Rate response and trucking

This past week I finally went back to work as an over the road truck driver after having my pm implanted June 11. A few weeks ago the pm clinic turned on my rate response. At the time I never gave it any thought but this week I learned something about it. There were a few times this week when I would feel a bit odd for no reason and notice that my pulse was faster than it should be. After about the third time I started to notice that it seemed to be happening as the result of riding on a rough stretch of road.

The air seat in a truck is designed to move up and down plus travel backwards and forwards to absorb a lot of the shock that would otherwise jar your spine when riding on rough roads. Of course your whole body moves during this process. The kicker is the pacemaker can't tell the difference between exercise and what I'll call passive movement. So the pm thinks all of a sudden it must be time to kick in and does. It's like getting a cardio workout without the work.

I asked Medtronics about this and they said it is possible but to ask my doctor. My pm clinic says that yes the rate response may be set a bit too sensitive and there are many things that can be done to the programming to help. They said that if it isn't bothering me a lot that I can come in next month when they're at the local office near here.

Rick

2 Comments

Pacing Rate When Driving

by peter - 2007-09-22 06:09:04

My pacemaker which is a Guidant Contak TR2 has the usual motion sensor. I am pacemaker dependant with AV node ablation. When I drive I notice my heart rate increases due to the sensing of the car motion. I no longer get tired driving because of this and in no way feel disadvantaged. My pacemaker is set at a minimum of 70 bpm but when driving can increase to 85 bpm. If anyone knows of any real adverse effects from this I would appreciate if they contacted me directly on.
bayhoecott@yahoo.co.uk

Rough Roads Trigger Pacing

by gyropacer - 2007-09-22 06:09:15

Rick,

I have experienced the same thing. My Toyota Lancruiser caused my PM to activate when drining on rough roads. When first implanted I had all sorts of things active, including daily checks and motion sensing. This meant whenever I drove on rough roads I would get shocks (for sake of a better word) and at times I would have to stop because my PM kept pacign when not required. Each night it also performed checks so I get 10 or so pulses at the same time each night. All this kept reminding me I have a PM. Since then I have had all those actions turned off (but still have rate response on so it wasn't rate response that was pulsing me). I now forget that I even have a PM most of the time. Although it took a bit of getting used to not feeling it as I get very used to having a built in alarm clock.

Anyway I am sure your doctor should be able to adjust setting s for you.

Russ

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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.