am I crazy?

So for the last past few years I tend to feel this strange yet not life threatening sensation in my chest. I know sounds weird but it's true. It happens when ever it wants it's like a heavy fast beat. Like a drum pounding in my chest. I'm starting to feel it more than usual but my pacemaker never reads it. So I have been thinking about asking my cardiologist for a heart monitor at home, just to be sure and get a 2nd opinion or am I crazy? Would my pacemaker read the fast beats? Anyone experience this? Please help I have no one else to ask or understand I'm 25 and had device for 10 years so I get scared alot.

3 Comments

Crazy? Hard to tell...

by Gotrhythm - 2014-08-09 05:08:14

What you're feeling comes under "palpitations," a very, very general term. It means feeling the heart do funny, odd, weird, different-from-usual beats.

Some people are very sensitive to changes in their heart’s rhythm. Some aren’t. Being able to feel them doesn’t mean you have a problem. Even completely sane people who don’t have heart conditions at all sometimes feel them. And of course, sane people with heart conditions also occasionally feel them. I guess crazy people, with or without heart conditions, feel them too.

Reading between the lines, I gather that what bothers you about the sensations you are having is not that they are terrible. You call them “not life-threatening.” What troubles you is that you don’t know if they are a symptom you should pay attention to. I can’t answer that. That’s a question for your cardiologist.

I can tell you that by and large, the occasional irregular heartbeat is considered normal and harmless.

You also have some concern because the odd feeling seems more frequent. Instead of asking a pacemaker tech to verify a feeling (something they can’t do) you might try asking, “Am I having more irregular beats lately, or fewer?” Again, the answer will be something to talk over with the doc.

But what I really want to respond to in your post is your last sentence. "Please help I have no one else to ask or understand I'm 25 and had device for 10 years so I get scared a lot."

It’s like you think having a pacemaker and being scared automatically go together. Like people with pacemakers are just naturally afraid all the time.

NOT TRUE! It’s possible, even for people with PMs, to do a whole lot better than to run scared for the rest of your life! Many people are anxious at first, but most soon realize they are a lot better off with a PM than without one. Having a PM does not ruin your life, it offers a new beginning. A chance to live a happier, more normal, and probably much longer life than you would have without it.

A pacemaker doesn’t not determine your life. Your attitude does that. Now that you have a PM to help you, make up your mind to start LIVING and living well.

You are not alone. Please come back. Ask questions, the more specific the better. Read every post whether you think it applies to you or not. You never know where it will lead you. Talk about your feelings. Someone will understand.

Same as above Punctuation corrected

by Gotrhythm - 2014-08-09 05:08:30

I forgot posts composed in MS Word are not totally compatible.What you're feeling comes under "palpitations," a very, very general term. It means feeling the heart do funny, odd, weird, different-from-usual beats.

Some people are very sensitive to changes in their heart'™s rhythm. Some aren't. Being able to feel them doesn't mean you have a problem. Even completely sane people who don't have heart conditions at all sometimes feel them. And of course, sane people with heart conditions also occasionally feel them. I guess crazy people, with or without heart conditions, feel them too.

Reading between the lines, I gather that what bothers you about the sensations you are having is not that they are terrible. You call them "not life threatening." What troubles you is that you don't know if they are a symptom you should pay attention to. I can't answer that.That's a question for your cardiologist.

I can tell you that by and large, the occasional irregular heartbeat is considered normal and harmless.

You also have some concern because the odd feeling seems more frequent. Instead of asking a pacemaker tech to verify a feeling (something they can't do) you might try asking, "Am I having more irregular beats lately, or fewer?" Again, the answer will be something to talk over with the doc.

But what I really want to respond to in your post is your last sentence. "Please help I have no one else to ask or understand I'm 25 and had device for 10 years so I get scared a lot."

I's like you think having a pacemaker and being scared automatically go together. Like people with pacemakers are just naturally afraid all the time.

NOT TRUE! It's possible, even for people with PMs, to do a whole lot better than to run scared for the rest of your life! Many people are anxious at first, but most soon realize they are a lot better off with a PM than without one. Having a PM does not ruin your life, it offers a new beginning. A chance to live a happier, more normal, and probably much longer life than you would have without it.

A pacemaker doesn't not determine your life. Your attitude does that. Now that you have a PM to help you, make up your mind to start LIVING and living well.

You are not alone. Please come back. Ask questions, the more specific the better. Read every post whether you think it applies to you or not. You never know where it will lead you. Talk about your feelings. Someone will understand.

uneasy feeling

by skaggsoak - 2014-08-11 01:08:16

I too having a pacemaker was having heart pounding feelings inside especially yi lay down to go to sleep. Kept complaining to my dr about them and they would say nothing showing up. This was happening every day. Finally went to dr and he pulled up diagnostic of a certain time I told him and sure enough there it was left side basically not beating the same as right side pacemaker wired into. Usually an ablation can help this but they told me it would not in my case. There are also meds that could help but I tried all and no luck. Last week aug 7 I had an av node ablation and a crt device implant and since I have been as smooth as silk inside. This was a drastic step but was my only choice left. Good luck I know what your experiencing.

You know you're wired when...

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.