Could there be a setting problem?

• by AyJay
• 2013-08-07 10:08:30
• Checkups & Settings
• 1348 views
• 9 comments

Hi,
I had PM inplant in 2010. Specifically I was chronically tired and a halter monitor showed that my pulse rate went down to 39 during the night. Sometimes.
So it was decided that a PM would help, It was set at 60bpm, Every 6 months I had to go in and have it read. It showed that sometimes, for only a few seconds at a time, my heart would race. But I don't remember feeling any of this however. Starting in early 2012 or thereabouts,I was getting pretty breathless doing almost nothing. My PM was adjusted to 70bpm. Still feeling ill. No energy, tired. Then chest pressure so bad, I went to the E.R. I was told an angiogram would have to be performed and it seems I was having a mild heart attack and my LAD artery was stented, I was put on Plavix/Aspirin. And have to take that for a year. Which is pretty bad, because I'm already on Coumadin due to a stroke 13 years ago. Consequently, I start bleeding at the slightest touch. I have bruises everywhere, But I digress.
Still not feeling well and unable to walk more than 25 paces before having to stop, my Cardiologist had me do a treadmill test. I laughed at him and said well this should take all of 15 seconds. And I was right. I was wired up to about a dozen or more leads. But 10 seconds into walking my heart zig-zagged in huge mountains and valleys that they had to stop the test. Dr. said he thought I was a good candidate for ablation. So a date was set up. And a catheter inserted, But of course my heart would not cooperate while I'm laying still. He tried to get my heart to race, even using drugs, but it would not cooperate. After 3-4 hours of this, he gave up and said he'd have to use drugs. So I was put on Sotalol. This was last March 2013. Ever since, I have felt much worse. I went back to him. He reduced by half my prescription of Toprol. And told me to come back in two weeks. He was then on vacation for a month. But I started up the Toprol again after 2 weeks per his instruction....BUT I stopped (on my own) taking the Sotalol. I am just as bad as I ever was. I cannot walk 25 paces without stopping. I just cant get my breath. My heart pounds in my chest BUT my BP is normal and no matter how I feel like my heart is pounding, my pulse just NEVER goes over 70bpm.
My active lifestyle has come to a screaming halt. I can barely walk to the bedroom. When I'm sitting, sleeping, laying down, watching TV, on the computer etc I feel great. But walking, cleaning, ironing, cooking?? Forget it. I just want to know what's going on. And doing nothing is sure to bring its own complications. Anyone have any suggestions?? Is it a faulty PM?? Could it be??