Fingers crossed.

I am finding out how difficult 2nd degree heart block is to manage. I think I have tried out every setting my pacemaker has to offer. After 5 setting changes over 6 weeks I decided yesterday to go back to the setting that paced me the lowest percentage of time because not one setting made me feel better than any of the others. I also convinced my cardiologist to let me try a different beta blocker, atenolol instead of lopressor. So far today I'm feeling suprisingly good...I'm actually a little concerned because I do feel so good. I have been without palpitations and a HR in the 80's since about noon today. I can't remember the last time I went this long feeling this good...now I'm going to jinx myself. Keeping my fingers crossed.

4 Comments

Know feeling...

by gil - 2013-09-06 03:09:01

I'm glad you are feeling better!! I worry about "jinx" every time I'm feeling good as well. Scared it won't last. But like you, I'm keeping my fingers crossed as well.

keep wispering...

by rnff2 - 2013-09-06 07:09:13

Thanks for all of your crossed fingers...I'm still feeling good today!

soccermom - I hope you got some good news and answers today. I have the same problem with my heart rate...hence the BB.

TraceyE - I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic stenosis, had my mitral valve repaired, a sub aortic membrane removed and a myectomy and have been on a BB for years. But all that isn't really causing the PM issue. The problem is I go in and out of the HB and when I'm in 2nd degree block my atrial rate is 100+ with my ventricular rate 50+, 2:1 block. The more active I am the worse the HB kicks in and of course the HR increases even more. So when I pace my ventricles I have a HR of 100+. When this happens I get very symptomatic, causing palpitations and shortness of breath and I feel the ventricular pacing. So we have been trying to slow my atrial rate with the BB, Lopressor hasn't worked so we switched to Atenolol. We have tried AAI-DDD mode, DDD mode and DDI mode to see how symptomatic I get. We have lengthened the time given to the PM to for the ventricle to beat in an attempt to decrease the pacing. Also ventricular pacing alone long term can lead to complications of a-fib and heart failure, so we want to limit it as much as possible.
Hope that explains why it been so complicated for me. I have had my PM for a little over 3 months and it has been a daily struggle coping with the symptoms.

Still keeping my fingers crossed, still feel good today...not going to jinx it!

sssssh!

by Tracey_E - 2013-09-06 11:09:48

*whispering* Be very very quiet so you don't jinx it!

But really, you should be feeling good! That's normal and if all you have is 2nd degree block, it's to be expected.

Why are you on the beta blocker? You shouldn't need it with only 2nd degree block.

Block is a very easy fix with the pm, if that's all that is going on your settings shouldn't be complicated. You shouldn't be pacing atrial at all. When the atria beats, the pm should kick in with a ventricular beat if your heart doesn't do it on its own first. There isn't really much to mess with other than how long the pm gives the ventricle to beat before it kicks in. What have they been adjusting??

yeah!

by soccermom - 2013-09-06 12:09:48

Glad to hear that you are feeling better. this whole thing is frustrating to me. I just had my PM placed in mid-May this year. 2:1 AV block here myself

think I will find out tomorrow if I need meds because the resting HR is running too high.

My EF dropped 3 mo after the PM was placed so I am hoping for some answers tomorrow at cardio appt.

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