First Appointment at Pacemaker clinic

new normal

by Tracey_E - 2020-10-26 22:12:53

It takes some time to come to trust the pacer, to get used to feeling good and not expecting problems. You'll get there! 

Thank you for the update

by Gemita - 2020-10-27 05:52:04

Your lower setting of 50 bpm would be too low for me as a patient with a history too of dizziness and fainting.  

May be there is a reason why they have set you at 50 bpm lower limit, but if you still get dizzy/faint, I would ask if these symptoms might be better controlled with a higher lower setting of at least 60 bpm which I believe is the normal minimum setting which our pacemakers come with?  (Factory settings).  In any case, a heart rate of below 60 bpm would be classified as bradycardia (not perhaps good for those of us prone to dizziness and fainting).  I am not surprised therefore that with a lower setting of 50 bpm, you have only needed support for less than 3% of the time.

By the way, did you get an answer from your pacemaker team/doctor about why you should stop B Complex supplements (as per your earlier post)?

I hope you feel better soon and do really well with your pacemaker.  You sound as though the wound healing process is almost complete.  That is really good news.  

Additional information

by nhamblin - 2020-10-27 11:22:01

Gemita... yeah i was wondering also after I got home from my appointment about the 50 setting.   I feel fine right now... my 3 month check up with the pacemaker clinic is in January ...but will be calling before then if anything comes up.   

I asked about the vitamin b complex issue abd She said they don't have a reason on their end as to why i shouldn't be taking it (blood work ok too).  She mentioned that i might call my Family Dr to see his opinion.   

Lower Pacemaker Settings

by Marybird - 2020-10-27 13:16:49

I've noticed that there are a number of people here who've said their lower pacemaker settings are around 50. I'm guessing the reasons for that would be mainly for preservation of battery life when a person is anticipated to need pacing only part the time, and his/her own heart can carry the burden much of the time. Or if a person is well adapted to a lower heart rate, ie, in the 50's and isn't very active, possibly?

My EP set the lower limit for my pacer at 55. He said his reason for doing so was so that I would not pace unnecessarily to 60 when I slept at night. He also set the rate response, and told me that I wouldn't see the 55 heart rate very often ( and unless I was perfectly still,)  as the heart rate would increase as needed with activity. That seems to have been the way it has gone, with the heart rate increasing as I need it to. I see the 55 heart rate sometimes when I'm about to fall asleep, or when I wake up, but I don't find it at all uncomfortable, so I am happy with that lower rate.

With these settings and a diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome ( tachy-brady), I am atrial paced currently at 91% and feel good (better with a recent medication adjustment upwards to control the runaway tachycardia)  so I guess these settings, including the lower one of 55 works for me. 

Good luck with your continued healing, and life with your new pacemaker. 

50 seems reasonable

by PacedNRunning - 2020-10-29 04:18:18

Bradycardia is 50bpm or less. So putting it at 50

would seem reasonable. They can see your heart rate averages.  So they can determine if 50 is too low. My guess is your well over 50 each day. I'm set at 45bpm. But like someone else said. I'm not symptomatic. I've offen wondered why they set the minimum to 60 when less than 50 is bradycardia. They don't even consider a pacemaker until your well under 50 and passing out. 

PacedNRunning/nhamblin

by Gemita - 2020-10-29 07:15:19

Interesting to read your comments PacedNRunning.  I believe a heart rate of between 60-100 bpm is the normal range for adults.   Anything lower than 60 bpm would be below normal and therefore classified as bradycardia. I was given to believe that bradycardia is anything below 60 bpm, not 50 bpm? 

I agree most healthy adults go well below 60 bpm, particularly at rest but I function better and my symptoms are eased at higher heart rates (my minimum is set at 70 bpm, even at rest).  A heart rate in the 50 bpm range is only "normal" if you feel well and are able to do what you need to do at this rate.

I agree you have to be hitting the ground before they will consider a pacemaker.  Pity it has to come to this because loss of consciousness, however brief, is dangerous and can lead to serious injuries as I well know. It can also happen when we are driving and can lead to accidents involving others too.  I would err on the side of caution nhamblin and ask whether you would be safer at the normal heart rate setting of 60 bpm?

Bradycardia

by AgentX86 - 2020-10-29 12:33:50

Yes, the accepted threshold for Bradycardia is 60bpm. The normal range for adults is 60-100bpm.