New to the club

Can anyone offer me any advice? I had a pacemaker fitted in an emergency last week because of heart pauses in the night approaching 5 seconds. its a single lead ventricular Essentio SR and it has not yet been paced e.g. It is set at 60bpm until pacing on the 22nd of this month. I have also been put on to bisoprolol 2.5mg per day to take the edge off AFIB at night.

Anyway I feel lousy! can't walk at more than 3 mile per hour and have had a couple of funny turns while walking and apent an evening in A and E on an ECG... Rang my cardiologist who said half the dose and see wht happens. Halved it today and still feel lousy...
Is this a pacing issue or a medication issue or a heart issue? Any advice gratefully received. thanks, oger

3 Comments

Advice

by Good Dog - 2015-09-12 08:09:33

I think there are many people that would like to be helpful. You'll find that to be the case on this site. However, with your situation that may be very difficult. With the info you provided, it is almost impossible to know what may be going-on. Nobody wants to take the chance of giving you bad advice.
If your Cardiologist advice to half it did not work, you should get on the phone again or see another doctor if he cannot help you. It sounds like they have you on hold, and you need more help now. You need the help of a specialist and if you don't feel well, you shouldn't wait!

Dave

recovery

by Tracey_E - 2015-09-13 12:09:24

It can take weeks to get used to being on a new heart medication, for your body to adjust and the side effects to lessen.

How often are you in afib? That will leave you feeling bad, also. The pacer won't do anything for the afib. All it can do is kick in when you pause or go too slowly so you'll need the meds for the afib.

Are you having sinus pauses or av block? I'm no dr, but ventricular single lead seems like an odd choice to me.

tincture of time

by Gotrhythm - 2015-09-13 12:09:48

I can't comment on your situation specifically, but since you're new to life with a PM, here are some things you might not know.

Getting a PM is not "nothing." A major change in how your heart functions has been made--hopefully a change for the better--but still a change, and that means it might take a while for you and your heart to catch up.

You're only a week out. That's not very long. Some people feel better instantly, but a lot find it takes several weeks for their strength to return. Even the athletes among us have to work back up to their old fitness levels.

Finally, getting the settings right, right for YOU, can be a trial and error process. 60 bpm might be too slow for you. Or the rate response might need to be changed. It may take several trips to the clinic to get all the PM's settings optimal for you.

Recognize that learning to live with a pacemaker is going to take some time. Hope this helps.


You know you're wired when...

You have a dymo-powered bike.

Member Quotes

I am 100% pacemaker dependant and have been all my life. I try not to think about how a little metal box keeps me alive - it would drive me crazy. So I lead a very active life.