1 week post implant Medtronic dual lead

42 year old female running marathons up to October of this year when I all of a sudden couldn't walk the length of myself. Was diagnosed with sick sinus and had to get the pacemaker to be able to take drugs for the arrhythmia because my resting heart rate was already too low. I am one week post op and the Incinsion site and movement is going really well. I hate the look of the lump on my chest but I can hide that under clothes. My biggest concern is that I am still feeling so crappy energy wise. The beta blocker (metoprolol 25 mg) seems to make me so tired and have a weird sore throat. Plus I still get major palpatations especially after I eat. Is there a different drug I should take, is it too early to know? Any advise would be great. I really want to be out running again as soon as the doctor says I healed enough but right now I couldn't with this energy level.

7 Comments

Mickey D syndrome

by Theknotguy - 2015-12-08 02:12:05

Americans and some Canadians get what I call Mickey D syndrome. That's where you get the device, take the medication and you're supposed to instantly get better. Kinda like where you walk in to Mickey D's restaurant, order what you want, tap your foot three times, and walk out with your order. Sorry, but in real life it doesn't work that way.

You've just had your chest opened, wires run into your heart, a foreign object inserted, anesthetic, and now new medications - not to mention your underlying heart problem - and you're supposed to instantly get better???? Give me a break!

You've got 4-6 six weeks to recover from the implant procedure. It will take about 4 weeks for the implant wound to heal. It may take several months for you to become accustomed to your new heart meds. It may take a full year to cycle through heart meds until you find the one(s) that work for you. And, during that time, you have to treat your heart problem which can also change, and you have to adjust to live with a pacemaker. I think you're going to be busy.

I put two marks on my calendar. One at the first year anniversary of my collapse and another at the second year anniversary. If things didn't work out and I had a setback I'd look at the calendar, shrug, and say, "It hasn't been a year yet." After the first year I'd shrug and say, "It hasn't been two years yet." I had more trauma than you. So it did take me longer to heal. But the point is, you have to give yourself that time to heal. Things won't happen instantly.

I do hope things progress well for you and that you have a speedy recovery.

Beta Blockers made me stupid

by rfassett - 2015-12-08 04:12:16

Doc said he never heard of such a thing. I started taking beta blockers in the spring of 2013 after a failed ablation attempt. After about two weeks or so, I felt myself becoming less mentally sharp. My profession requires mental sharpness. My wife said I was just feeling anxiety and was suffering from lack of attention. A couple weeks later, I was talking on the phone with someone giving me his email address and he had to repeat it multiple times because I could not write the letters in the right order. I am here to tell you, that is scary stuff. Normal words that usually roll off my tongue I could not speak. The word Aladdin - I could not say. Next day I went to my family doc who, like me, wanted to rule out a brain issue. An MRI (this was pre-pacemaker implant) showed no problems with my brain. So it was off to the neurologist. He determined that my problem was the beta blocker. Went off the beta blocker and my issues went away. My cardiologist, again. said he never heard of such a thing. I am here to tell you that it is very real.

If you are having trouble with the beta blocker, tell your Doc that you need something else. There are other things out there. BTW - since my implant, I have been on no heart medications. I like it that way.

Good luck!

Ron

Beta blockers and tiredness

by Selwyn - 2015-12-08 04:12:23

Tiredness and the inability to exercise are not uncommon side effects of beta blockers. If you read the leaflet that comes with the tablets you will see these listed.

Personally, I couldn't exercise with beta blockers. I normally swim a mile most days of the week. On beta blockers I could manage ¾ of a 25m length.

You should definitely discuss this with your doctor. It would be dangerous to stop the medication yourself. You should get an URGENT appointment, and perhaps have a FBC test, as metoprolol can dangerously lower your blood cell count- the earliest symptom is persistent sore throat and/or tiredness.

There are plenty of alternatives.

Pick up the phone and get that appointment.

Best wishes,
Selwyn

Talk to your Doctor

by valley01 - 2015-12-08 11:12:35

Talk to your doctor regarding the medication - there are so many of them out there he can try you on a different one if this one isn't working out. However, he will probably want you to wait a little longer but it doesn't hurt to let them know how you are feeling. It's pretty early after surgery, your body needs time to adjust and the anesthesia can last in your body for quite awhile. I would start out by walking and make yourself go even if it's just to the mailbox and back. Sometimes just getting outside and moving will help boost your energy level and you can decide when you are out there if you want to increase the distance. I know after my surgery I was hyper-aware of every little thing my heart did, palpitations, heavy hard beats, racing, etc. I called my EP's office almost daily the first 2 weeks following my surgery asking if things I was feeling were normal - luckily they were patient with me and everything was fine. I was never a marathon runner but I did run 20 5k's the year before my surgery and I ran a 5k exactly 4 weeks after my surgery. The weirdest thing for me to get used to was the feeling that my PM was bouncing around inside of me when I ran. That went away after a few months.

Food for thought

by Lisalac - 2015-12-09 02:12:48

Thank you so much for your quick responses. Definitely food for thought. I will try these drugs until my 5 week check up and also watch what I eat. If there's no improvement I will ask my cardiologist for something else to try.

Beta Blockers Ate My Baby

by Marday - 2015-12-09 08:12:09

I've struggled for years trying to balance the protective effects of BBs versus the suppression of an already low HR and suspicion of depressive side effect.. For a long time I'd only take Metoprolol after a serious onset of arrhythmia (with doc's blessing). Then started passing out on the BB.

Now with implant I'm stable (with vent lead turned off) with no BB. Tune in Monday for the next installment.

Cheers,

Jeff

Beta blockers added 15 years!

by Kelper - 2015-12-30 07:12:13

Had my p'maker fitted on 10th Dec. In and out on same day.
Pericarditis set in ... lot of pain ... 3 days in hospital sorted, but put on beta blockers to control upper HR.

Felt awful within twenty minutes .... after three days my specialist took me off them .... took about a week to flush out all all those horrendous toxins (it's sort of mini chemotherapy).

I was back at work two days after the op, then into A&E for 3 days, then back to work two days later. Have carried on working ... though it is mainly computer work/desk bound, so nothing strenuous.

Energy levels slowly returning .... managed the stairs two at a time today for first time since the op.

You know you're wired when...

You have a 25 year mortgage on your device.

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Since I got my pacemaker, I don't pass out anymore! That's a blessing in itself.