Pacemaker HR Settings?

[kerri73]

For those of you who are on a pacemaker, what's your heart rate set at? (the women, at least) - I went to my cardiologist today, the first time he's ever checked my pacer because I've always gone to someone else for that, and he said he thought it was set too high for me. It's set at 70 bpm, which has always been since I've had a pacemaker - since 1997. I was just curious what others had theirs set at. My pacer works 99% of the time, but I wonder if it's because of the high setting?

Thanks!
Kerri

 

[barbwil]

Kerri, I've had my St Jude pacer since 2002. Originally the base rate was set at 60 but for a while now it has been set at 65. I have been pacing 81% in the atrium and 71% in the ventricle. Have they not ever tried you at a lower rate?

 

[Gnusgal]

I'm set on 70 and have been for years. I'm 99.9% pacer dependant. I'm not sure what it was set on when I was a child. I've had my pacer since I was seven (obviously not the same one all this time).

 

[kerri73]

Thanks ladies - interesting stuff. Mine has always been at 70 as well. I wonder what the magic formula is for figuring out how to set that.

Niki - how often do you usually have your pacemaker replaced, since you're also at 99% and your rate is kept at 70? I just had a medtronics device implanted during the spring of '04, and when it was checked today (as well as in May), it said the battery life would last another 2-3 years. That seems short! But maybe it's just an estimate, and it will really last longer. My first one lasted 6-7 years.

 

[Kathleen]

My pacemaker was set at 70 and my pacer/defib is set at 70 also. It is easy for a tech to set it higher or lower and see how it goes for a month or so. If you feel good at that rate I would not change a thing. I am 100% dependant. Since my heart rate was so high before the pacer since I was in afib 24/7 I was actually thinking of having it set higher since that was the norm for me for so many years.
Kathleen

 

[twinmaker]

Kerri, I have a pacer/defibrillator. It's also set at 70. As far as how long it lasts, I can't answer that one yet. My first implant was just a pacer. It was in a couple of years when it was discovered that I also needed a defibrillator. My first pacemaker was removed and the defib. was implanted. That only stayed in one year as it was recalled and I had to have another defib. implanted. I'm also about 99% pacemaker dependent. Thankfully, my defibrillator has never had to give me the BIG shock. I've read where that really depletes the battery. LINDA

 

[Gnusgal]

Okay, I can really answer this one! My first pacer lasted for 6 years (keep in mind I wasn't as dependant yet), then my second lasted 7 years, my third lasted 5 years, and so far I've had this one for 4 years and expect to have it replaced within a year (or at least, that's what the pacer check says). So as sad as it is to be having surgery every 5 years, at least I know it's doing its job! I've heard of people having their pacers for more than 10 years, but they don't use theirs nearly as much as I use mine.

The pacer checks can only give you an estimate based on how much battery is left and how much you've been using the juice in the past. It has gotten a lot better over they years in predicting, but I know my first pacer they couldn't really tell too far in advance. I went in for a check in June and was fine, but when I went in August I suddenly needed a new one! Had it done the next day. Of course, for my last one (the one that's in now), we thought we had enough time to wait until my valve replacement in June, but I ended up going into "backup" mode in April. Quite frankly, it's almost easier when it's sudden like that because you don't spend months worrying over it (like my third pacer).

Hope that helps some.

 

[kerri73]

Thanks Niki! I hear ya on the "less notice, better thoughts"... for both my mitral valve replacement surgery and my pacemaker surgery, I did them right away... (plus, the valve surgery was right before Christmas so I kept myself busy getting all my presents bought). It's better not having to sit there and think about it all. Even though the pacemaker surgery is much less invasive, it's still a little stressful - at least when the day arrives and they roll you away!

I guess I was just expecting this one to work at least longer than the last one, so I was surprised to hear such a short time left on it... but it's still 2-3 years away, so we'll see come then what's going on!

Thanks again!