Pacemaker no help?

Hi, I know this message will sound stupid, as I'm really not a bright person who learns all the big words, or is even capable of spelling them (or many of the small ones). At any rate....

My St. Jude Pacemaker was installed in Oct. 2014. I've had problems and have not felt well since. I have been to the doctors several times for adjustments and they always find a new problem with my heart that they need to adjust for. The "wiring" is in bad shape.

My last trip for a checkup I complained about being short of breath with very little activity, telling the doctor I have no energy for any activities and feel light headed when I do. So I was scheduled for a stress test on the treadmill. The test showed (at least I think) that there are no problems with my hearts funtions as far as blood flow, artieries and such, but my heart rate would not go past about 95 beats per minute. No matter how hard I worked. And it bounced around alot between that and about 80 bpm no matter the work load on the treadmil. I know the pacemaker is set at 130 bpm.

Has anyone else run into this problem, or have any idea what this means? I will not see my doctor until the 29th of August. I'm not sure though if I should not do anything to get the rate up, or???? Will get no other answers until the 29th and am a little worried.

Thanks for any input anyone may have.

Mike 

4 Comments

Chronotropic Incompetence

by BillH - 2016-08-07 19:36:04

That just means that the heart rate does not increase as the exercise load is increased.

PM have a feature called rate response. That uses methods to detect when you are active, most commonly an accelerometer, and when it does the PM will increase the heart rate.

Most likely they will turn that feature on or if it is on change some of the setting as to when it starts increasing the HR and how much it increase it.

It is also possible that the problem can be caused by other setting in the PM such as voltage that it uses to pace the heart or the sensitivity at which it detect heart pulses.

Those can also be changed in the office.

Why bother?

by mike1962 - 2016-08-08 00:00:00

Thank you for your response. This feature is turned on and has been adjusted twice that I am aware of. Yet I still am not able to even walk my dogs at a decent pace.

I guess my fear is that since the wiring in my heart was never fixed, that it continues to get worse.  It seems they are trying to adjust to a moving target.

I guess that may be the reason for the depression. Anyone else feel like no matter how many trips to the doctor, it will never be better. Just only, "well lets try this or reset that...."

Anyone else asking themselves, why bother?

Why bother

by silver star - 2016-08-10 13:18:56

Having heart issues can affect other health concerns such as depression. I read that there is a connection between the two. I would discuss that with your Doctor as there are many solutions such as counselling and medication. It's a miracle that anyone who doesn't have the anxiety caused by unknown heart issues doesn't suffer from depression. The great thing is that life can even be better after a pacemaker. Good luck to you.

New model or settings?

by mike1962 - 2016-08-13 11:38:12

Thanks, with my HMO I don't have the choice of doctors, but this sounds like what I experience. I am only 53 and untit the heart was considered healthy as a horse and in great shape. I WAS always very active and still want to be. But when I try...sigh.... I will be going to see the doctor again soon. I will ask about different models, and maybe even the settings? I know I had been much more active and in better shape than most of the men I work with that are about the same age.

 

You know you're wired when...

You can feel your fingers and toes again.

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