Electrician feelings

My pacemaker is working well but when I'm lieing flat I get an electric impulse across my chest even when the pacemaker is off. It happens every night and lasts. Sometimes when I raise up in the bed it stops. 
it's been going on for a few months with the pacemaker keeping me from bradycardia and I'm staying in sinus rhythm all the time. 
This electric across my chest has only started since the pacemaker was put in 4 months ago.

this is something that is puzzling the Florida Doctor and he now wants nothing to do with me and trying to figure it out.

I'm headed to Boston to see my cardiologist to try to get to the bottom of this. I'm even thinking of taking it out I'm being bothered so much.

Anyine have anything similar?

Spud


6 Comments

Thank you Lavender

by Spud - 2022-07-07 20:50:56

My vibrations have only been with me since the pacemaker was put in. Even off I get vibrations which are like yours they  wake me almost every night.

yours are the only ones I've heard of like mine. I can have a 3d ablation and maybe get rid of my pacemaker. 
if this can't be fixed I think that's where I'm headed.

I wish you well and hope my Cardiologist in Boston solves the problem. 

Older post on this

by Lavender - 2022-07-07 21:37:33

I also found this older post with similar issues:

https://www.pacemakerclub.com/message/15593/muscle-twitching

I never heard of ablations making someone able to remove the pacemaker. 

Ablation

by AgentX86 - 2022-07-07 22:07:41

I'm trying to understand the thought process here....

Is the reason that you have a pacemaker to mitigate the Bradycardic effects of antiarrhythmics and/or beta blockers, etc., allowing higher doses? Then you're relying on an ablation to take care of AF/L so you no longer need the PM? Seems like a longshot (and real lottery win for lifetime relief)  to me but whatever.

As I said in your previous thread, if it's off - it's off.  There is something else going on other than your pacemaker. 

Electrical sensations

by Gotrhythm - 2022-07-09 10:32:06

Have you considered the possibility that the sensation could be coming from nerves in your back that come from the spine?

An irritated or trapped nerve can give intermittant, electrical-feeling jolts that are quite unpleasant. The fact that it happens when you are in a certain position, i.e. lying down, and can be relieved sometimes by changing position, sitting up, makes me think about what's happening in your spine when you have the sensations.

The fact that the problem started at the same time you got the pacemaker makes me wonder if maybe something happened at the time of surgery. You were unconscious. While you were being moved around from operating table to bed, your back could have gotten twisted inadvertantly, putting pressure on a nerve.

That would explain how the problem could have started at the same time as the pacemaker, but not actuallly be caused by the pacemaker.

Just a thought. Maybe a consultation with a chiropractor is in order.

Electric Sensation across the chest.

by Selwyn - 2022-07-09 15:39:43

I don't quite know what you mean by an electric impulse. 

 I did have  chest wall muscle twitching, with my first pacemaker,  which was quite upsetting.  It was intermittent. I put it down to nervous tension.

I did mention it at my review. The change from unipolar sensing to bipolar sensing brought instant relief. 

You can get faulty leads - electricity would then leak and cause twitching. 

See https://www.pacemakerclub.com/message/17341/spasms-in-chest

Poor lead placement can sometimes cause chest wall muscle contractions. 

See https://jaclinicalreports.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40981-019-0257-7

The change in your symptoms with position would favour poor lead placement, I think. 

You will need to discuss this further with your cardiology department. 

 

 

 

I think it’s lead placement

by Lavender - 2022-07-09 16:15:37

When the pacemaker tech changed my settings from ring three to the can to ring four to the can, the sensation is more muted but still there. It used to be quite strong. Now it's the same duration as I hold still-always about seven seconds and goes away even if I don't move. It will intermittently go on until I turn over or get up. It's not every single night either. I used to think it was more when I am in a deep sleep, but I have also felt it when I am just awakening. 
 

It is higher than the diaphragm. The tech tried to simulate it but I later remembered that I was seated when she tried each lead. It only happens when lying down. I want her to do it again whilst I am lying down. 
 

The pinched nerve thing made me think about that but then again with the setting change, the sensation isn't as strong so I still think it's my leads. 
 

I'm bringing it up again at next pacemaker check. It's a different tech each time so maybe someone will figure it out. 

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