Re: For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

[Guest guest]

1. Symptoms were very slow heart rate, 30 to 40 when sleeping or resting.

Had 3 or 4 second pauses, per a holter monitor.

2. The only thing that I have different, is now I have a steady rhythm, and

it does not go below 60, or above 150.

3. You can not tell when it kicks on, or goes off. Its like it not even

there.

4. I can't tell if it has kept me in sinus any different than the meds

have, but at least I know that its going to beat on time, every time, and if

I do spike with the heart rate, it still kicks in at the right heart rate,

and overrides the irregular heart rate, causing me to return to sinus,

quicker than I would have without it.

I am well aware of all the testing that medtronic does, and what is coming

down the pike for me too. I even bought stock in the company, so I could

get the extra hot line info on anything. This pace maker does not cure

a-fib, only assists in heart rate, and control, and I think thast tI am

doing much better with it, than I would have done without it.

Anything else Tom, be sure to let me know. Walt on a big bang day, and our

nations birthday.

For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

> Walt ,

> Thank you for sharing your experience with your dual chamber Kappa DR

> 700 .

> Thank you too for offering to answer some of my further questions .

> 1) What were the symptoms of your Paroxysmal AF before you had your

> dual chamber Pacemaker fitted ?.

> 2) What difference to your AF has your Pacemaker made .?

> 3) Does it startle you when it kicks in ?

> 4) Has it kept you in sinus rhythm ? and has it impacted in some way

> on any anti-arrhythmic drug you may be on .

> Are you aware that Medtronics has conducted a trial in the USA with

> the AT500 ? I understand that about 200 people were part of this

> trial and that it was over a period of twelve months and has recently

> concluded . It would be wonderful for some members of this group if

> we could locate some of the individuals who took part in the trial and

> specially wonderful to be able to read the results of the trial .

> My understanding is that the AT500 has some really fancy state of the

> art algorithms . It is approved for use in Europe and Canada and

> Australia . I am unsure of the situation in the USA .

> Hope you are keeping well, Tom

>

>

> Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport

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> send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

>

> Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should

be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Good evening and happy Birthday Walt ,

Your message contained very valuable information . Thank you .

So that I can put what you said into perspective would you kindly

tell

me : 1) what anti-arrhythmic medication you are on as well as any

other medication you may be taking .?

2) With your Pacemaker implanted and with your medication how

frequent are your AF episodes now and how long do they last ?

3) You say that you think the Pacemaker overrides the heart

arrhythmia and causes the heart to return to sinus rhythm quicker

than without it : SO MY QUESTION is this : When your heart does spike

these days and your Pacemaker kicks in how long does it take for your

heart to return to sinus rhythm . ?

Medtronics say that the AT500 pacing system is unique and comprises

three atrial tachyarrhythmia management capabilities :

* Monitoring to help clinicians guide atrial therapy plans .

* Prevention designed to reduce the number of atrial tachyarrhythmia

episodes .

* Termination intended to reduce the length of atrial episodes .

I have found the Medtronic web address www.medtronic.com and was

able to identify an email address to contact them but regrettably

again and again having composed a lengthy message I find much to my

chagrin that on pressing the send button NOTHING HAPPENS !!

I feel frustrated that despite my best efforts I am unable to reach

Medtronics to find out the result of their AT500 USA trial and am

unable to reach anyone in their organisation who can/will answer

questions .

You can see why I much appreciate your information .

Tom in Western Australia

*I wonder if you have followed the fortunes of your countryman Steve

Fossett who has just landed his balloon after circumnavigating the

earth on his own . He took off about sixty miles from me over a week

ago . I intended to be there when he completed his epic adventure

but prevailing winds caused him to land close to the Q'land ,NSW

border . This was a bit far for me to travel .

> 1. Symptoms were very slow heart rate, 30 to 40 when sleeping or

resting.

> Had 3 or 4 second pauses, per a holter monitor.

>

> 2. The only thing that I have different, is now I have a steady

rhythm, and

> it does not go below 60, or above 150.

>

> 3. You can not tell when it kicks on, or goes off. Its like it

not

even

> there.

>

> 4. I can't tell if it has kept me in sinus any different than the

meds

> have, but at least I know that its going to beat on time, every

time, and if

> I do spike with the heart rate, it still kicks in at the right

heart

rate,

> and overrides the irregular heart rate, causing me to return to

sinus,

> quicker than I would have without it.

