New to site

Hi everyone, I am so glad to find this site. I got a pacer on 9/24/13. I have a lot to learn about this new part of my body. The one thing that I am really wondering about is how will I know when the pacer kicks on? Will I feel it?

4 Comments

seamless

by Tracey_E - 2013-10-16 04:10:07

You shouldn't be able to tell the difference, other than you feel better and your pulse is good. The impulse the pm puts out is minimal, mimicking what the heart should be doing on its own. The heart responds by contracting (beating). There are a very few people who can feel it kick in but it's rare.

No

by jeanlancour - 2013-10-17 01:10:22

With just a PM you will not feel it, however, if you think about it, and wait for it you will feel it beat. Just know it will always do its job and forget it, in acouple of months life will hit its new normal. New normal for most of us is much better, more oxygen, less tired, no fainting...etc. Any questions, any comments, want to learn more...keep coming. Were happy to have you here, there is a wealth of information, and a lot of folks of all ages to share. Good luck Jean

Depends on the settings

by Ravenflight - 2013-10-17 06:10:05

I have 2 programs running in my Adapta
1. Looks for rate to fall below 40 bpm then paces at 60 for two minutes. That one I never really notice.
2 The second program is 'supposed' to keep me from fainting during a Vagal episode. That one looks for a sudden drop to below 20 bpm then paces at 100 for two minutes. The theory is that racing the heart will boost the blood pressure if the body is hellbent on dropping it to zero so as to lose consciousness. That program I can definitely feel when it kicks in. It has woken me up from a sound sleep on several occasions to the sensation of my heart pounding away at 100 bpm and a slight electrical feeling. So it depends on what it is programmed to do, and why you have it.

beating vs pacing

by Tracey_E - 2013-10-18 09:10:54

We can feel the faster beats, sure, but we don't feel the actual pulses the pm puts out.

Ravenflight, I haven't heard of using a fast rate to bring bp up, how interesting! How is it working?

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.