Am In greater risk?

My pacemaker went into power saving mode on December 24. I was immediately aware of what I thought was atrial fibrillation but when I transmitted data to my pacemaker clinic on Jan. 7, the PM nurse informed me that the pacemaker was pacing only in the lower chambers and was not recording data. The cardiac clinic gave me an appt for Feb. 17. I feel punk, but my question is: Am I at greater risk of a stroke while waiting for my appt than I would be if the PM was working properly? I am watching my INR carefully and taking Verapamil, but I am worried. I have taken two long airplane trips since the thing quit working because of family emergencies with no ill effects.

5 Comments

be a pest

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-30 01:01:06

Don't suffer for a few weeks! Push them to get you in now, schedule surgery as soon as you can. You are safe right now but why deal with it when you don't have to?

Bradycardia is just a slow heart rate, whatever the cause. SSS is when the sinus node slacks off, fixed with atrial pacing. AV block is when the sinus node works normally but the signal doesn't get through to the ventricles, fixed with ventricular pacing. Some people have both but most of us have one or the other. With the pm in conservation mode, any time your rate drops too low it just paces ventricle so your heart is beating at a steady rate but it's not in sync, not going up and down as needed (unless you beat on your own, the pm doesn't stop that). That's why you don't feel good.

Sick Sinus Syndrome

by AZpacemaker - 2014-01-30 01:01:32

Thanks. I plan to call the PM clinic today since I am feeling so lousy and Feb. 17 is still 2 weeks away. All I know about the reasons for my PM are bradycardia (heart rate was dropping into the 30s) and sick sinus syndrome. Is that the same as AV node problem?

Thanks

by AZpacemaker - 2014-01-30 02:01:18

Thanks Tracy. I'm ready to be a pest.

drifting topics, schmoozers

by Tracey_E - 2014-01-30 10:01:41

HurtHeart, I love your mirror idea!

My cardio's office has very low turnover so most of the staff has been there forever. I learn everyone's names, ask questions about their kids, show up with homemade cookies on occasion. I've never had a problem getting an appointment when I needed one, phone calls are always returned promptly, when I forgot my prescription on vacation last month it was called in within ten minutes. It's a really good office regardless, but they get hundreds of calls in a day so it never hurts to have them know your name.

Stroke risk

by donr - 2014-01-30 12:01:25

If all your PM did was take care of Brady &/or an AV node problem, you should not be at any greater risk.

Now - if your PM was one of the varieties that can help certain forms of A0Fib, the answer changes.

WHY did they wait till mid Feb for an appt to check the PM's battery life? That's almost two months into the period when the PM goes into the "Economy" mode of pacing.

In my opinion, they should have seen you much sooner. Why make a host be uncomfortable any longerr than necessary?

Don

You know you're wired when...

You take technology to heart.

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.