Self Test

I had my PM fitted on 14 October 2013. Since my first checkup my first checkup I have felt my PM do its Self Test at 10:08 every day. In the last 4 days I have been experiencing increased PVC episodes and have not felt the Self Test. My doctor says that PVC is nothing to worry about but I am more concerned that my PM is not working because the Self Test appears to have stopped. Is it normal for the Self Test not to happen or for me to stop having it?

4 Comments

good advice from theknotguy!

by Hot Heart - 2014-02-15 02:02:51

In time you will just get used to it all and not even think about having a pm.

I always feel my interrogation

by BillMFl - 2014-02-15 02:02:59

I used to wake up every night at about 2 am. Then one night I was up late reading when my heart went through a series of bumps and I felt the urge to cough and a momentary queasy feeling in my chest. It was exactly what I feel when the PM Rep does the check. So the next appointment I had them reset the time for when I'm usually watching the news on TV. Now it goes off at 5:18 pm. Pacer rep says most don't feel it but I sure do!

Your body adjusts

by Theknotguy - 2014-02-15 11:02:15

Right after I got my PM I could feel when it kick started my heart. Kinda reassuring at the time. Then became annoying. As my body adjusted I didn't feel it any more.

As your body adjusts, you'll feel all sorts of thumps, bumps, tingles, tickles, and other things. As long as you don't run a fever or have sharp pains you're OK.

You got your PM just after I got mine. So your body should be settled in to the PM by now. Which means you'll probably start to feel less and less. Another thing is they drop the voltage on the PM at or about 90 days. So you won't feel it working as much because of the reduced voltage. Don't worry about the voltage reduction. They keep the voltage high enough to kick off the heart, but lower than when first implanted.

I had almost forgotten about my PM until the EP turned on Atrial Preference Pacing. I'm now adjusting to a whole new set of feelings as the PM adjusts for a-fib. Once again, reassuring but also very annoying. The feelings are starting to go away and it's only been ten days.

Don't worry about the PM not working. It sits there very quietly monitoring your heart activities and not doing anything until it's needed. You may think it's not working but it really is.

Another thing is, as your heart adjusts, the PM may need to pace less and less. I was pacing at 100% when I first got it but as the heart got "trained" to the new beating rhythm, the PM dropped out of the picture. I'm now pacing at about 23/24% and mostly when I'm in deep sleep. I have sleep apnea so in addition to not breathing during deep sleep, my heart would stop beating too. Funny, since my heart is working better, I'm sleeping better too. Imagine that!

Looks like things are otherwise going good for you. . Hang in there. Life gets better.

Theknotguy

I asked about self test

by KAG - 2014-02-15 11:02:51

at my last interrogation. I thought I was sensing it but turns out I wasn't. Mine is programmed for 1am and lasts a 1sec or 2 at most. Tech said that it's very unusual for anyone with AV block (like me) to notice. Those with sinus issues may have a slight chance. Normally the self test is done in the early morning hours when you're sleeping.

The time can be programmed so if you are sensing self test they can set it to a different time.

Extremely doubtful that your PM isn't self testing. PM's are very reliable. My guess is that you were sensing something else.

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Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.