odd sensations after first pacemaker

I am new to the group and world of pacemakers and have been reading posts on here that come up when I search in google. After having relatively sudden and idiopathic complete heart block, I received a dual chamber pacemaker mid October this year. All work ups were negative for any cause for the heart block and my heart muscle and vessels are healthy. The whole thing came on quickly out of the blue over a course of 2-3 weeks escalating the last week to where I could not work and went to see the cardiologist and suddenly I am at Johns Hopkins ER with defibrillator pads on me, a heart rate of 30 and throwing arrythmias right and left. Prior to this I was the picture of perfect health with no major medical issues, and had had an extreme work up 1 & 1/2 years ago for what ended up being strange benign chest sensations.

When I got home from the hospital and the pain subsided I could feel a faint tapping or snapping sensation in my left chest (thought to be a muscle irritation from the leads). I called the cardiologist who checked me out and had the pacemaker checked early. It dissappeared after this but he said if not for the pacemaker I would still have complete heart block.

Now 3 weeks post I have started to feel more energy and able to be up all day but not work due to pacemaker post op restrictions and my specific job duties yet. I began walking hills slowly to get back in shape (not allowed to exercise vigorously yet). For the past two days I have begun to feel a small throbbing sensation in the base of my throat. It started out just briefly yesterday but today all day and now more significant since I went for a long walk. And when I exercise I feel odd too, not like I am exercising and just working harder but more a sensation in my upper chest and throat. I called the cardiologist and since this is my only symptom and my heart rate is regular and above 60 (set at 60-130 right now) he scheduled to see me in a few weeks with a electrophysicist and also the programmer again.

I really expected to be up and atom again after a week and "life as usual" with a lot of energy and able to leap small buildings. I was active prior to this and working as a physical therapist all day without issue. Now I am having these odd little sensations that make me feel like a hypochondriac and very vunerable. I don't want to call for every little thing and worry about it, but I am afraid if it IS something, and I don't act on it, I will be sorry. I feel like I can't trust my gut since I was feeling lousy when I was in first degree heart block by end of week one, but by week 2 I was feeling better with no symptoms in 3rd degree/complete heart block and had I not seen the cardiologist would have gone to work.

Soooooo my questions are:
1. if I was so healthy right before all of this, shouldn't I feel great right now 3 weeks out and high energy?

2. what is with the pulsations at rest and also the weird sensation when I exercise? My stress test the other day came out normal.

3. is it normal to be hypervigilant after this?

thanks and sorry for the long post.

6 Comments

Its not unusual

by BillMFl - 2013-11-08 08:11:22

To feel a lot of anxiety early on. I can't address your exercise symptoms, but many if not most of us can relate to how you feel right now. I don't think there is anything that can cause significant feelings of anxiety faster than problems with your heart function. Heart function is so vital to survival it just can't be ignored. If your sinus rhythm looks good then it may be some fairly simple adjustment to your pm settings to get you back to where you were. But odd sensations are very common once you have developed your kind of problem. For most of us, time and adjustments smooth things out. Be vigilant, do ask questions and push for satisfactory results, but also try to stay calm. It may take some time.

Agree it's not unusual

by Marie12 - 2013-11-08 09:11:41

to feel anxiety for some time. I also cannot answer your first two questions as my situation is totally different (have both electrical and plumbing issues). I do believe you should be vigilant about your health, perhaps just not hyper vigilant. A normal stress test is a good sign. I do think your expectations may be a little high to expect to be 100% after a week or two.

Don't worry about checking with your doctor when you are uncomfortable or concerned about something. They have many first time patients and if it is a good Doctor, they will be patient and understanding with you.

Sensations

by Marie12 - 2013-11-09 07:11:45

You have been through a procedure and it will take time for your body to ajust. I went to the hospital three days after release because of severe pain in my side and kidney area. Turned out it was because of the way I was sleeping. Did I feel stupid? Yep!! but glad I went anyway.

Are you sleeping in a different position? That could be some of the weird sensations. I also have a pain in my left breast (no where near my ICD) and no one can explain that either. Another night was spent in the hospital for a fast heart rate that ended up being nothing other than anxiety. Did I feel stupid? You bet ya I did but I would do it again. All of this was in a one month period from implant.

It's been four months since my Heart Attack and ICD implant and I still have weird sensations around the incision. Just beginning to feel normal.

This is all so new for you that if your body feels really off, you need to get answers. I start my conversation with the doctor saying I feel stupid for asking and they are usually understanding. Don't worry about crying wolf and feeling normal will take awhile.

it is a new "normal"

by cb - 2013-11-09 08:11:34

I am like you...no problems and an active life till I went to the ER with weird feeling and told I had complete heart block and needed a pacemaker. No explanation as to how that happened. If I could understand WHY it would help a lot. After all, if your heart can wear out its electrical function..really, what next? I also feel the pacing in certain positions and so sleeping on my left side is mostly out...its not painful, but being aware of being paced is just not conducive to sleep. And the cardiologist said that is normal. I cannot, 9 months after PM, do some things I could do prior and I guess that is normal also...like walking up the hill on my street without panting for breath...and carrying things upstairs is also a breathless task. I was told I am getting older (I am 51) and should not expect to be able to do all the things I used to.....
I also had a "normal" stress test...but I do not feel "normal"...I envy those who say they do...

Can you post some of the odd sensations you all felt afterwards?

by jaybird - 2013-11-09 12:11:14

Thanks so much for the feedback and support. Could you describe some of the odd sensations afterwards? Sometimes they are so ambiguous like a heavy blanket on the back of my shoulders, odd awareness of upper body parts, twinges or pangs in my left chest, tingling like nerve irritation across my back shoulders and neck and they mimic subtle effects I felt prior. I have been tested for everything cardiac under the sun and everything comes back negative so I feel like I am crying wolf to say anything or complain but I expected to feel completely normal afterwards. How long does it take to "settle?

re: it is a new "normal"/ sensations

by jaybird - 2013-11-10 08:11:00

CD your post is very disappointing to read particularly since I was told that (since this was the only issue) I should be back to my OLD normal. Like you it came out of the blue and I fully expect a FULL recovery without weird sensations and /or new ones. As a Physical Therapist I would argue walking up the hill on your street or carrying things upstairs for a prior active person even at 51 (I am 55) should cause shortness of breath or difficulty after full recovery. That is not normal.

My sensations are not isolated to the pacemaker insertion area which is why they concern me. They occur at rest sitting and vacillate from my left jaw, neck and shoulder, to the back of both my shoulders and upper chest. Definitely ignorable if I need to but not normal.

I greatly appreciate all the feedback and personal comments!!



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