Missed beats

Hi I have recently had a pacemaker fitted and keep feeling missed beats. They say that it is normal but it still stresses me out. I also have a nagging pain in the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. Is this normal

6 Comments

I hate those missed beats

by Duke999 - 2014-01-24 04:01:10

Those missed beats you're talking about occasionally lead to an arrythmia or Afib episodes for me. I'm scared of those and they stressed me out too. I hate them. And yes, I've been told on this forum over and over again that they are harmless, but I'm not sure about that. The missed beats I can handle, but the subsequent arrythmia episodes is what I'm concerned about. They start to play tricks to your mind. I have no solution to tell you, except that you have to beat it with your mind and hope that they don't lead to an episode of some kinds. It's a mental game. As a matter of fact, living with the PM in you is a mental game.
Regarding the pain between your shoulder blades, I don't think that's PM related and like TraceyE said, it's not normal. I wish you well.

Normal beats

by Jakle - 2014-01-24 04:01:11

I've been having these too lately. I was worried that the pm had gone wrong so got checked out on the diagnostic machine. Turns out they are not missed beats but the odd occasion when my heart beats weakly by itself - the pm doesn't interfere then picks up again next beat. All perfectly normal and harmless as I've been reassured.

Back pain

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-24 07:01:03

After the PM insertion I had pain going up into my jaw on the PM side. I also had pain in my back almost directly behind the PM.

I attributed the pain in my jaw as pain from the leads going into the vein under the collar bone. As I was able to do cardiac rehab, that pain gradually went away.

Pain in my back behind the PM I attributed to sympathetic pain from the PM pocket.

Talked with my cardiologist and got a prescription for a licensed massage therapist. (Notice: Licensed massage therapy. In Ohio they have to be licensed to do therapy ) The prescription protects the therapist in case something went wrong.

Anyway the licensed massage therapist never went near any potential problem areas while finding a lot of sore spots. She worked on the sore spots. Within two therapy sessions (4 weeks apart) all of the back pain went away.

Maybe it won't work for you, but it's an option to consider.

Theknotguy

Ah, Mind Games...

by donr - 2014-01-24 08:01:40

...or a variation thereon - "a game is a terrible thing to mind."

It Ain't Easy to game your subconscious mind. Both Duke & Sparrow just confirmed that. I'll tell you from an experience a long time ago in a Galaxy Far, Far away that they are correct.

It is the subconscious mind that works on you with these sorts of issues. Consciously & rationally you believe that the PVC's are not going to kill you. But try to get that through the thick hide & skull of your subconscious. It's like trying to put your thumb on a blob of Mercury - just cannot be done. But, unless you try, you will be living at the end of a horse whip, flashed back & forth, jerked around & forever changing directions.

I'll admit, I've been fighting w/ mine for nigh onto 36 yrs now & it still is not subjugated. Mine all started w/ a single PVC at 9:20 PM, 15 March 1977. Guess it must have been dramatic, wouldn't you say? I thought my heart had stopped & was going to die right there on the spot.

Several hours later, about 2 AM, the nightmare started - disturbed sleep, hypothermia, anxiety, etc. That one was a lot easier to cope with than my increased rate of PVC's about 4-5 yrs ago. Just this past weekend I had an episode that I suspect was about 5-6 PVC's in sequence. Once again UI felt like my heart was stopping, but now for a longer period. I sat there as my subconscious mind wreaked a terrible vengeance on me, all the while I kept telling myself that my heart could NOT stop - my PM would not let it & my PM was invincible & reliable & would last forever. But that nagging, unkillable little subconscious would NOT give in, Not til the event was over, when it slunk back into its little cave, sticking it's tongue out at my conscious mind & making raspberries all the while.

Duke, I'll betcha a big bundle of virtual dollar bills that the cause of the arrhythmias that follow your PVC's are a result of Stress & anxiety, all caused by the effect on your subconscious mind by the PVC's.

Let me give you a suggestion for bringing this mess under some level of control. It's called learning to relax - essentially it's self hypnosis.

Go lie on a bed on your back in a quiet room. Put a pillow beneath your knees so they are truly relaxed & comfortable. Head on a low pillow to ease muscular tension in neck. Hands at your sides in whatever position they feel comfortable. Do this AFTER sensing a PVC that disturbs you. Shoes off, belt loose.

Close your eyes & engage your mind by slowly working from the tip of your toes toward your head. Very slowly as you scan upward, examine each limb & each muscle to determine if it is relaxed - if not, relax it! Toes, feet, calves, knees, thighs, stomach muscles, fingers, hands, lower arm, upper arm, chest, neck, head, etc.

All the while you are doing this, you absolutely control your breathing. Start counting to at a 1 second pace; inhale from 1-4; hold your breath 5-8; exhale 9-12; hold your exhaled condition 13-16. Start over. do this to the exclusion of everything else. Plan on staying exactly 20 minutes.

What this does is relax the body, bore the crap out of your conscious mind to the point it gives up & turns itself off, leaving you in a hypnotic, relaxed state.

Try it - it just might help you w/ the anxiety you suffer after PVC's.

Southy, this will work for you - or anyone else. But you have to be dedicated - takes a wile to become effective.

BTW - that pain in the back - are you sure that you don't have a friend who just sneaked up on you & stabbed you in the back? (Sorry, couldn't resist - the Devil made me do it)

Don

Don

beats

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-24 12:01:13

If you are paced, you are not missing beats. We can get PAC (premature atrial contractions) and PVC's (premature ventricular contractions). Both are little half beats between the strong beat. They don't feel good but they are harmless and very common.

Pain in the back is not normal. When in doubt, get it checked out.

Thanks Don

by Duke999 - 2014-01-25 02:01:32

I will try your suggestion.

Duke

You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

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