suddenly verv tired two years after implantation

Hi, I've just joined, although I was given the pacemaker 2 years ago. I read a lot of information on this site then and I'm really grateful to everyone who has described their experiences which I found reassuring.
I'm writing now because I have been having problems for about the last 10 days. Up until then I was feeling very healthy.
I started feeling light headed, very tired, not able to focus and slow in my thoughts. Also I could feel my heart beating with some strong irregular beats when I was in the recovery phase after some mild exercise. It wasn't beating regularly again until I had rested a lot. (During exercise it is also beating regularly.) None of this has happened before.

I went to the doctor on Friday who gave me an ecg and sent me to emergency. In the hospital they said that the irregular beats were extra systolic, everyone gets them and nothing to worry about. The pacemaker specialist wasn't there and I have an appointment for thursday. They also said that I wasn't being paced much and the pacemaker was working fine.

I'm writing now because I'm very confused about what's happening and hope someone can help me understand so that I ask the right questions on Thursday.

I originally was given the pacemaker for bradychardia (resting pulse in low 30's). I couldn't exercise but if I was upset or excited it could rise to the high 40's.
I was told that it was a permanent condition.
My resting pulse now never goes below 55. I guess the pacemaker is set to this value so that if my heart drops below it will kick in.
In the hospital I could see the monitor and my pulse was usually in the 70's (except for the extrasys when it jumped to about 125 for one beat and then dropped to about 45 for one beat). So my questions are:
How can my heart be beating in the 70's without the pacemaker. when it couldn't do it before?
Could adjusting the pacemaker a bit stop the extrasystolic beats (they didn't think so in emergency) and will that make me feel well again.
Could there be something else wrong with my heart causing these symptoms?
I forgot to say that I'm 59.
I really hope someone can help me.

3 Comments

Could be a lot of things

by Theknotguy - 2014-03-03 01:03:26

Based upon your description so far, could be a lot of things - bad leads, a-fib, other stuff. Think you're going to have to wait for the PM report to see what's going on. Obviously if you've felt good for two years and then suddenly don't, something is wrong.

Main point being, don't let people tell you nothing is wrong when you were OK and now have problems. Something changed - but what?

Heart rate in 70's could be just the stress and anxiety of being in the hospital. Funny what adrenaline will do to your system.

Adjusting the PM won't stop the extrasystolic beats. However, on some PM's there are settings for a-fib. Don't know if you have one that can be adjusted for that or not.

Like I said, a lot of things could be causing symptoms. A-fib, a-flutter is one thing. There are a lot of other things that could be going on too. Unfortunately not enough info to tell yet.

I'll let others chime in - maybe someone else has a better insight.

Hope you get help soon.

Theknotguy

Hi Emba,

by Moner - 2014-03-03 02:03:00

Hi Emba,

Your title makes me think maybe you should have your thyroid levels check.

Sometimes our thyroid can make our heartrate do some perculiar things, and you also mentioned fatigue.

You might want to consider this one.

Moner
>^..^<

thank you

by emba - 2014-03-03 03:03:23

thank you, Theknotguy and Moner for your advice.

I will ask the doctor to check my thyroid.

I'd forgotten about the adrenaline effect and you're right, even before the pacemaker I could get my heart beating properly if I had some coffee (which I didn't do very often as it kept me awake for 24 hours!)

I'll post again after the appointment.

Thanks again

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Sometimes a device must be tuned a few times before it is right. My cardiologist said it is like fine tuning a car.