fluttering in chest after Pacemaker implantation


Hello Fellow Bionics,

I had a Pe.acemaker implanted in late April and I am told it is working well.I am not so sure.

I have experienced one ot two episodes of dizziness which come and go.Last week the technician decided to elevate my base heartrate from 60 to 70--explaining that it was probably due to my heartrate dropping too quickly when my sinus node misbehaves.So my Heartrate falling from ,say 90 to 60 very rapidly causes my BP to fall and hence the dizziness.OK.So far so good.

However,now I get unexplained ''flutterings'' for no apparent reason even when in repose.It is very worrying as I now wonder whether I have more complications.I don't recall these feelings pre-pacemaker implantation.

Any suggestions??

4 Comments

Flutterings

by panamabob - 2013-06-23 01:06:12


Thanks Alma and Grateful.

The dizziness has not recurred since the base rate was elevated.So that particular situation may have been resolved.I hope so.

As for the 'flutterings' maybe I am just looking for them.We all know how we feel shortly after implantation:The wondering what is going on inside of us and coming to terms with imagining those leads being inside our heart.Actually,I had no awareness of an upper limit.Can you explain more,Grateful?

The flutterings seem to emanate from a pointj ust below the base of the ribs on the left hand side.What EXACTLY are they?

Alma,I guess you are correct in surmising that we perhaps expect too much from our PM.Having a High Tech device helping us stay alive ,can I suppose,never perfectly mimic the real thing.

What a great site this is!! Those with expertise who write so quickly and so insightfully about our issues do a fantastic job.

Thanks again.


Bob

flutterings

by Alma Annie - 2013-06-23 01:06:50

I can't comment on dizziness, although I do suffer with it sometimes but not pm related. As for the flutterings, yes I have had them ever since pm 2 years ago. Cardio/EP says nothing to worry about. I don't now, although I did in the beginning. In my humble opinion I think it is because a lump of computer inside me is not quite the same as a natural pacemaker, but I don't mind as the pm is keeping me alive and I am grateful for it.
If you check out ok, then it is nothing to fret over, but just something to get used to. However make sure you have everything checked.
Alma Annie.

PM Settings

by Grateful Heart - 2013-06-23 12:06:10

Bob......It often takes a few adjustments to get the PM settings right. Did the dizziness subside after raising the base rate or do you still have it?

Is your Rate Response setting turned ON, if I remember correctly, you have SSS. What is the upper limit for your Rate Response setting? It should be set much higher than 90 but when you pass the upper limit your HR will cut in half suddenly, like "hitting the wall" .....not a good feeling.

As for the flutterings, for some of us, after we have a device implanted we become more aware of our heart beat, especially at rest when it is quiet.

When in doubt, speak to your Cardio and see if some adjustments may help.

Grateful Heart

Upper Limit

by Grateful Heart - 2013-06-24 01:06:41

Bob, I would ask for a copy of your printout the next time you get your device interrogated. There is a great amount of information on the printouts regarding your settings….lower limit, upper limit, rate response settings…… settings within the settings and so much more. If you are unable to decipher the report, post it on this site and the members will explain it to you. There is a post half way down the page here titled: "Maybe Don can explain this". Take a look and that will show you what the printout will look like and Donr's explanation is 2nd to none.

The PM/ ICD's come out of the box with factory settings, usually 60/120 or 70/120 (the lower limit and upper limit) and need to be reprogrammed for each individual. If you are active, the pacer settings are not usually adequate for you. If the Rate Response is turned on and you surpass the upper limit, the pacer keeps the upper limit in check by skipping beats and cutting your HR basically in half....not a good feeling when your body needs more blood during exertion.

My settings were originally 60/120 and eventually increased to 70/130 and are currently set at 70/150.
I actually need it increased again because I find I am going over 150 now when I exercise. When that happens, it puts your heart into a 2:1 block. So if I hit 160 it falls to about 80 when I am exercising making me "hit the wall".

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