New EP

Hello,

My pediatric EP of 20 years is retiring and I’m being transferred to a new doctor in the adult device clinic.  I have my pacemaker due to CCHB and am still using the original leads, with one in unipolar mode due to a small fracture that happened a few months ago.  My pediatric EP’s philosophy about lead replacement is to cap off the old leads and put new leads in.  The new EP specializes in lead extraction.  I’m meeting him for the first time this week and will be talking to him about my leads.  I’m also going to talk to him about heart rate zones and my maximum heart rate, since I exercise regularly and would like to push myself a little harder in spin class.  Are there any other questions you would ask a new EP?  I’m on my third PM, so I feel pretty confident in its ability to let me live a full and active life, I just have to keep an eye on those leads!

Thanks!

barnet38

3 Comments

Medtronic PM for Athletes

by KonaLawrence - 2019-01-28 01:48:25

Aloha Barnet,

Since you currently have a Medtronics PM you should know that it accelerates heart rate based on a motion detector.  The more motion, the faster it accelerates.  Bicyclists often have a difficult time because their upper body is sort-of stationary.  There are sensitivity settings they can change.  I had that done with my Medtronics PM.  It helped with exercise, but it also means my heart rate goes up quite a bit when I'm just walking, etc.  A good topic to discuss with your new EP.

Good Luck, Lawrence

 

Heart rate

by barnet38 - 2019-01-28 09:06:51

Hi Lawrence,

I’m able to raise my heart rate to the 160s and 170s.  I’m going to ask how long I should be sustaining that rate.  While spinning, my heartrate is frequently in the 155-high 160s for 30 minutes.  When I’m in the low 160s, it feels like I’m working hard but can maintain the same level of effort for longer intervals.  The low 170s feel like I should back off of the intensity for a bit.  I listen to my body and back off when needed, but just want to make sure I’m being safe.  I’ve also heard that maximum heart rate varies from person to person, so the pre-set zones on my bike may not reflect what is actually safe for me.  I’m 37 and use the wahoo ticker fit heart rate monitor on my forearm.

leads

by Tracey_E - 2019-01-28 10:22:36

They all seem to vary on leads! Some seem more eager to extract than others. My personal choice is make it last as long as I can so hopefully when I have no choice but to extract, my next set of leads will be my last. My ep is ok with that plan. I'm 52 now, one lead from 1994, one from 2010, one capped off. 

Those zones don't mean anything for us! We are each different. My ep put me on a treadmill so he could watch what my heart does at the upper rates. He said everything looked good so go for it, that's about all the guidance he gave me!  I found out that my stamina is a lot better when I keep my rate 150-160. When I get higher than that, I burn out quickly. I also learned when I got an apple watch that as soon as I start to run, I shoot up over 160, which would explain why no matter how hard I train and mess with my pace, I still can't run even 1/2 mile without stopping to walk. So now I don't even try, I use an interval timer and walk regularly to bring my rate down. My pace has improved and I can go longer distances with less effort. Long way of saying, experiment and see what works best for you. When we have CCHB and are paced, our hearts sort of march to their own drummer.

 

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