>

> I am well aware of all the testing that medtronic does, and what is

coming

> down the pike for me too. I even bought stock in the company, so I

could

> get the extra hot line info on anything. This pace maker does not

cure

> a-fib, only assists in heart rate, and control, and I think thast

tI

am

> doing much better with it, than I would have done without it.

>

> Anything else Tom, be sure to let me know. Walt on a big bang day,

and our

> nations birthday.

>

> For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

>

>

> > Walt ,

> > Thank you for sharing your experience with your dual chamber

Kappa

DR

> > 700 .

> > Thank you too for offering to answer some of my further questions

..

> > 1) What were the symptoms of your Paroxysmal AF before you had

your

> > dual chamber Pacemaker fitted ?.

> > 2) What difference to your AF has your Pacemaker made .?

> > 3) Does it startle you when it kicks in ?

> > 4) Has it kept you in sinus rhythm ? and has it impacted in some

way

> > on any anti-arrhythmic drug you may be on .

> > Are you aware that Medtronics has conducted a trial in the USA

with

> > the AT500 ? I understand that about 200 people were part of this

> > trial and that it was over a period of twelve months and has

recently

> > concluded . It would be wonderful for some members of this group

if

> > we could locate some of the individuals who took part in the

trial

and

> > specially wonderful to be able to read the results of the trial .

> > My understanding is that the AT500 has some really fancy state of

the

> > art algorithms . It is approved for use in Europe and Canada and

> > Australia . I am unsure of the situation in the USA .

> > Hope you are keeping well, Tom

> >

> >

> > Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport

> > FAQ -

>

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm

> > For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af

> > Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe@y...

> > List owner: AFIBsupport-owner@y...

> > For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via

email,

> > send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help@y...

> >

> > Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice,

or

should

> be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Walt,

I had a Guidant 1270 Pacemaker implanted on 7/24/00. I went 18 months without

an episode of A-Fib. Since 12/23/00, however, I have had several episodes of

A-Fib. I had Bradycardia, with a pulserate in the 30's prior to having the

pacemaker implanted. My pacemaker is set at 60 BPM and does not function when

my heart rate goes above 60. I take only digoxin as far as medication goes. I

am wondering how your pacemaker works on the upper end, i.e. 150?? What

medication do you take? When you say that the pacemaker does not cure A-Fib,

what good has it done you? Do you continue to go into A-Fib? If so, how often?

Thanks,

For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

> Walt ,

> Thank you for sharing your experience with your dual chamber Kappa DR

> 700 .

> Thank you too for offering to answer some of my further questions .

> 1) What were the symptoms of your Paroxysmal AF before you had your

> dual chamber Pacemaker fitted ?.

> 2) What difference to your AF has your Pacemaker made .?

> 3) Does it startle you when it kicks in ?

> 4) Has it kept you in sinus rhythm ? and has it impacted in some way

> on any anti-arrhythmic drug you may be on .

> Are you aware that Medtronics has conducted a trial in the USA with

> the AT500 ? I understand that about 200 people were part of this

> trial and that it was over a period of twelve months and has recently

> concluded . It would be wonderful for some members of this group if

> we could locate some of the individuals who took part in the trial and

> specially wonderful to be able to read the results of the trial .

> My understanding is that the AT500 has some really fancy state of the

> art algorithms . It is approved for use in Europe and Canada and

> Australia . I am unsure of the situation in the USA .

> Hope you are keeping well, Tom

>

>

> Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport

> FAQ -

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm

> For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af

> Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe

> List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

> For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

> send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

>

> Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should

be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ingot my pacer, 30 June 1999, because I had bradycardia too, and pulse in

the 30s at nite. It is set at 60, and 150 on the high end. It kicks off at

60, and back on at 150.

I am on sotalol, 160mg x 2 a day, and 4 mg of coumadin to keep my INR 2.60

to 2.80.

When I go into a-fib, and the atria viabrates at the 150 mark, My pacer sets

up a beat, and if it hits with the viabrating atria, it will help put me

back in sinus rhythm. I only had problems when I pushed myself while

excercising, and had a breakthrough from the meds. I greatly reduced my

exercising, and have had very little episodes of a-fib.

I usually don't get above 90 bpm though, the sotalol keeps it down.

The pacer has kept my heart rate up. I was going ast 30 beats per minute,

and had 4 second skips, where it did not beat at all. I use to have to get

up in the nite and walk around to get my heart rate up, and then go back to

sleep. My pacer is on about 95% of the time, which means without it, my

heart rate would stay below 60.

