pacemaker syndrome?

So I just turned 27 and that means I've had my little buddy resting under my skin for a year and a half now, saddly things are not as good as they where when it was first put in. My quality of life has seen some massive dips. I feel hot all the time, I feel like my heart is beating inside my neck on the right side and tired a lot. In doing some research online, I've come across pacemaker syndrome as something that may be wrong with me. I was just wondering if anyone else has had this and was it as easy to treat as the websites put it?

2 Comments

A moving target

by Theknotguy - 2014-02-23 02:02:09

Heart disease is a moving target. What worked last year may not work this year. It's like having a dancing partner. Sometimes you're in synch, sometimes not.

Yes, you could have PM syndrome. One option. Could be you need to have your PM tweaked a little too. You didn't mention medications. Medications can have an adverse effect on you too.

For PM syndrome they indicate tweaking of the settings of the PM will help. So that would indicate a call to the EP guy to get changes suggested.

Medications. My first cardiologist had me on such high doses of medications that I'd fall asleep and fall out of the chair in which I was sitting. Not a good thing, especially when it's at work. So what are your medications? Maybe you need some adjustments there.

Having been through the medications side of heart problems before getting the PM meant that I wasn't shy about speaking up and getting things changed.

Think of your heart problems as being a maintenance disease. That means you have to maintain yourself. That also means you have to have a conversation with your cardiologist when things don't feel right. And sometimes, as you'll see if you look around this forum, that means you have to fire your cardiologist and get another if you aren't getting the help you need. I had to fire mine and have a better one now.

They used to tell us in the one company for which I worked, "If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't." So if you aren't getting a good touchy-feelly with your cardiologist or EP person, then it may be time to switch. If you do feel good about your cardio/EP people, discuss your problems and see what changes they can make. Don't wait for your next appointment, go ahead and make the call now.

Hope you can get some help. Life should get better.

Theknotguy

Already fired one

by Darvox - 2014-02-23 11:02:58

I really think it needs to be tweaked more. My current cardiologist is one of the best I've ever had (last one thought I was 5 years out from needing a pacer... hours before my heart gave out). I think I just find it hard to know what I should be telling him. I seem to have a ton of other health problems and I don't want to send them looking for something when it has nothing to do with the pacemaker. One thing is for sure, I feel like shit more often than not, so I guess I'll just have to tell him everything that goes/feels wrong.

Thanks.

You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.