Is wifi interference possible?

nope

by Tracey_E - 2020-07-22 22:03:00

Wifi cannot affect the pacer. Virtually nothing in the home can have an effect. Do you have a home monitor? You could send a download and let them know the time, see if the pacer caught anything. 

Highly unlikely

by AgentX86 - 2020-07-22 23:00:43

To expand a little on what Tracy said, if you can send a transmission while this is happening, it'll be all the better.  Pacemakers record some history but really not all that much.

what they record

by Tracey_E - 2020-07-23 10:12:31

If something is strong enough to interfere and cause a mode switch, it will show up in the report. No need to do the download while it's happening but telling them when it happened can help them pinpoint it. Once I was having some issues we were having trouble pinning down, this was before the days of home monitors. They gave me a magnet. When the symptoms happened, I would swipe the magnet over the pacer and cause a mode switch. They told me it acted as a bookmark on the interrogation report because the mode switch would always show up. In my case they were just wanted to know where to look but this is how I know mode switches always show up. Quick and easy way to rule out if the router is interfering. 

It doesn't record like an ekg, but they can tell if you were pacing, and if you were pacing at the time that may be enough to figure it out if the problem has to do with pacing. At least it's a starting point. 

Recording

by AgentX86 - 2020-07-23 11:58:37

Who said it's causing a mode switch There? You're guessing.

There are a LOT  of things a pacemaker will NOT record.  They don't record PACs or PVCs, for instance, unless they reach a threshold. The minimum threshold for mine is five in a row. The number of things that can be recorded is limited but if it's caught in the act will show up on the EKG. If it's possible,  do it! There is information to be gained from the EKG.

mode switch

by Tracey_E - 2020-07-23 13:27:41

I said that checking the interrogation is how to RULE OUT mode switch. If there is no mode switch, then the router isn't the issue. The initial question is was the router causing the problems. 

Thank you

by nscheller - 2020-07-23 15:14:56

Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. I am very new to this, as I just had the pacer placed on 7/11/20. I do not know what a mode switch is. Could someone give a quick explanation please? I do not know if I have the ability to download manually. I did not find anything in my instructions about that. I have a biotronik monitor that automatically downloads at night.

new words

by Tracey_E - 2020-07-23 15:35:26

We speak our own language sometimes, sorry! 

If you have a box at home, then you can send a report. They are usually set up to do it automatically, mine does it every 3 months but that can vary. Sounds like yours does it daily.  On mine (St Judes not Biotronik) there is a button I can push to initiate a download. Most of them have this button but if it's doing daily downloads just call and ask them to take a look. Any time I've done an extra download, I send the office an email asking them to watch for it. 

When they test the pacer (also called interrogation or doing a download), they put it in test mode with a magnet in the puck they place over it. If we were to get too close to a magnet that is too strong, it would do the same thing, switch it into test mode, aka mode switch. When this happens, it shows up in the report.  It's nearly impossible to do this by accident which is why I don't think the router is the problem, but a quick way to rule it out is ask if it showed up in the report.

Additionally (because everyone worries about this) if we do happen to get too close to a magnet that's too strong, it's not going to turn the pacer off or damage it. When it's in test mode, it just paces at a steady rate so it feels funky if we are paced a lot. As soon as we get away from the source of the interference, it goes back to normal with no harm done. 

Clear as mud? ;o)

Thank you

by nscheller - 2020-07-23 15:58:34

I understand your explanation. Thank for the info. My monitoring device is the size of a small cell phone and only has a charging port and an on/off button. I will call them if I continue to have the pulsing sensation. So far today, I have noticed it very little. Maybe they have already adjusted it, if that is all that was needed.

Again, thanks for the explanation.