"New Wheels"

Hi all, I have changed Cardios and have been trying to get an exercise test to determine why my h/r will not exceed 125. Long story short I was asked to run around the parking lot and had my settings changed. Trying out my new "wheels" I was not able to get h/r higher than 103 while running and jogging for 30 minutes. I called the p/m tech and told her two of the settings could be the problem and she reluctantly agreed to see me after doc said it was ok. In the meantime I had been speaking with tech support @ Medtronic and they advised me that 2 or 3 settings should be changed. Went in the next am and had two settings adjusted, and met with a "chilly" reception. Tried out my "wheels again by running and had success in raising the h/r to 135........ Played tennis in the pm and had h/r of 135 to 150 for over an hour after 85 to 105 for the first hour. What concerns me is the hr seemed to stay on 140 for 30 45 minutes after I stopped playing. The good news is I did not have any syncope while playing. ( As in the past I had strong feelings of faintness)
The settings in question are adl related and include the adl rate of 90,adl response of 4,exertion response 4 activity threshold med/low from med/high,upper rate set point of 85( they are unable to lower this setting to the suggested 65-75 range. Optimization was turned off, and rate response was on .....

Well maybe the simple truth is at the age of 68 my target h/r s/b 152 x 70% or training zone or 106 h/r . I have always thought I s/b in the 130's h/r..not!!!!!

Any thoughts on why the 140h/r hanging around so long? and what do you have to do to get an exercise test with a ekg to set the rate response and adl numbers?

PLEASE NOTE..........The ABC station in Sarasota FL., has reported some new treatments for A-Fib that appear to have an 80% chance of working. I believe you can see a video on suncoast.com click on news and than health.........

Many thanks to all, -Philman

4 Comments

Post Mode Switch Pacing?

by BillMFl - 2009-02-12 05:02:09

I am just learning about my new Medtronic. There is a therapueutic option for AT/AF. When it is in the "on" selection, there is an overdrive rate setting for the ppm and also a duration setting. If you have excercise induced AT or AF and if this function is "on", then it will pace you at the speed and duration it is set at.

140 rate stays

by Philman - 2009-02-12 10:02:37

Thanks Frank, Good point on target H/R......... One thing I've noticed is the heart monitor watch is "stuck" on the 140 h/r as it will "usually" flash my numbers. At the 140 level I don't experience any sob or heavy breathing and this will go on long after playing tennis. It will come down after a while, or sooner if I take a b/b..........I would like to turn off the r/r but doc says I will not like it. It was off for 6 weeks not long ago, but it appeared to keep my h/r down, OR maybe the b/b was the problem. Doc says b/b should not keep the h/r from going up................

Philman

140 rate stays

by ElectricFrank - 2009-02-12 12:02:43

I've noticed the same thing periodically. I don't have rate response or ADL on though. With me it must have to do with my hearts recovery time after high activity. I'm 78 so the old clunker just like takes a while to absorb enough oxygen to slow down. At 78 my target HR is ridiculously low so I pretty much ignore it. I find that I can sustain 130 for fairly long periods and quick rises to 140 are no problem. I have the upper limit set to 150, but I don't try to go there. I just want it high enough that it stays out of the way. Like I told the cardio, when I am camping in the Sierras I don't want to be limited if I am being chased by a bear. I would rather die of cardiac arrest than from being mauled.

frank

Heart rate monitor watch

by ElectricFrank - 2009-02-13 12:02:36

There is a potential problem with the watch type HR monitors with a pacer and sometimes even with just right or left bundle branch block. The pacemaker modifies the ECG signal when it adds pacing pulses. The HR monitor may see the heart signal and the pace pulse as 2 separate heart beats and give an incorrect high reading. That may be why it is flashing. As your HR comes down the pacer modifies what it is doing making it look like your HR is stuck at 140. Have you tried checking your pulse manually or with a BP machine. Both of these methods check the actual blood pulse resulting from a heart beat and aren't fooled by the pacer.

As for the rate response, you may actually need it depending on your situation. It is meant to substitute for the natural sinus pacer if it isn't working properly. The problem is that cardiologists will turn it on even when not needed just to cover their back side. I had quite a fight getting mine turned off even when my
ECG showed normal atrial rhythm.

frank

frank

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