So many questions

Hi everyone,
I am an 83 year old woman who had a PM implant five weeks ago. Seven years ago I had mitral valve replacement, tricuspid valve repair amd maze procedure. All of this should make me feel my heart is in great shape with all those aids. I am trying to understand what the PM can do. It will raise my HR if it goes below fifty, it will speed up the heart with activity with RR program (slow HR with exertion had been a problem). Does it aid with the occasional Afib? Last night I had palpitations all night long. These thumps were almost always followed by release of gas. Has anyone else experienced that. And would those episodes show up on an interrogation report. If I knew that when these occur that they are not heart related but maybe digestive tract related, it would bring peace of mind. My interrogation is not until end of Feb.
This club is so much better than just posting symptoms on Google. It is like the difference between a doctor who cares and a doctor who is more concerned with monies and tests. Thank you for any help you can give.

3 Comments

A-fib and a PM

by Roys - 2013-01-17 05:01:33

Hi
Yes a PM that has the Overdrive Pacing System to manage early recurrence of AF has a 30% chance of stopping AF.
Also magnesium supplements can help stop AF too. It has been a big help with my AF.
Cheers Roy

Thumping

by agelbert - 2013-01-17 09:01:22

The thumping sensation is caused by an enzyme that makes the ventricles squeeze harder so more blood can reach the body extremities. This can be caused by the fight or flight brain response to a perceived (real or imagined doesn't matter - the pituitary gland fires off a pack of chemicals that starts a panic attack sometimes). If you experienced panic or unreasonable fear and a desire to empty your bladder along with the gas, you were experiencing a panic attack. The pacemaker does not "thump" your heart; an enzyme does that. I believe it's called vasopressin but I'm not certain. At any rate, please inform your doctor of any feelings of anxiety because medication is available to prevent the thumping. Benzodiazepines are quite effective in this area. I am speaking from personal experience and under a doctor's prescription which eliminated my heart thumping caused by panic attacks. It's a biochemical phenomenum; it's not about being strong or weak so be sure to get help.
God Bless you.
I hope this helps.

One more thing

by agelbert - 2013-01-17 09:01:24

I left out the word "threat" from the sentence about the brain experiencing a perceived threat and reacting by sending chemicals to the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland. They in turn send enzymes to the heart to make it beat faster and squeeze harder, along with a series of other effects on your body preparing you for fight or flight. Sometimes a vagal nerve can act up and signal your brain that there is a "threat". You may not be conscious of any threat but, thanks to the pituitary, you begin to feel panic, thumping, rapid heart beat and all the rest. Just as an unwanted change in vagal tone can cause bradycardia (my condition), it can precipitate thumping.

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