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I just got a pm on an emergency situation. Wed. Dec. 18th, we can I exercise for the first time in a long time I actually feel like it. Before I was glum and lethargic without knowing why. Is there anything I should particularly be concerned about? Anything?? Are the beta blockers that necessary?

6 Comments

Diagnosis

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-02 09:01:26

What was your diagnosis? If you just had a slow heart, beta blockers should not be necessary.

Be careful not to raise the left arm (assuming it's implanted on the left) higher than shoulder level and not to lift anything heavy for the first 6 weeks. Other than that, move the arm normally so your shoulder does not freeze. Assuming you are otherwise healthy, you can start light aerobic activity as soon as you feel up to it. After you heal, pretty much anything goes.

Glad to hear you are already feeling better! It's amazing what a little oxygen can do for us. May you continue to improve.

Also see

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-02 10:01:15

Yeah, I got my PM in an emergency situation too. Woke up in the hospital with everyone saying, "Surprise!" What a wake up call.

Based upon comments on this forum, beta blockers may cause depression. So you might want to be on the lookout for that.

I would also suggest talking with a psychologist. You were forced into getting a PM, they probably won't take it out, and you have to live with the situation. So before you start swinging from the chandelier and screaming like an ape, get some mental help. I read somewhere where about 80% of people with PM's get depression. I don't know if that is true or not, but it's best to take the help if you can get it. If you can't get to a psychologist, work with any other social worker you can find. Stay on this forum, you'll get a lot of tough love. And, my favorite, see if you can find therapy dogs. You can't beat a cold nose and a warm heart.

Don't be surprised if you do exhibit some symptoms of mental adjustment or depression. (I would start crying for no reason.) It's all part of the mental adjustment.

Angry Sparrow will tell you to keep hydrated - I'll tell you the same. For some reason I need more liquids post PM. Don't know why but water helps.

You can be angry and upset about the situation in your life that forced you to have the PM. I'm still upset my grandparents swam in the gene sewer. You can be as upset about that situation as you'd like. Learn to separate dissatisfaction from being unhappy.

However you should come to feel better about having a PM. It's an amazing piece of machinery that makes your life so much better. While I haven't gone so far as to name my PM, (Medtronics is close enough.) I do think of it rather fondly, especially when I see the regular heartbeat spikes on my monitor during exercise.

Oh, and don't turn down therapy if you can get it.

Hang in there. Life gets better!

Theknotguy

Tachy Brady?

by ebfox - 2014-01-02 10:01:51

Tracey asks the important question; from your description it sounds like you have Sick Sinus Syndrome or tachy brady. With TB the heart sometimes goes too fast, sometimes goes too slow. The beta blockers keep it from going too fast, and the pacemaker keeps it from going too slow. The important question is, how do you feel? Some people tolerate beta blockers with no problems, others have side effects such as fatigue. It sounds like you feel better now that you did before-

E. B.

You gotta love the dogs

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-02 11:01:00

I was on a hike with my son's dogs when I collapsed. The dogs stayed with me until taken away by the park ranger. Then they gobbled all the treats the maintenance guys would give them. (Never ones to pass up an opportunity for treats.)

Dakota, the larger female, wouldn't wag her tail when my son and his wife got home after my collapse. Something had happened to grandpa and in her mind it was her fault. The next day she crawled up on the couch with my son and kept putting her front paws on his arm. First one and then the other. Her way of trying to tell my son something was wrong. There wasn't any way we could tell her I was already getting the best treatment possible. Bailey, the smaller male, didn't seem to be as affected although he did seem to be more quiet and less playful.

My first question when waking up after being in a medically induced coma for six days was, "Did I have a stroke?" The second was, "Where are the dogs." I credit the memory of seeing them at the end of their leashes looking bewildered as one of the main reasons I came back to life.

My wife went over to visit my son while I was still in the hospital. Dakota was all happy, happy until I didn't follow my wife in the door. Dakota went over to the door, sat down, and stared at the door waiting for me to come in. When the door was opened she went out to the car and sniffed all around it looking for me. Something was still obviously wrong in her mind.

The first meeting with the dogs post trauma and post PM was good for both of us. Bailey sits on you - it's his way of trying to make you feel better. Both insisted on taking a nap while laying on top of me. Nothing was going to happen and I wasn't going to get away. Dakota finally let out a big sigh and everything has been fine since.

Whenever I see the dogs I have less pain and I get a good nights sleep. The heart seems to beat better too. You can't beat a cold nose and a warm heart!

Theknotguy

thank you all

by jenks58 - 2014-01-02 11:01:01

I do feel much better than ever. I had been constantly anxious for years (not knowing why, and berating myself for imagined fears). Then a newer symptom showed only I didn't know it was a symptom. I was getting horrible a.m. leg cramps (and often overslept from just to dang tired). I'm good about drinking water, always have been. Thanks for the mental adjustment comments. I flip flop, from I feel great, to OMG I have a PM. Mine was emergency, I had passed out in the bathroom and crawled to my cellphone, hubby was out of the state. As for animal therapy, I got that 4 dogs and 3 cats. My male has been very very protective! :)

BetaBlockers, exercise

by TJ319 - 2014-01-05 09:01:53

I'm about a month ahead of your scenario. Got my PM in mid November due to slow and irregular heartbeat. After a few weeks I felt anxious and my heart rate would stay elevated at 100+ for 24 hours or more. My doctor brought me in and had the St. Jude tech monitor me for a half hour. He then decided to add 50 mg Metoprolol each morning to prevent the racing heart beat. I was not looking forward to taking medication, but it has worked out very well (three weeks on the med). I have no side effects, no racing and have been back to running at 4 weeks post procedure and started swimming again at a little over 6 weeks.

Best of luck

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Member Quotes

I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.