Short of breath with exercise

One year after my pm implant, I'm still experiencing shortness of breath and sometimes pain in the middle of my chest with exercise - just walking for exercise or climbing stairs.
I've had my pm checked many times - more than is usual and they keep telling me it is fine. I have to go 400 miles round trip to see the dr., so I can't see anyone whenever this occurs, so I mostly just don't exercise. I have recently had other tests to be sure there are no other problems.
Any wisdom out there for me?
I've heard of having the heart rate raised to help with exercise, but don't know how that would help, since the pm only sets the lowest rate.

5 Comments

rates

by Tracey_E - 2014-06-05 01:06:40

If you run up the stairs, do you get higher than 60? Because you should get considerably higher, if it stays the same or only goes up a little then it makes sense you'd be sob. Rate response can take care of that by sensing when you are active and raising your rate for you.

Nuclear stress test shows how the heart beats when it goes faster, that's not the same information they get from having you run on a treadmill while they watch on the pm computer and ekg. That will show if you can get your rate up on your own or not. In my case, I could get it up normally but every once in a while it would take a nosedive for a few seconds, so that's what was causing my problems working out. They programmed it so that can't happen again, and

tests

by Tracey_E - 2014-06-05 10:06:15

Among the tests you've had, have you had a stress test while they had you on the pm computer? That can show exactly what's happening when you exert.

Why do you have the pm? Your profile says bradycardia, which is a slow hr. Do you know what caused the slow rate? The pm works several different ways. It can make sure you never get below your minimum rate, but it can also make sure your rate goes up appropriately on exertion, and it can make sure that once your rate up that it stays up.

Exercise & tests

by tigerlily - 2014-06-05 12:06:39

I had an echo-cardiogram and a nuclear stress test in April. Both were normal, in fact, "excellent."
The answer as to what caused the brady is the usual, "as we grow older.....". I was standing in my kitchen on Dec. 18, 2013, when I felt as if I had been hit in the middle of my chest and my forehead at the same time. I reeled...made it to the phone... and got to the ER. My h.r. was dropping into the 50s, 40s and sometimes below 40.
You can see in my other post that my pm only regulates the minimum h.r. That's why it seems strange that exercise (raising the rate) causes issues. I could have my pacer set up from 60 to 70, but I had that for a year and it seemed fast. Sixty had always been normal for me.

Add to Tracey

by KAG - 2014-06-06 12:06:33

Has your Dr ever said you have problems with your sinus node? That's your natural pacemaker. It regulates your HR. If you have problems with your sinus node then RR should be turned On. I'm not sure on your model if it has more than an accelerometer to sense if you need a higher HR.

If your sinus node is OK and you only have AV block then the key setting is your upper track rate. Sometimes they set this to low and it needs to be raised. I had this happen. My upper rate was 140 and when my HR hit that the PM did what it was suppose to do and cut my HR in half. Instant SOB. They raised my upper to 160 and I've been fine since.

Depending on your condition your PM can do much more than just keeping your HR from falling below the lower rate setting.

I'd see if you can get a copy of your PM's interrogation report. Maybe mailed to you? It has all your settings on it. You can get help here with any questions you might have. We may be able to give more suggestions.

Kathy

Meds???

by len613 - 2014-06-09 05:06:13

You have not mentioned meds. Beta blockers often, prescribed, slow the heart rate. That results in shortness of breath at lower intensity. Switching to an angiotensin would improve the shortness but might not be indicated for your condition.

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

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