Pacemaker settings

In monitoring my heart rate (Fit Bit HR) since the installation of my pacemaker on October 12th which I understand would not allow my rate to drop below 60 according to my Fit Bit HR. It had not gone below 60 however today (Jan 9th) for the first time I am getting readings at times between 50-60. Is the Fitbit inaccurate? Is the pacemaker not working? Are there other explanations? Should my pacemaker be checked?
Gus

6 Comments

contact your dr

by Ms.Cryer - 2016-01-09 07:01:18

maybe you should contact your doctor. just to make sure things are going good. if your pacemacker set on 60 it shouldn't drop pass 60

counting

by Tracey_E - 2016-01-09 07:01:24

1. The fitbit is not that accurate on anyone
2. Any device like a fitbit is going to be less accurate on us than people who are not paced. Paced beats can either be picked up twice or confuse the monitor and not picked up at all
3. It's not set to 60 bpm, but rather 1 beat per second.
So if you go a second without a beat, it will add a beat. Over the course of a minute, it may not work out to exactly 60 so mid to upper 50's is close enough
4. Sometimes we have extra little half beats or weaker beats that we don't feel to count.

Moral of the story is you can make yourself crazy counting all the time and pondering every little change in rate. If you feel bad, count. If you feel good, resist the urge and trust the pacer to do its job. If you are counting in the 50's and you feel good, it's fine. If it gets lower than that or if you don't feel good, call.

Several Possible reasons

by BillH - 2016-01-09 11:01:29

Depending on the specifics of your pacemaker, why is is being used and which chamber is being paced there are several setting that can affect this.

One a "sleep" setting that allows for lower pacing rates during sleep. In some case is done with a setting of a clock. And there are some other methods.

Another reason is that PM will "wait" some period of time to see if the hearts natural PM and/or conduction system will work to limit the amount of pacing.

So this is all controlled by the setting of the PM. So discuss it with the doctor. But if you aren't having any symptoms during these period them leave them alone.

PVCs

by Lisalac - 2016-01-10 11:01:19

just went to my cardiologist on Friday and asked the same question because I was feeling like I was getting lower than 50 which I am set at sometimes and sure enough when I checked I was. He told me it was because of the PVCs that I have that I don't feel in my pulse and the pacemaker takes it as a regular heartbeat. We are going to try to find something to get me to not have as many PVCs for this reason. I go to a cardio electrophysiologist on January 22 to get his opinion on meds to help because betablockers don't really help much with these and tachycardia I get several times a day now.

Buzzing

by Gus - 2017-03-12 17:08:46

 I periodically file buzzing sensation around the pacemaker implant as well as other parts of my body. Has anybody experience this situation 

correction

by Gus - 2017-03-12 17:12:10

 I periodically feel a buzzing sensation around the pacemaker implant as well as other parts of my body. Has anybody experience this situation 

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