Pacemaker

what we feel

by Tracey_E - 2020-04-11 15:08:19

There are a very few people who can feel the pacing. The pacer sends out the signal, the heart responds by contracting. The signal it sends is very minimal, mimicking what the heart should be doing on its own. It's more likely you are feeling the  heart's response to the signal, the extra beat. They usually turn down the signal at the first check once the heart has had time to heal and get used to being paced, so it's possible you may not feel it going forward. 

Pacing

by Yaz - 2020-04-11 15:25:57

Thanks for response! I get this feeling more when I'm very anxious and Ion calmer days hardly anything so I'm sure it's linked to stress. I'm told it can be six months before things calm down so hopefully that's right. Really appreciate you replying it's nice to share this with you guys. I'm UK based and as you, are struggling with Covid19 outbreak. Stay safe.

What does it feel like?

by Graham M - 2020-04-11 18:21:17

Does it feel like a missed beat followed by a thump in the chest?  If it does, you may be having PVC's I occasionally had this feeling for the first 6 months or so, but haven't had it for a while.

Graham.

Feeling it

by Gotrhythm - 2020-04-12 16:48:21

After nine years of being paced, I've probably felt my heart do a gazillion funny, floppity, flips, blips, kicks and stutters.

Most of those were not my pacemaker kicking in, they were just PACs,.PVCs and other odd little gallops my heart just did on its own for reasons only it knew. 

Recently I learned that sometimes what I feeI really and truly is the ventricle being paced. (I'm paced 100% in the atrium, and to my knowledge I've never felt pacing there.)

Whether the kick I'm feeling is pacing or not, here's what I have learned. Getting upset helps nothing. As you have already discovered, it happens more when I am nervous or tired. The more I focus on it, the more it does it. The worse I feel.

What I can do is take a deep belly breath, and then another and let my heart return to rhythm on its own. Which it will do.

Stay well. Covid 19 is giving us all a lesson in remaining calm.

Same feeling

by Bjtroiano - 2020-04-13 09:03:28

Sometimes, especially as I'm resting, I get that feeling. For a few few seconds, I have to take deep breathes. I've had mine for about 7 years. My heart is totally dependent on the pacemaker. 

Same feeling

by AgentX86 - 2020-04-13 17:35:15

Bjtroiano, my bet would be that yours are PVCs.  When you're resting your heart rate goes down (whether the SI does it or the PM), leaving a longer time between paced beats for PVCs to sneak in.  This is exacerbated by dehydradion (and the loss of the metals from the blood).

Pacing

by Yaz - 2020-04-14 16:04:01

Hi there! Thanks again for response. The more I think about my strange feelings maybe they are PVCs but definitely get them more when I feel anxious and tense myself. Also know this is quite common but don't like the feeling! Stay safe everyone!