Arrhythmias after pacemaker implant

• by Grete
• 2014-12-07 04:12:53
• Complications
• 1299 views
• 3 comments

Hello, I am a new member. I am 60 years old, female and until recently active and healthy. I was born with a heart defect (ASD) and successfully operated 56 years ago in Düsseldorf. I work internationally and live in Italy. In late July, on a flight from Ghana I fainted for the first time. I had several fainting spells in September and finally saw my cardiologist in October, who diagnosed an AV Block II grade (Wenckebach) with 3 minute pause at night. This came as a real shock especially because I had had a thorough check up in May this year, at the same cardiologists’ - when I had been a given a clean bill of health. I am still dumbstruck and simply cannot explain how this could happen.
Following the implant of a Biotronik Ecuro DR in mid-October, I stayed at home for three works before returning to work. I walked daily to get fit again however I noticed one day, after having walked at a fast pace for more than 2 hours and climbed up to my apartment on the 4th floor, that my heart rate was only 70. About 2 weeks ago, while at work, I experienced severe heart arrhythmia for the first time which continued for 4 hours. The medical unit at work sent me to cardiologist who re-set the advice to 70, DDDR and prescribed Atenolol 50 mg/day. After this I continued to experience problems, constant extra systoles which did not calm down and made sleeping difficult. After several days I decided, feeling desperate and depressed, to see my cardiologist in Germany who reset the device to 60 beats/min and prescribed Bisoprolol 1.25 mg/day. He had no explanation for what is happening and has not offered much help other than to say that my condition has worsened as my heart has gone into chronotropic incompetence.
While I currently feel a little better and my arrhythmias seem to have calmed down somewhat, at least while resting or working at my laptop, most types of physical activity, especially walking, appear to call forth another episode of arrhythmia, a tight feeling around my neck and shortness of breath. All things considered, I feel worse than ever and I am worried that I may never return to my old strength and normal life. I feel badly cared for and I have not found a doctor who is ready to help me adjust to and cope with my condition. Any advice that you can give would be much appreciated.