lead turned off

Had my pacer checked yesterday and they informed me that the upper lead had been turned off., apparantly there was some static or noise that was there the last time I had it checked.
So, they took the liberty of disabling it.
This information was from the pacer dept. dr.

I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and have had two myomectomies. My rhytymns are fine now, its more of a preventative measure and I keep a low pulse of around 60.

How critical is it for that lead to be on, ? and would it still help me if I needed it to with just the bottem lead on.


3 Comments

leads

by Tracey_E - 2010-02-04 07:02:05

With just the lower lead turned on, you pulse will still not go below your lower limit. If that wasn't safe for you, they'd have you admitted and be replacing that lead now. When you pace, which lead do you use? I have an av block and pace 100% lower lead, almost nothing upper, so if my upper lead were turned off I probably would never know the difference. Someone with sinus issues would pace mostly atrial so they'd miss it immediately. It all depends on your needs. If you just have it as preventative it sounds like it just kicks in occasionally so you're not dependent on it for your daily well-being.

Lead Turned Off

by SMITTY - 2010-02-04 07:02:18

Hello Daisy,

I'll tell you my experience.

Since you have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle) I think you are in the hands of your doctors when it comes to treatment for your heart problems, be it with a pacemaker or without. So I ask you or anyone reading this to not interpret anything I say as a contradiction of what your doctor says.

As for your lead being turned off, I can tell you what I learned when my pacemaker was turned off. I got my first pacemaker in 2000 and it was replaced in 2009. While the second one has been no problem that first one created about as many problems for me as anyone ever had from a pacemaker. I finally got fed up and asked to have it turned off to see if some of my trouble would go away. The doctor was really snotty about it, but he did turn it off and to my pleasure my problems stopped almost immediately. I went with it turned off for a number of months, and then it was turned back on with all new settings and a few other changes were made. Finally I had a pacemaker that was not giving me problems daily.

Later during a visit with another EP I asked what would have happened if I had needed my pacemaker while it was turned off. His reply was that my pacemaker could not be completely turned off. Since it was the on demand type they just put the low set point at about 30, and if my heart rate had ever dropped below that the pacemaker would have come alive kept me going until I could get help. Like you my normal heart rate was 55 to 60, or slightly less, and so far as I know it never went so low as to make the pacemaker step in and help out.

I have always had the opinion that not being able to completely turn off a pacemaker, they can only lower the low set point, was pretty much standard for all of pacemakers. If that is true, even though your upper lead is "turned off" it will still work, or allow, your pacemaker to help out with you heart beat should it be needed. That is unless what ever is causing the static is so over powering it interferes with your PM operation.

Like I said, that is my story and I can't say if it applies to anyone but me. So I would recommend that you ask your doctor what having your upper lead "turned off" means to you, should it be needed.

Good luck,

Smitty

leads off

by daisy41763@yahoo.com - 2010-02-05 04:02:14

Thanks! What really suprized me was that they didnt even tell me that they had turned off the upper lead the last time I had it checked. So much for keeping the patient informed of his care. I would of liked to of been told. There isnt very many cardiologist who specialize in cardiomyopathy and I have really had to be very pro active about my own care. Other wise, I probally wouldnt of be here today.

From what I understand it has only paced me since I got it., and I have never been shocked. So., does that mean the lower lead can shock you also in the case your heart would stop beating. ??
I think I need to read up more on the icd devices.

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