Biotronik Entrovis DR-T

Does anyone on the message board have a Biotronik Entrovis DR-T pacemaker implant? It is supposed to be immune from the effects of an MRI. It is in clinical trials but is approved throughout Europe. I've had some issues with mine. Let me know. Comments welcome!

5 Comments

Issues?

by golden_snitch - 2013-11-28 09:11:11

Hi!

Just curious: What kind of issues did you have? Were those related to undergoing an MRI?

Don't have a Biotronik pacemaker, but I think it would be interesting for many here to know what kind of problems you experienced, especially when they were related to having an MRI with a MRI-safe pacemaker.

Thanks!

Inga

CLS

by golden_snitch - 2013-11-29 03:11:12

Thanks a lot!

Now, that's interesting for me since I'm in the process of deciding whether we replace my pacemaker with one that allows for a better rate response. Biotronik CLS is one option. But I have not heard from any patient, yet, who has this switched on and is doing well with it. So, I'm a bit apprehensive.

90bpm when walking around the house or 100bpm when walking normally is, however, not a racing heart beat for me. I understand that for you, having had bradycardia before, it feels like it's racing. But actually those heart rates are normal when you walk a bit, at least for me. The rate response in the pacemakers I have had has always increased the rate to at least 100bpm when walking around. Depending on the settings, I used to get heart rates up to the max. programmed rate of 160 when just walking to the supermarket. At the moment I reach just around 100-120 when walking.

I hope you'll get used to it soon.

Inga

Not MRI related

by jmgmcg - 2013-11-29 12:11:28

My issues were with CLS (which was turned off) and pacemaker settings for ramping up heart beat with quick activities like getting up from a chair and walking to another room. There are so many settings on this pacemaker, it's scary. One technician set the PM and I got home and my heart rate was going crazy. I had bradycardia before the PM and am used to my heart beat in the 40's and 50's. By racing I mean over 90 BPM for a short walk around the house. My blood pressure had spikes also. My range on the PM is set to 60-120BPM and when I exercise I cannot get my heartbeat to go any faster than 124BPM.
The second technician that checked my PM made some changes but denied he had done any and had reset the unit back to what it was when I came in. Now I have even worse racing (over 100BPM when walking normally) and I have small headaches and twitches in my shoulder muscles. I am trying to get used to the settings but I almost think they are too high when not exercise.
No, I have not yet been through an MRI yet but they are going to offer me a paid for clinical trial where I get an MRI to get FDA approval as an MRI safe device.

Inga is Not Alone

by donr - 2013-12-02 08:12:19

90 BPM is definitely NOT racing - nor is 100 BPM.

The base rate is just that - BASE - it's where your heart goes when there is no exertion calling for more O2. It's where your heart goes when you are asleep. Your HR probably runs a bit higher when you are awake, just sitting in a chair & relaxing. It's the IDLE RPM for your car engine while sitting at a traffic light. Additionally, your HR does NOT depend solely on exercise for increases. A good, stiff shot of adrenalin from a surprise will sent your HR to the 100 mark - or higher. Try watching a good, suspenseful Hitchcock flick - or perhaps "Alien," that will get you there, also.

I do not know about Inga, but at age 77 & pretty much out of physical shape, I have a bi-modal HR histogram in my PM download report every three months, I have one tall bar between 70 & 80 (Because I spend about 6 hrs per night asleep & my base rate is 75) & another tall bar between 100 & 110. I don't do much exercise (other than jumping to conclusions), so I have very little activity above the 110 level.

Inga, as I read her Bio & have been reading all her postings, is less than half my age & in pretty darned good physical shape - she runs, walks, bicycles & I think does some swimming. She is reporting to you that her HR is not significantly different from mine - till we get into O2 demands for the muscles that require HR's above the 120 level.

I agree w/ Inga that "Racing" is a relative term that should be saved for HR's that run faster than you can count.

Don

Not sleeping well in the AM

by jmgmcg - 2014-05-04 04:05:13

I just had my Biotronic Entrovis DR-T put through the clinical trial MRI at Yale, NH Hospital. Everything turned out OK, now 2 weeks out. I am having a persistent problem though (not MRI related). I have a sometimes pounding heartbeat when waking in the wee hours of the morning. This could be related to rather bad dreams that I have been having since the pacer was installed as of Oct 2013. These dreams are exhausting episodes about getting lost, not finding my car, repeating searches that have no end or just looping type dreams where I can re-enter the same dream again after waking and falling back to sleep. I think there is a connection of these dreams and the pacer settings. When I wake I have a pulsing pounding heartbeat that is not faster but more forceful and agitated. I feel quite warm and over heated in bed. Sometimes I go to the bathroom and then I get rid of the stress from a full bladder. That can help. However, since the pacemaker implant my sleep has been much more light and intermittent, especially towards morning and I get tired easily during the day. I am wondering if there is a way to have the forcefulness of my heartbeat turned down so my body can rest more quietly without all the pulsing feeling in my head. Mind you I am set to night mode of 50BPM so rate is not the issue. It's the force of each beat I want smoothed out. I think my body becomes agitated by this and therefore I have these agitated dreams as well. Makes sense to me. Has anyone out there had these agitated dream sequences and sleep disturbance since having a pace maker implanted? I would welcome any comments. I am 69 yrs. old and got the pacer for sick sinus and afib reasons. I also take beta blockers and sleep meds which don't seem to last or help much. I also had headaches after exercise for several months after implant. Rate daytime is set between 60-120BPM 50BPM in night mode.
Thanks, John

You know you're wired when...

You are always wired and full of energy.

Member Quotes

My muscles are very sore but each day it gets better and my range of movement is improving.