his opinion. He hasn't steered me wrong yet. He also said that if it comes down to me needing an MRI, they can always turn off the PM for the scan since I won't be dependent on it, so having it off for a little bit won't literally be life or death. I agree that it's kind of nice to be a part of the decision and have some semblance of control over this when none of us have control over it happening in the first place. But another part of me just wishes they didn't give me a choice and just gave me whichever one without me knowing beforehand!

Good luck !

by Duke999 - 2013-07-30 02:07:42

Good luck with the procedure ElizabethR !

God Bless.

Duke

Dysautonomia

by jenny97 - 2013-07-30 09:07:14

You mention dysautonomia as being related to your cardiac diagnoses. If that is the case, that might explain why the dr. is pushing the biotronik. It is the only FDA approved PM for neurocardiogenic syncope/vasovagal syncope (often associated with dysautonomia). I have a medtronic with rate drop response to treat my NCS and it works pretty well, but my EP has already told me that next time he'll only place the biotronik evia because the closed loop stimulation technology is much more effective than rate drop.

same here

by AprilG - 2013-07-30 09:07:52

I just got my PM 2 weeks ago after pestering my GP about tired, slow HR (30's) etc and being dismissed over and over. Finally got another Dr to refer me to a cardio who listened, did a Holter for 48 hrs, and diagnosed bradycardia and CI. Igot a Boston Scientific because he felt that theirs was the best for CI. I cannot tell you how much better I feel! Like a whole new person even though it has only been 2 weeks. Back to being as active as I was 2 years ago!

Hi April

by ElizabethR - 2013-07-31 01:07:20

That's good to hear! Glad it's working out well for you. I'm getting more nervous the closer I get though. It's being put fully under my pectoral muscle due to my extremely thin delicate skin and minimal body fat in that area (if only that were the case in other areas!). He told me to expect to be in quite a bit of pain and have an extended healing period compared to an under the skin placement. So I really don't know what to expect. This has been a rough year in my life (my mom passed away unexpectedly in January) so I'm ready to just get this show on the road and feel like a semi functioning human being again.

Biotronik

by gleesue - 2013-07-31 03:07:34

I have a Biotronik PM and have had great success with it. My Doc. Is at the Cleveland Clinic and it’s the one he prefers. I’ve been seeing him since 1991. I like the phone monitor next to my bed that takes a reading every night and sends it to a tracking station. I’m also very active, bike trail riding, tennis, golf, jet skiing, hiking, kayaking etc. It reacts very well to strenuous activity.
I also had bradycardia. I had to get cardioverted and afterwards my heart was going 6-10 seconds between heart beats. Things are going great now. Will be one year August 2.
Jerry

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