Most Recent Messages in Checkups & Settings

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Newbie needs help

Hi guys, first post. Had AV node ablation and pacemaker fitted just about a year ago. Very bumpy first year, carted off to A & E couple of times during the night due to "strange" palpatations etc. Visits to my local pacing clinic are a total waste of time, their standard response is "it's just one of those things!"

I am due for my 6 month visit next week and am relying on you guys giving me some advice because if anyone makes the above comment again they...

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Sensing / Sensitivity / Sensor Rate & Sensability Settings

Could somebody please explain the difference between

1. atrial / ventricular sensing parameters which are adjusted by the techs at each appointment or which can be automatically adjusted

2. 'sensitivity' (which is on an auto setting on my device)

3. the sensor rate

4. Sensability settings (Abbott devices) 

It would be helpful to me, and hopefully to others, to be able to differentiate between what each of these settings does. 

I&...

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Have you ever received any Settings adjustments for an arrhythmia?

I often see posts about adjusting Settings to help with activities like running, cycling and swimming, but I don’t often see posts directly about adjustments that might help with an arrhythmia.  I am wondering how many Pacemaker Club members have actually had some improvements in controlling a new or an established arrhythmia by having an adjustment of their Settings?  If you have ever had any Settings changes that have clearly helped, are you able to share with us the Setting...

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PVC, PMT, PSVT, RNRVAS--UPDATE

Over the years in Pacemaker Club, I've been helped and learned as much by reading other people's posts as from getting specific answers to my posts. So I hope there will be some value in sharing what I have learned with the group.

I have a history of PVC induced PMT. You may recall a year or maybe two years ago when I posted about a new diagnosis of PSVT questioning if it was being triggered by PVCs because that's what it felt like was happening.

Then, in October of la...

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Tachycardia

About 3 weeks ago I was travelling internationally and lifting heavy objects and not sleeping, etc.

Pacemaker set at 71bpm and my heart rate jumped to 105 yet in sinus rhythm. I increased Sotalol from 80mg 2x day to 120 2x day.....and Metoprolol from 50 2x day to 75 in pm. Heart rate came down to 100-99 but no further.

Seems I'm stuck at 100-ish. EP is located in US and I'm in UK for next six months. I arranged an appt with Cardiologist but can't get appt for another t...

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Chronotropic Incompetence - Confused

I've just had a very confusing meeting with an EP who has reviewed some ECGs for me. 

Background : I was dx'd with chronotropic incompetence over 10 years ago following holter monitoring. The holter monitoring showed little response to exercise and h/rates no higher than 55 bpm on a treadmill. Over the following 8 years I received approx 80% a.pacing and a large % of this was due to RR. My PM was dual sensor.  I felt fine exercise wise and could do everything...

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pacemaker

I have three big side effects of having a pacemaker: tiredness, weak and heavy legs and slower thinking. It started almost two years ago and is slowly gotten worse. I have been to our spine docotor, neuroligist, and the last dr. who said to have my pacemaker adjusted for what I have are side effects of my pacemaker. I called and left a message with my heart doctor and the reply from the MA was the doctor doesn't think it is the pacemaker and the tech said she would not know what to do to...

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Reported AF/other Episodes - Should I worry (probably not but I do)

Long time reader, first time poster.... :-) 
I just got a call from the Medtronic tech/Cardiology today because the Pacemaker alerted to a 7 second arrythmia yesterday.  I felt a spell of dizziness but not until an hour after the indicated time of the episode.  She also said I'd had a 3 second Afib two weeks ago (never noticed anything).  I've had the PM for full HB 2.5 years now, and reports have shown an occasional arrythmia, but...

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Now WHAT'S going on?

Hello all!

Just over a week ago I had my 1 month check up - no issues. Now, twice since then, I've been getting low HR episodes that last a few hours. My normal HR stays around 70. At least twice my HR dropped to the low 50's and stays there.I get a strange weak feeling in my legs and stomach. If I move around to try and raise it, I get a small response but it won't go above 80 or so and I feel like I get into Wenckeback symptoms. 

Is this some type of SSS? I'...

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Dual Chamber Pacemaker Settings

Today I went to the hospital pacer clinic and had Abbottt connect me to the mothership and did a full function test of my leads and pacemaker.  I have been having some issues and the Abbott tech was right on top of his game today.

