80 bpm while exercising?

Hi All, I am 3 weeks post-implant of a PM (55 yrs old male) and trying to get back to exercise. Working out I felt a little short of breath. Checking my pulse: it was in the 80-85 range. Post-exercise it jumped up to 120 or so. This was consistent 2 days in a row. Is it possible my PM is limiting my heart rate during exercise??

Thanks for any advice / experience you can provide!

5 Comments

why did you get it?

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-02 05:11:17

Why do you have the pm? It's common to need the settings adjusted to accommodate exercise. The pm won't stop your heart from going faster during exercise on its own. The settings may limit how high it will pace you or how quickly it will step in and pace if your rate doesn't go up on its own when it senses activity.

What kind of exercise?

by PacerRep - 2013-11-02 07:11:40

Are you running? stationary bike etc? Also what brand do you have, sounds like a rate response sensor issue.

More info - 80 bpm while exercising

by 2for1 - 2013-11-02 08:11:04

I had a PM put in due to the sudden onset of 2-1 AV heart block about 5 weeks ago, occasional complete heart block, alternating RBB/LBB B. At the time my pulse would not exceed 40-45 bpm. I was exercising on an elliptic machine at a reasonably good pace (resistance 18/20, 15 cal/min). My PM is a Medtronic Adapta. It paces my ventricles (sinus rhythm is good).

call

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-02 09:11:04

Call and ask them to see what is going on, it should be as easy as interrogating the pm. Sounds like settings. AV block is a pretty simple fix, in theory. The atria beats normally, the pm watches to see if the ventricles beat, if they do not it kicks in and paces. Minimum setting is usually 120 so that doesn't explain why you are only getting to 80.

We are all different but in my case, I got a pm for av block. Had trouble exercising and we found out my atrial rate was going up like it should, but would occasionally nosedive. It was probably doing that all along but with the av block untreated we didn't notice. They adjusted my settings and no more drops. Technology is so cool :o)

sensor

by PacerRep - 2013-11-02 09:11:56

Elliptical machines and stationary bikes easily fool the sensor in the Medtronic device. Try the treadmill or stair climber and see if your Hr goes higher. They can adjust the sensor you have but unfortunately it's not that great of an activity sensor. You need to do things with lots of motion and vibrations for the sensor to help you.

Ellipticals are pretty smooth, so that there lies your problem.

Now I know somebody will chim in and dispute what I just said, I realize that some people have the same sensor and can use the ellipticals...I'm just speaking generally.

You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

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