Feeling better already

Two weeks after my 55th birthday, I decided enough was enough. I had fatigue to the point where I could not walk from my living room to my bedroom in a 1400 square foot home without nearly passing out. My blood pressure monitor said I had a heart rate of 35, so I went online to find out how to re-calibrate what I thought was a faulty reading. Finally went to my doctor. He did an EKG, and next thing I know, I am in an ambulance headed to a heart specialist 45 miles away. He kept me in the hospital for 24 hours and took me off my Atenolol meds, hoping that would bring my heart rate up. No such luck. My 55 year old record of having to do everything the hard way remains perfectly intact! So, now I have a pacemaker, and my heart rate is set to 60 bpm. I feel good, no fatigue, Now I can go back to worrying about being unemployed for going on 10 months, having no health insurance and how the heck I will pay for all this!

2 Comments

Sounds like my story

by benrb - 2014-11-25 08:11:23

Hello folks, I felt dizzy and out of sorts went to the hospital and the first time they did not catch it. I went back the next day and this time they caught it. They told me I had a heart rate of 40. The Arizona Heart hospital is five minutes away. They performed some tests and the next day installed a Saint Jude device. Took a few days finally was back on my feet. I was told not even triathelon athletes have a heart rate that low. I feel a lot better. Have not been in for a check up in a awhile because of the deductible hits me a little to hard. They told me I was good 'till around 2017. I will need a battery replacement then. I am thankful for this forum. I am happy there is no debtors prison or I could be in for a long time!

I hear ya!

by Runningmama - 2014-11-26 07:11:11

My insurance company only "Pre certified" my pm 2.5 weeks ago, of course I found this out while in the cardiac pre-op room 2 hours before my surgery. Evidently, someone knew better than the EP and maybe wanted to review?? Not sure, I was only given my operation after the EP and hospital had a conference call with the insurance company (yep, I'm still in pre op room for a few more hours while this is going on). The EP was given the green light to go ahead and I was advised I could make payment arrangements if insurance didn't pick up...I have heart block, didn't know if I had time for more review...but the piper wants paid :) Guess if all else fails, my new pacemaker is like having a mortgage...:) Since my pacemaker is new and only the hospital that installed it has the software to interrogate it (and there are alot of follow up visits) I wonder how I'll financially keep them happy so they will see me...

You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

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