High Heart rate issues

Hey guys first time posting I had my pacemaker implanted 6/23/20 just over 6 weeks ago. I was cleared to start exercising at the 6 week mark. I was rowing like normal and between intervals my heart rate dropped like normal then out of the blue hit 243 BPM for 1:10 long. I have a follow up appointment next week but I am wondering if anyone has ever experienced this before? What should I be asking the Doctor when I see him and the last thing is could this be just a simple setting that could be wrong with my pacer?

 

thanks

5 Comments

243bpm?

by AgentX86 - 2020-07-31 23:51:05

If your heart rate really was 243bpm (not some nonsense a watch reported) it's time for the ER.  NOW!  That's Vtach and will often degenerate into Vfib, which is a short trip to the morgue.  No, it's not a setting.  You cannot wait fot next week.

Confirmed

by Hof709 - 2020-08-01 00:22:29

I called the Dr and they had me force the home monitor to download the pacemakers info and they told me it was at the 243 and the length of time was for 1:10. They really did not seem that concerned about it. It's been 5 days since it happend and it's been fine since. Thanks for your reply I am just totally new and and trying to get all the information posssible. 

ummmmm

by Tracey_E - 2020-08-01 08:53:13

If your rate was over 200 for more than a minute and your doctor wasn't concerned, it's time to find a new doctor. You were not paced that high, that was all you. I would expect to come out of the appointment on a beta blocker to make sure it doesn't happen again. If it was exercise induced, I would hold off exercising more until you are seen. 

Tachy-brady

by Gotrhythm - 2020-08-02 13:37:48

In the early days of living with this capricious heart of mine, I was only paced about 60% and had brady-tachy. Once, at rest, I felt really strange and checked my pulse which was 242.  I didn't time it, but I would estimate the episode lasted no longer than 40 seconds. 

It never happened again. As my sinus node grew lazier and lazier, the tachy episodes grew less and less frequent until technically they weren't "tachy" at all, i.e. at rest my pulse would jump to 100 then back to the base rate of 65.

Gradually, the tachy episodes ceased altogether and today I am pacemaker dependent.

Others here know much more than I do. I wouldn't try to advise you. I simply offer my experience that it can happen once and never again. 

Tachy

by AgentX86 - 2020-08-02 14:49:47

The AV node shouldn't pass anything near 240bpm. One of its functions is to protect the ventricles from atrial arrhythmias. Unless you have a really wonky AV node, it's Vtach.

BTW, that's where the 220-age rule if thumb comes from.

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Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.