I feel my pacemaker kicking in... anybody else?

Hi. I had my pacemaker fitted on the 28th on the last month and every day since (bar 3 days) I've felt my pacemaker kicking in. The only way to describe it is palpitations in the centre of my chest that feels like a fluttering and makes me want to cough, it like catches my breath. 

I've tried to find people who have had similar feelings but can't find any. 

I still have my loop recorder so when I first had the feelings I pressed my symptom monitor, did a download and phoned my nurse, she's the one who said every time I pressed the monitor it was my pacemaker kicking in. 

Still don't feel comfortable with the feelings though, guess it's because it's quite unusual. 

4 Comments

All the time!

by Bean19 - 2016-11-15 15:05:29

I feel my pm kick in every time it does. It is a strange little feeling when it happens- you are okay and you start to get used to the feeling.

First couple of times it happened it was crazy, but now I simply say hello to it and continue on with my day. Thankfully my medtronics rep made mine kick in prior to leaving the hospital so that I would understand what the feeling was. 

feeling the pacing

by Tracey_E - 2016-11-15 16:28:26

It's highly unusual but not unheard of to feel the pacing. What is more likely is you are feeling your heart, not the pacer itself. The signal it puts out is very minimal, designed to mimic what the heart should have been doing on its own. 

Once you've had it 4-6 weeks, they will adjust the settings. Tell them, they should be able to tweak it so you don't feel it as much. They start them off turned up kind of high until the heart gets used to being paced and the leads settle in, then they turn it down to the minimum signal needed to make the heart beat. They also fine tune the settings at that time. It's normal to take a few tries to get it just right. 

i do too!

by Charli - 2016-11-15 21:27:03

If you aren't yet used to pacing, or don't pace all the time then it is possible to feel it kicking in. I rely on my pacemaker very infrequently so i end up coughing every time its in use. It's due to the small change of electrical activity that you simple are not used to! I can often feel a pulse in my neck and a tickle at the back of my throat!

Pacing

by Turkey75 - 2016-11-17 15:21:27

i totally understand your concern. I can feel mine coming on I get dizzy and then I will have a few thumps. Then I am fine just tired. I am 41 and had my ICD for 6 years. I had it. Checked out by dr and he said it is doing it'a job. Hope this helps relax you some 

You know you're wired when...

Your signature looks like an EKG.

Member Quotes

A properly implanted and adjusted pacemaker will not even be noticeable after you get over the surgery.