Is This Normal?

HI everyone,

I wanted to start by thanking everyone for there response to my newbie post about a month ago. To be honest I'm still HATING having a Pacemaker but at some point I think I may accept it.

I have a question for all you though. I called my Dr. and am going in monday because of this. For the past few weeks I've been getting this popping sensation under my breast. It feels like someone is snapping their fingers inside my chest. I can feel it through my chest, I feel a heart beat and then this popping. Sometimes it happens continuously for minutes and other times its just one pop. I had my partner put her hand on my chest to make sure I wasn't nuts, and she felt it too and wanted me to go to the ER. I honestly didn't have time for that circus and I'm not feeling sick so I just set up an appointment.

Anybody have any ideas what this is?

Thanks so much for your help!

3 Comments

i can relate

by jcheezer - 2008-09-23 11:09:37

Hello, I too have recently gotten a PM and had only had it for about a week and I started getting these unusual sensations in my chest, especially when I was lying down on my left side. I too could see it and it did not feel like a regular heart beat. My doctor said it was normal and I disagreed with him. When I went to my 2 week PM check they said that the lead had moved and that I would have to have surgery again to manipulate it back into place. When they went in it turned out that one of the leads was faulty and was not working at all. So.... they replaced it and the sensation is completely gone. That very well could be your problem. I hope this helps. Isn't this fun this pacemaker stuff? However it sure beats the alternative. Take Care and Good Luck
Jean

Good morning Megherbst...

by chip - 2008-09-24 11:09:07

I would agree with bambi that it’s most likely ventricle pacing that you’re feeling BUT you should most assuredly get it checked out to be safe.

I experience about 75% atrial pacing and only 21% ventricle and sometimes feel a “hard pulse” or "pound" when the ventricle pacing kicks in. It can last only a beat or two or it can last an extended time.

I have questioned my EP about it and he tells me it is completely normal. He said he could adjust it so I wouldn’t feel it so much but it would be better left alone. I agreed – “don’t fix what isn’t broken”.

Remember it just keeps getting better!

Enjoy Life & God Bless

me too

by bambi - 2008-09-24 11:09:09

I would get that same sensation and still do. Once during an interrogation, I felt that same feeling and told the technician about it. He explained that he had just run a test on my ventricle lead. Because I pace 98-100% in my atrium, and much less in the ventricle, when I do pace down there, I am very aware of it and really feel it! There is a possibility that you are just very aware of your pacing.
Bambi

You know you're wired when...

Friends call you the bionic woman.

Member Quotes

So, my advice is to go about your daily routine and forget that you have a pacemaker implanted in your body.