Feeling my pacemaker work

Feeling pacemaker

by Lana11 - 2016-12-03 18:51:11

Hiya

I had the same thing a while ago. I told my pacemaker nurse that I felt weird fluttering feelings in my throat that went on for about 10 seconds. It used to really scare me because I didn't know what it was, and she just told me it was nothing as it wasn't showing up as anything unusual. It turns out that modern pacemakers do a 'self check' every 24 hours in which the pacemaker runs through basic checks. The fluttering feeling is the pacemaker speeding up and slowing down your heart for a few seconds to check everything's working. The majority of people apparently don't feel it, but if you're sensitive to your body like I am you do. Mine happens at 23:57 and then also 12:30 am. If I'm still up at that time though, and my heart rate is up, I won't feel the check, and it will do it an hour after instead. Sorry if this is long haha but basically I've been told it's nothing to worry about at all and most people don't even feel it happening! it's just the pacemaker doing a self check

what works for you

by Gotrhythm - 2016-12-03 18:58:25

No, than is not how a pacemaker works.

As long as your pulse is 50 or over, the pacemaker does nothing it just waits. It computes in fractions of a second exactly when the next beat should be in order to maintain a minumum of 50 BPM. If the next beat comes sooner, it continues to wait. The instant it senses a pulse less than 50, it kicks in, and then it keeps the pulse at 50, since that's what it's set for. But it always waits to see if your heart is going to beat on its own. If your heart wants to beat faster than 50, the pacemaker goes back to waiting. 

It's not unheard of for some people to feel the PM kick in, but most of us don't feel a thing.

Although PM's are wonderfully dependable, all hearts do not react the same to being paced. It's all about getting the PM  to work for you. And getting the perfect adjustments for you is sometimes more art than science. Keep telling your cardiologist what's going on.

Feeling pacemaker

by pacer16 - 2016-12-03 22:49:23

I could feel my pacemaker kick in.  My bottom lead was too close to my diaphram.  Would get "thumping" in my side.  Had to have surgery again, a new lead was put in.  Other one was disconnected, but left in.

Fluttering

by Woodsey - 2016-12-05 23:51:01

At first I had fluttering, dizzyness and odd feelings almost daily, but all my test results were normal and was told it was the heart adjusting to the wires and device (Medtronic dual lead pacemaker). Now I am 8.5 months post implant and my heart seems to have adjusted for the most part as I do not notice these sensations much anymore. I am older but am able to do more things and feel so much better than before the surgery. Give it time and I think you will feel much better. Good luck to you.