Rate response

I have St Jude and recently had the rate response turned on by device nurse..dr. Said not having it turned on is like driving your car in 4th gear? Anyway I notice when I get up after setting or when I am working in the yard like today... My heart rate jumped up to 110 (approx) I felt winded and came in and rested a bit and it went back to normal. I also talked w the device nurse and she said they could turn response down to medium? Just trying to figure this all out... I am very physically active and not out of shape....

7 Comments

rate response

by Tracey_E - 2015-08-26 08:08:36

Rate response has a number of sensitivity settings. It can take a few tries to find the balance between going up as needed but not jumping up every time you move. Ask to try a lower setting.

I agree with that analogy, but only for patients who have sinus problems, whose rate does not go up appropriately on exertion. For people like me, who have av block and don't need atrial pacing, it can cause problems. My heart goes from 4th into overdrive all by itself so having the pacer try to do it for me would not be helpful.

marmite

by Tracey_E - 2015-08-27 01:08:39

If your rate isn't going above 70 on exertion, ask them to turn up the sensitivity! And yes, chronotropic incompetence is the rate not going up appropriately on exertion and you most definitely will want your rr turned on.

Thank

by Energy - 2015-08-29 01:08:34

you for your encouragement!!!! I have to say I have learned more on this site than anything ! I would not even know about rate response w/o this group. It is because of this group I even asked about RR and changed Drs....
So thanks all for your comments and input....

Usage also

by Energy - 2015-08-29 02:08:36

is more ... With R R turned on I am using the battery more? Using my pm 52% of the time now where I used my old one 22% of the time but RR was not turned on....
Has anyone had this problem?

Thanks

by Energy - 2015-08-29 02:08:51

for feedback. Since rate response turned on I have had more energy... Example when walking up hill used to get winded and felt like I was driving in 4th gear... That's been better.... Just not understanding why the heart rate or my heart pounds when I get up from setting or get up in middle of nite..... Or as I said working in the yard and heart starts pounding and heart rate goes up as the other day.

Emphasis on how you feel

by Artist - 2015-08-29 12:08:02

I have had my PM for 9 months with rate responsiveness turned on. I pace at 78.8% in the atrium and am not at all concerned about battery usage. The current estimate is that the battery life is about 8 more years. My PM has made a wonderful improvement in my health. You say you have more energy! That is what is most important. Changing out a PM when the battery needs replacement is a fairly simple procedure. Enjoy having more energy and forget about battery life. Pacing 52% of the time is really not that high.

Ultrapacer

by ultrapacer - 2015-09-01 03:09:24

I'm an athlete. I run and bike a lot. I had to have my pm adjusted many times before we found the optimum settings. It really matters. Be persistent it may take awhile to get it right. When you do you will feel much better

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Member Quotes

So, my advice is to go about your daily routine and forget that you have a pacemaker implanted in your body.