QUESTIONS and GUIDENCE ON ST. JUDE PACEMAKER

I had my St. Jude Pacemaker put in on 10/22/2013. I had heartburn symptoms, dizzyness and that was it--taken to the ER and diagnosed with 3rd degree heart block and had the pacemaker put in.

I am still experiencing fogginess and lack of focus--Does anyone know what this pacemaker should be set at or could be set at to relieve these feelings?

At my last pacemaker check they told me it was set at 50 beats per minute and it would not go lower(when I was rushed to the ER I was 28-30 beats per minute). He also mentioned about my blood volume and turned that up to 200 (not sure what this means either). He also said I am using the pacemaker 100%. What else can I do to feel more like myself again? Can the pacemaker be turned up. I am 43 yrs old and in perfect health otherwise. I take advil as needed and I am not on any other meds.

Does anyone have any answers for me?

1 Comments

pacing

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-26 08:01:55

AV block is a very simple problem. SJM has an excellent animation explaining it
http://health.sjm.com/arrhythmia-answers/videos-and-animations

Basically, that lower limit of 50bpm is irrelevant for you. With av block, our sinus node (nature's pacemaker) works fine but our rates were low pre-pm because the signal never got through to the ventricles. The pm completes the broken circuit. If your atrial rate happens to dip below 50 the pm will kick in, but that's pretty rare with av bock.

Pacing 100% is normal for 3rd degree block, that's how much I pace also. That is ventricular pacing only, not atrial. That means the signal isn't getting through naturally, ever, which is the definition of 3rd degree, or complete, block

As for turning it up, it will only pace the ventricles to the pre-set upper limit. If you work out and suddenly get dizzy/tired/short of breath, then you may be hitting your upper limit and need it increased. Other than those adjustments, there isn't really a way to "turn it up." Pacing doesn't work that way. With av block, the pm is reacting to what our atria does and keeping the heart in sync, that's it.

It sounds to me like something else is going on. Maybe check in with your internist? Sometimes it's easy to get tunnel vision and assume everything wrong with us is the heart when in reality something else is going on that's being overlooked.

Do you drink diet sodas or other things with artificial sweeteners? They can cause similar symptoms in some people.

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