Tiredness

Hi all, I wondered if anyone could shed light on their experiences of recovery post-operation. I had my Pacemaker fitted on 21st January 2013 following extreme dizzy spells starting last September. A 24-hour ECG showed my heartrate overnight was in the 20s with pauses. I was diagnosed with 2nd degree AV block. As a 56 year old, long-time runner (24 years so far) I am fit, so the Pacemaker has minimum settings of 40 bpm overnight and 50 bpm during the day. Four weeks on from the operation I am still getting very tired and suffering a kind of muzzy headed feeling. Is it unusual at this stage to be still feeling like this? I have had the Pacemaker checked and that is working OK also had an ECG which was OK too. Thanks Dave

4 Comments

Meds?

by Matabar - 2013-02-16 03:02:47

Hi Dave,
Ii was diagnosed with second degree heart block last year and got my PM in July of 2012. I have been athletic all my life as well and have low minimum settings.
I experienced a lot of the tiredness and muzzy headedness that you're having. I was put on Coreg (carvedilol) and it turns out to have been the culprit. My dosage was lowered and lowered and finally I had to go off of it entirely.
I don't know if you're on any meds but, if so, they may be contributing to this problem you're having.
Other than that I would say that the sooner you start training again, the better you'll feel. I remember wondering if I'd ever feel like myself again.
Hang in there.... be patient with yourself.....you'll be back!
Carol

Pacemaker working okay

by judy13 - 2013-02-16 06:02:19

You have to watch it when doctors say something like your pacemaker is fine. As a black box it might not be doing anything wrong, and is working properly. However, it might not be working right FOR you.

Judy

New PM

by SMITTY - 2013-02-16 11:02:34

Hello Dave,

I'm sorry to see your PM is not living up to expectations.

Your question of "Is it unusual at this stage to be still feeling like this?" is hard to answer as after 4+ weeks you should be seeing only good results from a PM if (two things) the setting are what you need, or worst of all was a PM really needed to solve your problem?

I'll repeat what Judy said about the black box may be working properly but not doing what you need. More people are told "your pacemaker is working fine" which is true in one respect but a big lie in another. Our PM could be programmed to cause our heart to run backward (that's just a figure of speech folks) yet when they do a checkup the nurse/ technician sees that is the way it is programmed and it is doing as it is supposed to and you will hear "the PM is working fine".

For a good checkup we need to have the dr that selected the settings for our PM present and a nurse/technician present for the checkup. The only exception I have found to this rule is to have a rep. from the PM maker present.

As for what is happening to you, I will say is because the Dr is coming up short. What you think they PM should be doing may be exactly right for you, but unless you have someone capable of programming that PM to do those things--- well you see the results. May I suggest that you put in writing, as you have done here, you problems and have a conversation with your dr. And don't accept anything like it takes time for your heart and the PM to become friends or any other such bull. The result of a properly adjusted PM will be known within 24 hrs. (or less)

Last but not least. A PM has only one job. That is to increase your heart rate. It does this by monitoring your heart function and when your heart's natural PM fails to send an impulse or sends one too weak to make your heart beat the PM will send what is necessary to keep your heart rate at or above its low setting. If this does not solve your problem then some setting need o be tweaked or even changed.

Good luck,

Smitty


Thanks to you all

by Brain-watsit Dave - 2013-02-17 03:02:09

Hi Carol, thank you for advice I am not on meds though my symptoms are the same as your's were. After a testing 5 mile walk on a muddy bridleway today I am planning to start running at the end of this month. I hope you continue to enjoy your training and sports.

Judy and Smitty I am certainly thinking along the lines you suggest that the settings may not be right me. I am wondering if the day setting should be adjusted slightly upwards.

Thank you all for making the time and effort to comment, it is much appreciated.

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