84 year old father still getting winded

My 84 year old father was extremely active until about 2 months ago-able to care for his large yard, etc. Suddenly(in May), he started getting extremely winded when simply walking from one room to another, feeling extremely tired, complained of spasms in his right side, and no appetite-lost 23 pounds. He just received his 2nd pacemaker(Medtronic) in 9 years last Thursday. His cardiologist suggested replacement when he noticed my father's side was jumping/having spasms-said this was from a wire that might be out of place. The cardiologist said the getting winded problem could be from the wire problem and/or a blockage so he also ordered a cardiac catheterization. The catheterization showed a slight change in a blockage that was detected 5 years ago but the cardiologist said this shouldn't be enough of a change to cause the problems my father was having. He went on to say he suspected the pacemaker replacement(was due for a battery change) and new wires should fix him up. We are now 4 days with the new pacemaker and he is getting just as winded as before and he is also having trouble walking-he says his feet feel like they weigh 100 pounds each causing him to shuffle when he walks. He has also fallen twice since coming home from the hospital-says he simply looses his balance but no dizziness-just says he can't move his feet quick enough to catch himself. To add more-he was checked for anemia before the pacemaker replacement and he also saw a pulmonary specialist today who said he couldn't detect any lung problems. Does anyone have suggestions as to what can be done to help my father return to his old self?

5 Comments

More test's are needed

by plebeyo - 2012-07-10 01:07:52

Your father needs an Echocardiogram or CT scan, he might have heart valve problems. What is his blood pressure and pulse, has he had a blood test, also an x-ray to check for an enlarged heart?
Remember, he can't have an RMI test because of the pacemaker.

Response to more tests needed

by TechTeach - 2012-07-10 02:07:06

Yes-he has had a recent Echocardiogram. He does have a heart valve that leaks somewhat but not a major concern according to his cardiologist. Blood pressure is historically low-has been for years. Blood test for heart failure is OK. No fluid retention in ankles. I am wondering if his rate response setting on his pacemaker needs to be adjusted.

Possible stroke?

by ElectricFrank - 2012-07-10 02:07:28

Those symptoms sound a bit like a neurological problem. Could also be a pinched nerve somewhere.

frank

Heart Problems

by SMITTY - 2012-07-10 05:07:35

Hello Tech Teach,

I'm not quite as old as your father, I'm just 83 and yes I'm being a smart a. Now seriously, I have to say first your dad may need another dr. I have traveled the road your dad is on too many times during the last 30 years and I see some similarities in our problems. So if you have time I would like to tell you my experiences and then you can decide if there is any of them that may shed some light on your dad's problems and what may help him.

In 1982 (age 53) I suddenly developed severe shortness of breath and then some chest pain. My wife happened to be the office nurse for a cardiologist and he insisted that I come in immediately. He took one look and said Boy you need a heart cath which I got the next day. With the cath one artery (LAD) was found to be about 90% blocked and some more with varying amounts of blockage. The result was quadruple bypass surgery. I couldn't believe the difference that made in my life.

About 15 years later I developed more SOB. Got another cath and this time it was another artery which the dr (different dr as my first one had retired) did a balloon job on the partially blocked artery and that worked pretty good. Things went along really good until July 2000 and the SOB cropped up again. This time we had moved to a new area and I had totally different dr. and belonged to new health care system. I was hospitalized for almost a week and had every test (I think) mankind had dreamed up at that time. When it was all done, this time I was told I needed a pacemaker because I had bradycardia, which meant my heart rate was in the 50 to 60 range all time. It had been that way for 30+ years and I didn't have a problem but at that time I accepted a dr's word to be the last word. So I got a PM. The only thing is the SOB did not improve. A couple of months later I was handed off to a new dr who said let's do another cath. The result was he found one of my bypasses partially blocked and implanted my first stent. That ended the SOB.

About 2 years later the SOB nemesis showed up again and I got another stent. About 3 years later it was the same old story. Partially blocked heart artery and another stent.

About 2 years later it was the same story, I got my 4th stent, but this time the SOB didn't go away. . Different dr and different results. This time it took some rather drastic changes in my PM settings to solve the problem.

Of course I'm not a dr, but based on my experience I will be so bold as to suggest that you talk to the dr about the possibility of the blockage being a major contributor to the cause of his SOB.

I wish your dad the best,

Smitty







Thank you Smitty!

by TechTeach - 2012-07-10 11:07:37

I managed to get my father an appointment with the Medtronic rep. at the cardiology office the pacemaker dr. works out of this morning. He tested the pacemaker and said it was working fine. He did change the response rate setting somewhat. He said he had noticed that my father is walking in a shuffling gait instead of heel to toe and is also using a walker as of this week to hopefully prevent another fall. The Medtronic rep said he may be moving too smoothly to activate the response rate and that he might feel some results immediately or it may take several days or it may not help at all. Unfortunately, as of this evening, nothing has changed-still short of breath when he walks-we will keep on hoping and praying. My father has another appointment Friday to check the incision and pacemaker function. After reading your story, maybe a stent in the partially blocked artery the cardiologist hesitated to place is in order next. The doctor hesitated because he didn't see much of a change in it over the past 5 years but maybe it was just enough change to cause him problems. I am really hoping he is doing better quickly-my entire family(including my father) is leaving Sunday for a week at the beach-I really want him to enjoy himself! Once again, thank you for your contribution! :)

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I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.