pacemaker/medication concerns

• by kye9302
• 2013-07-17 07:07:43
• General Posting
• 1089 views
• 1 comments

I have had my pacemaker for a year due to brachycardia. It is set at 70-non dependent. When my blood pressure finally leveled out it would be around 117/70. A few weeks I went to a doc in the box with a UTI and mycoplasma. The prednisone made my bp really high but I rested and kept checking my blood pressure which did come down. During this visit the nurses pointed out that I had pitting edema in my legs. When I followed up with my pcp, I still had edema so he prescribed a bp/hctz which dropped my pressure too low. Then he prescribed atenolol, blood pressure medication with a diuretic. I don't have the bottle with me but it is the lowest dose and I take 1/2 of one in the morning. I understand that the bp part is to dilate the vessels to help circulation,lower heart rate and diuretic to help with fluid. So once again my bp bottoms out and now the edema is in my face, especially my eyelids, which really bothers me, arms, fingers, legs and feet. During a recent trip to the er, all the blood work was normal, heart monitor, chest xray, blood gases all normal. All the test from my PCP was normal including thyroid and urinalysis. I've taken the meds for about 5 weeks trying to do my part but I cannot continue to take it. I also feel like my body is fighting, medication vs pacemaker. I feel exhausted and don't want to drive with my bp dropping. Just curious what others think.