Anyone get "poking" sensation where lead attaches to heart?

I have a Medtronic single lead ICD which was implanted January 2017.  From day one it has given me strange sensations but doctors wrote it off as "healing".  In March of 2017 I contacted medtronic and told them that I was getting poking sensations at 12:30am every day.  After a few minutes they came back and told me it was probably the device recalibration and "we hear that alot".  They also told me to contact my EP to have it turned off, which I did.  Now, even though that has been turned off I randomly get a similar feeling at the same site.  It's almost like someone poking the inside of my bottom left rib, second from the bottom actually, with a toothpick.  They have tested the device and say it's working fine, and it did fire January 2018 and then paced me out of tachycardia Feb 2018.  But these annoying pokes continue..

 Anyone else having this type of issue?  Any suggestions as doctors have become deaf.

Thanks.

5 Comments

A guess on my part

by Theknotguy - 2018-07-07 08:18:51

I don't have an ICD so I'm in the dark here.  But will take a guess.  

Right after I got my pacemaker I could feel the tickle just before I got the hard thump of a beat.  I'm one of those fortunate or unfortunate people who are sensitive and can feel when I'm in afib.  Anyway the tickle and hard thump used to wake me up at night.  At or about 90 days they dropped the voltage on my pacemaker and I stopped feeling the tickle and hard thump.  I can still feel when the second lead kicks in and I can feel when the two other programs kick in sometimes but that isn't enough to bother me.  Just the same,  I can feel it.  

I know ICD's are different from pacemakers but the question in my mind is if you're feeling when the pacemaker side of your ICD initiates a heartbeat?  Next question is if they can lower the voltage a little so you don't feel it?  I'm not at all sure about ICD's so this is a WAG for me.  (Wild A** Guess).  

I hope this helps and just doesn't cloud the issue.  

Hope they do find a solution for you.  

yep

by The real Patch - 2018-07-07 22:50:36

I get those sensations all the time. If the Dr has checked it out, done x-rays and determined all is well, then it's just something you have to adjust to. Not a big deal

TheKnotGuy

by BOBTHOM - 2018-07-13 22:03:42

Since mine is an ICD it doesn't (or actually rarely) paces me, only when heart rate drops to low.  Maybe that's what I'm feeling?  Unfortunately it doesn't give details on when hr low, only when high, designed mostly to detect and stop tachycardia. I don't think they can lower the voltage as it's not supposed to do anything until I experience tachycardia but definately something I'll add to my discussion with the doctor.  I appreciate your response and your thoughts on it!  Thank you.

TheRealPatch...

by BOBTHOM - 2018-07-13 22:15:55

Are you sure your not my EP?  He's got the same attitude.  But that's really no answer and definately no help, but thanks for taking the time to reply.  If your experiencing these sensations and pretending nothings wrong that's your life, your call.  As for me, I'll continue my quest to get it resolved.  When I first called the EP about the nightly 12:30am issue they denied anything was wrong, couldn't figure it out, must be in my head.  After I called Medtronic and called the doctor back they still denied it, then when I told them I had spoken with Medtronic their song suddenly changed and they told me they would have to check and call me back.  An hour later they called to schedule an appointment to come in and have the nightly recalibration turned off.  So with that experience under my belt, I'll keep looking for an answer.

Updating....

by BOBTHOM - 2018-10-16 12:46:26

Just updating in case anyone new is reviewing this.  I have an appointment with the Device Clinic next week 10/23 with both a tech and a device rep.  I have had new sensations as well which includes a twinge across my left pectoral muscle.   Comes at random times and doesn't seem to change my heart rate.  Just a feeling like a small battery shock across the left petoral.

I'll post an update after that appointment.

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