I have a model 700, dual chamber, dual wire pacer, so it keeps me in rhythm,

by stimulating my atria and the ventricle in a sinus rhythm. I am checking

with medtronic, and would volunteer to be a tester of the new a-fib

pacermaker that is being worked on now. The 900 is already supposed to be

testing in Europe, but Ive heard nothing about it yet. The military

hospital where I go for my check is keeping me posted on medtronic and

others being tested too. Time will tell. I feel that the new pacer is

coming soon, and that it will almost eliminate a-fib.

I go into a-fib every so often, several months apart. It has been only 2

times in the last 9 month, and I stay in for 1 to 6 days. I have adapted a

new set of guidelines for myself and a-fib. I never or very sedlom take my

blood pressure, or check my heart rate. If I don't feel well, I reduce my

activity, if I feel good, its off I go at full speed. It is my contention

that attitude plays a big part in how you feel, and I know at age 63, I am

going to have some days that I just don't feel very good, and some days that

I feel very good, so I don't think about a-fib much at all. I am not very

careful about my diet anymore, only I don't pig out much at buffets, I eat

more smaller meals, and drink lots of water. I do get my full 8 hours of

sleep, and maintain a schedule, same time to bed, and same time up. I can

tell when an episode is coming near, and can do some things to avoid a-fib,

and sometimes it works, and sometimes it does not. I think that most people

get a-fib when they already don't feel well, so if you keep a good attitude

about the whole thing it might help too. If not, so what at least I feel

better about it. Anything more, just ask, and I will try to oblige. Take

care, and have a happy day. Look in a mirror and smile at yourself. You

will end up laughing about it soon.

For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

>

>

> > Walt ,

> > Thank you for sharing your experience with your dual chamber Kappa DR

> > 700 .

> > Thank you too for offering to answer some of my further questions .

> > 1) What were the symptoms of your Paroxysmal AF before you had your

> > dual chamber Pacemaker fitted ?.

> > 2) What difference to your AF has your Pacemaker made .?

> > 3) Does it startle you when it kicks in ?

> > 4) Has it kept you in sinus rhythm ? and has it impacted in some way

> > on any anti-arrhythmic drug you may be on .

> > Are you aware that Medtronics has conducted a trial in the USA with

> > the AT500 ? I understand that about 200 people were part of this

> > trial and that it was over a period of twelve months and has recently

> > concluded . It would be wonderful for some members of this group if

> > we could locate some of the individuals who took part in the trial and

> > specially wonderful to be able to read the results of the trial .

> > My understanding is that the AT500 has some really fancy state of the

> > art algorithms . It is approved for use in Europe and Canada and

> > Australia . I am unsure of the situation in the USA .

> > Hope you are keeping well, Tom

> >

> >

> > Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport

> > FAQ -

> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm

> > For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af

> > Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe

> > List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

> > For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

> > send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

> >

> > Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or

should

> be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Interesting! So when your heart rate gets up to 150 BPM the pacemaker takes

over again and gets you back into rhythm? I am a long distance runner and still

run competitively. I had 18 months of no a-fib episodes after I had the pace

maker implanted and ran very well during that period. Since December of last

year, however, I have been having an A-Fib episode every month or so and it has

negatively affected my running. My Cardiologist is going to have me see an

electo cardiologist with the idea of having a PVI Ablation. I think that a

procedure such as a PVI Ablation is my only hope if I want to continue to run

competitively in Long Distance Races. I have been lucky in that I usually only

have episodes of A-Fib every 1 to 3 months. Generally when I have an episode it

continues for 24 hours or so. I have to go to the ER room for an electro

cardioversion about one out of 3 times. When I am not in A-Fib, I generally

feel fine, however, I feel pretty wiped out for a couple of days after an

episode.

For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

>

>

> > Walt ,

> > Thank you for sharing your experience with your dual chamber Kappa DR

> > 700 .

> > Thank you too for offering to answer some of my further questions .

> > 1) What were the symptoms of your Paroxysmal AF before you had your

> > dual chamber Pacemaker fitted ?.

> > 2) What difference to your AF has your Pacemaker made .?

> > 3) Does it startle you when it kicks in ?

> > 4) Has it kept you in sinus rhythm ? and has it impacted in some way

> > on any anti-arrhythmic drug you may be on .

> > Are you aware that Medtronics has conducted a trial in the USA with

> > the AT500 ? I understand that about 200 people were part of this

> > trial and that it was over a period of twelve months and has recently

> > concluded . It would be wonderful for some members of this group if

> > we could locate some of the individuals who took part in the trial and

> > specially wonderful to be able to read the results of the trial .

