6 wks and going

Hi, I was told I have 3rd degree heart block @ age 33 male. While in hospital I went into complete block at 18bpm, I was standing up when this happened. I have a MedtronicA2DR01, i feel pretty good most of the time i am just tired of being sore, i am sure it is due to not having full range of motion.
I have issues getting down on the floor or squatting for more than a few min then my bpm starts to drop and i get a little light headed, is this normal or is my body still trying to get used to the pacemaker? Doc told me i am paced at 70bpm and it will not fall below that but it has dropped to around 52? should i be concerned? i have a doc appt in 2 weeks and i have lots of questions, but i feel as i would get a more experienced answer from you guys here.

I have read a lot of post that really has helped me, being at a young age i was active and wanted to get back to an active life style.

5 Comments

3rd degree block

by ac204 - 2016-04-28 08:04:26

I do thank you for your comment, it makes things seem more at ease. God Bless

Adam

3rd degree block

by Good Dog - 2016-04-28 08:04:31

Welcome! This is a great place to get good real life info, as I am sure you already know.
I was 38 when I went into full block. I was at work and noticed when I walked 10 feet that I was out of breath. It happened suddenly and without any warning. I was working-out (lifting weights) the night before. So I went to the ER at the end of the workday and they put me in ICU overnight. I watched my pulse on the monitor bounce from 20 down to 12 and back all night long. It was a little unsettling. They implanted a Medtronic PM in the morning. That was 30 years ago. I just received my 4th new generator (battery change) a few months ago and have the same PM model as you. Personally, I think that you have the best PM made, but that is just my opinion. The average life of my battery has been 10 years so far.

I don't think you have any reason for concern as your body is probably still getting adjusted to the PM. If your pulse drops below 50, then you should ask to be seen. When you go to the doc's you need to ask as many questions as it takes to get yourself educated. Remember; the doctor is working for you. You need to establish a high comfort level with you PM and the doc. As far as your pulse, I'm not sure if you misunderstood the doc, because your lower setting should be set below 70 bpm. It isn't always, but it would surprise me if it weren't. My low setting was originally 60 bpm, but my body was accustomed to a lower rate and I was having trouble sleeping. So the doc reduced my low rate to 50 bpm and I felt a lot better. My high setting is only 140 bpm, but my heart takes over and works fine above that. In any case, when you go to the doc, find-out what your high and low settings are and anything else you need to know.

I'll tell ya, in my case I was completely back to normal within 4-6 months after getting the PM. And I do mean normal. Playing very competitive basketball and baseball. My life has been completely normal in every way since getting the PM. So that is the good news for you! The bad news; there isn't any! It is kind of a pain to get the battery changed every 10 years, but it is pretty darn quick and easy. In at 7 am and back home in-time for lunch.
Really, don't allow your PM to hold you back in any way (after getting clearance form the doc, of course). There is no reason it should.
I wish you the very best..................

David

BTW

by Good Dog - 2016-04-28 09:04:26

BTW..........It will likely take a few months for the soreness to begin fade. Although you heal on the surface, it takes a while longer internally. Having a foreign object there where there was nothing prior takes a little getting use to. After about a year or so you will begin to forget you have a PM.

Do You Have AFIB?

by Artist - 2016-04-29 01:04:56

I have AFIB and I consistently get BP readings that are below the 60 BPM minimum rate my PM is set at. My cardiologist told me that when my heart is in AFIB, some of the beats are too light to be detected by either my BP cuff or by manually taking my pulse. That might explain your low readings of 50.

update

by ac204 - 2016-05-13 02:05:37

I went to doctor today, I checked out fine. I do not have afib, my lower limit is 60 and upper 140. pacing around 70% right now, doc says it will change based on what the pacemaker thinks I need. that includes the voltage he said, it may be more or less at time based on pacemaker. I will continue to monitor, but I have been told to try and not worry about the pacemaker.

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