My pacer setting was off a lot and he adjusted the sensitivity to increase my bpm sooner and to bring my heart rate down slower as I am a bicycle rider.  It has only been a few hours and what a difference already.

My chest pain is gone fir...

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Pacer Download Loop

Last night my pacer monitor went into alarm mode and would not shut off.  A bit of a scare as my dual chamber pacer felt fine.  This morning I contact Abbott technicians and had my monitor reset.  The technician stated my monitor download was stuck in a loop and kept downloading my pacer data every few minutes for about seven hours.

Friday I am going to the hospital where the Abbott technicians are going to connect me to the mothership and do a full diagnostic test on my...

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One year checkup

Hi all

I had a duel chamber pacemaker fitted - March 2022.

Had various checkups and tweaks but still not entirely happy with things.

On interrogation today it was noted I'm in AF 100% of the time , paced @ 100% and something about one of the leads being just in tolerance- high impedance or something ? Technician said it was too complicated to explain , but was going to make cardiologist aware .

Still awaiting 2nd cardioversion for worsening AF , but Technician sugg...

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Pacemaker check and echocardiogram

Just had my annual pacemaker and echocardiogram check.

Next appointment is set for October 2024 so no cause for concern but the report states that my heart stopped for periods of up to three seconds sixteen times over the past year. Apparently this is no cause for concern. I read somewhere that it's quite usual for a person without heart problems to experience these stoppages.

Any information on this would be appreciated.🌹

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Rate Response, new pacemaker

Hello there,

I have read quite some information since my pacemaker implant 2 weeks ago. The forum is a really helpful resource for the recovery period.

I have a question related to rate response.

I was diagnosed with a 2nd degree heart block almost 20 years ago. Since then I went back to the hospital for a 24 hour holter every 1-3 years. Always with the same result, a few blocks during the night.

I'm completely asymptomatic. The finding of the AV block was by chanc...

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NHS appointments

I've been suffering from ectopics with a pacemaker fitted since January 2023 and am fairly regularly getting 37 bpm when resting.

My GP wrote to the cardiologists at the regional hospital and requested an appointment "at your earliest convenience" and "preferably in person"

The cardiology department response to that was an appointment in two and a half months time at the end of June 2023 and that will be a 15-minute telephone conversation.

So that'...

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First post implant appointment

 

I had my PM implanted in January and now I am coming up on my first in-person visit (Monday) with both my cardiologist and EP. I’ve talked with them since the implant and while I thought my PM was set to VVIR, in fact it is set to VVI. So, changing to VVIR is one of the things that will probably be changed.

The reason for the change is once I got the OK, I started on a treadmill and eventually water aerobics. At first, I was doing fine. Felt great all the time. Then a...

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quarterly remote transmission and yearly cardiologist appointment

Saw the cardilogist for the yearly checkup. She kept asking me for the name of my GP guess it was becuase a different doctor requested the 2 blood tests that i had.   She was concerned that my lipid were high. She mentioned that she likes the LDL in the 50's which is in the middle of the range. Told her i was working on that.  It seems that the Algal Oil that am taking causes both the bad and the good to rise.  Now am taking only 1 per meal and blood will be retested i...

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Ever wonder if pacemaker threshold voltage fluctuates?

Ever wonder if pacemaker threshold voltage fluctuates or varies? (In the literature, it is known as circadian variation.)

If so, how much fluctuation or variation within 24 hours, within a week, within a month, or couple of months? The answers will have implication for battery life.

And the answer is for some people, it does not fluctuate at all, while for others it fluctuate a lot.

I have been intrigued by this issue for a long time and have searched Google, but gotten...

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Can Holter monitor detect pacing spikes?

I am about to use a Hoster monitor to monitor the performance of my leadless pacemakers.

For all the EKGs that I have done since PM implant, the pacing spikes have never showed up on the EKG charts. 

Is there a brand of Hoster that will detect the pacing spikes?

Will appreciate your sharing of your experience.

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Rate Response Performance and Adjustment

I wish to share my experience in adjusting the rate response of my leadless dual chamber pacemakers.

The Abbott Aveir Leadless Dual Chamber Pacemakers use temperature base rate response. I could not find any publication that discusses the implementation of rate response using temperature, nor could I find any for the accelerometer base implementation.  All I could find out is the range of temperature change in the body during exercise is about 1 deg C. For the Aveir, the range of c...

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

My ICD/pacer is not a burden. I still play tennis and golf.