> > My understanding is that the AT500 has some really fancy state of the

> > art algorithms . It is approved for use in Europe and Canada and

> > Australia . I am unsure of the situation in the USA .

> > Hope you are keeping well, Tom

> >

> >

> > Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport

> > FAQ -

> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm

> > For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af

> > Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe

> > List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

> > For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

> > send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

> >

> > Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or

should

> be acted upon without consultation with one's physician.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Sorry to hear of your problems, it does seem that AF in the younger of us does

affect those who are very fit This has been reported many times and I have seen

a written reply abut this by Dr .

I was not a runner but a natural weight trainer (no drugs) I got this a 44 and

had a PVA in May 2001 now I have no meds. I was informed by the DRs in France

who performed the PVA that I was not to run I have also been given this

instruction by the London Clinic where I attend.

The reasons I was given that lots of Runners are turning up in clinics with AF

and valve problems and they dont know why,

Hope you dont mine me mentioning this.

C UK

> Interesting! So when your heart rate gets up to 150 BPM the pacemaker takes

over again and gets you back into rhythm? I am a long distance runner and still

run competitively. I had 18 months of no a-fib episodes after I had the pace

maker implanted and ran very well during that period. Since

> December of last year, however, I have been having an A-Fib episode every

month or so and it has negatively affected my running. My Cardiologist is going

to have me see an electo cardiologist with the idea of having a PVI Ablation. I

think that a procedure such as a PVI Ablation is my only hope

> if I want to continue to run competitively in Long Distance Races. I have

been lucky in that I usually only have episodes of A-Fib every 1 to 3 months.

Generally when I have an episode it continues for 24 hours or so. I have to go

to the ER room for an electro cardioversion about one out of 3

> times. When I am not in A-Fib, I generally feel fine, however, I feel pretty

wiped out for a couple of days after an episode.

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

,

My family doctor, when I first started to have A-Fib episodes about 6 years ago,

was a runner and also suffered from A-Fib. He encouraged me to continue my

running and I have continued for the past 6 years +. My Cardiologist also does

some running and he has not discouraged running. I am hoping to have a PVA to

solve my A-Fib problems while I am still fit enough to remain a competitive

runner. I am hoping for a PVA sometime this fall and would hope to be able to

get back into competitive running shape for 2003.

If you have been A-Fib free since your PVA in 2001, I am encouraged.

RE: For Walt : Medtronic AT500 Pacemaker

Hi ,

Sorry to hear of your problems, it does seem that AF in the younger of

us does affect those who are very fit This has been reported many times and I

have seen a written reply abut this by Dr .

I was not a runner but a natural weight trainer (no drugs) I got this a

44 and had a PVA in May 2001 now I have no meds. I was informed by the DRs in

France who performed the PVA that I was not to run I have also been given this

instruction by the London Clinic where I attend.

The reasons I was given that lots of Runners are turning up in clinics

with AF and valve problems and they dont know why,

Hope you dont mine me mentioning this.

C UK

> Interesting! So when your heart rate gets up to 150 BPM the pacemaker takes

over again and gets you back into rhythm? I am a long distance runner and still

run competitively. I had 18 months of no a-fib episodes after I had the pace

maker implanted and ran very well during that period. Since

> December of last year, however, I have been having an A-Fib episode every

month or so and it has negatively affected my running. My Cardiologist is going

to have me see an electo cardiologist with the idea of having a PVI Ablation. I

think that a procedure such as a PVI Ablation is my only hope

> if I want to continue to run competitively in Long Distance Races. I have

been lucky in that I usually only have episodes of A-Fib every 1 to 3 months.

Generally when I have an episode it continues for 24 hours or so. I have to go

to the ER room for an electro cardioversion about one out of 3

> times. When I am not in A-Fib, I generally feel fine, however, I feel

pretty wiped out for a couple of days after an episode.

>

>

>

**********************************************************************

This message may contain information which is confidential or privileged.

If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender immediately

by reply e-mail and delete this message and any attachments

without retaining a copy.

**********************************************************************

Web Page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport

FAQ - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/files/Administrative/faq.htm

For more information: http://www.dialsolutions.com/af

Unsubscribe: AFIBsupport-unsubscribe

List owner: AFIBsupport-owner

For help on how to use the group, including how to drive it via email,

send a blank email to AFIBsupport-help

Nothing in this message should be considered as medical advice, or should be

acted upon without consultation with one's physician.