PVC's, Shotrnes of Breath, Dizzy Spells, Need help

• by regie
• 2012-12-16 01:12:43
• Complications
• 2580 views
• 3 comments

It seems we all have some issues with our PM’s but I am having several issues with mine. I have had a history of irregular heartbeats for past 12 years and in June 2011 I passed out while driving. I had a halter monitor on for testing and my heart rate dropped into low 20’s and them would race to 180 throughout the day and night. I was diagnosed with Tacky Brady Syndrome and in July I had a Medtronic Pacemaker installed. I felt some better after getting it and my energy level did increase but nothing to where it was before the PM. I also experienced shortness of breath after walking short distances. I told my Dr. this but he simply shrugged it off as me needing to exercise more. In July 2012, a year later, I experienced another round of major fatigue and would spend 2 to 3 days sleeping. In August the symptoms to continue to worsen and I began having radiating chest pains and I was hospitalized for three days. During this time they ran many tests on me and the cardiologist all said my heart was fine. The ER Dr did a blood gas oxygen test and found it to be only 70%. I met with a lung doctor who made we walk the halls of the hospital for him and while I was walking my oxygen level dropped into low 80’s but would quickly return to 98 when I stopped walking so he knew I had a major problem somewhere. They checked for blood clots in my lungs and found nothing and he sent me to see lung specialist at Vanderbilt thinking I might have rare pulmonary disease. I also had a sleep study and my pulse dropped to 35 (my PM is set at a low of 60 BPM) and went as high as 145 during the test and my oxygen level dropped into the low 70’s. When I went to Vanderbilt the lung test showed nothing wrong with lungs but the lung Dr was very concerned about my fluctuating pulse and sent me to see heart specialists. The heart specialists read my PM and it showed I was having 50 to 60 PVC’s per hour which he said was moderate to severe. The heart specialist put me on new stronger meds to help with the PVC’s but he had to answer for the drop in oxygen. So here I am four months later and I’m still having the PVC’s but not as bad. I am oxygen at night now and that seems to have helped more than anything. I am still having the fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, I’m easily confused and just don’t have energy to do much of anything. Has anyone else experienced all these symptoms? It’s been very frustrating not knowing what is wrong with me. All the doctors I have met say there is no doubt about my problems, but none have an answer to what maybe causing it. All I know is it all started with the pacemaker surgery. I am only 40 years old and prior to all this I owned my own business, was chief at a volunteer fire department, and I was very active in my community. Now I’m barely able to do anything. Any suggestions?