Still tired and short of breath

Go back

by Gotrhythm - 2017-04-08 20:47:06

Sometimes it is a month or more before people begin to feel better. So It's possible time will help. But also, it's not uncommon for it to take several adjustments to get the settings on your pacemaker tuned so they are optimal for you.

Get back in touch with the people who implanted the pacemaker. And don't take "Your pacemaker is working fine" for an anwer. I'm sure your pacemaker is working fine, but sometimes it needs a little tweak or two.

But sometimes something else is going on with your heart/lungs that has nothing to do with the pacemaker.

You need some expert medical advice.

shortness of breath and fatigue

by hopefulheart - 2017-04-09 03:55:38

Welcome!  Yes, we do bounce back after a procedure with individual differences in timing for various reasons.  However, casual acceptance of that line of thinking can be dangerous.  Please get with your medical care now.  Shortness of breath and fatigue should always be evaluated.  Have you begun a new medication or dropped one?  Have you also been ill?  Are you eating a healthy balanced diet and consuming healthy adequate fluids?  Are you forcing yourself to do more than your body is ready for too soon?  If you find that your shortness of breath and fatigue are not heart/device related, do not stop there.  Go for a complete checkup to see if something unrelated is the cause.  Do this for your health and peace of mind.  Please feel free to ask questions here.  We all have them.

hopeful heart 

Thank you

by Jimcslady - 2017-04-09 09:13:16

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Yes, my Dr. Started me on a medication the day of surgery it is Flecainide. I take 100mg a day. I think I just had hopes it would be better by now. 

Flecainide

by hopefulheart - 2017-04-09 22:32:29

Noticed you mentioned starting Flecainide.  Please read the medication info that should have come with your prescription for Flecainide.  If not, talk with your pharmacist, and notify your medical care of your symptoms.  You are experiencing symptoms common to Flecainide.  Your medical care may want to adjust the dosage or change you to another medication if Flecainide is found to be a problem for you. Also, it does take our bodies a while to adjust to some medications. Take care.

hopeful heart

HR Monitor

by ChrisD - 2017-04-10 14:18:15

I too have a dual chamber PM and I was very athletic but feeling tired much of the time even after the PM was inserted.  Before PM, Resting HR was about 30; it would get to 60 during a run during which i felt awful; and sometimes it would become irregular.  Long story short, I bought a Tom-Tom HR Monitor because it used led lights and a tiny camera to pick up the pulst in my wrist as opposed to the Garmin one which had a chest strap and got confused all the time because it was picking up the PM pulses.  The Tom-Tom is accurate and it records all the data and you plot it on your computer.  With all this data from my daily runs and periods of normal activity, it was much easier for Doc to adjust the PM.  I think every PM should come with one just for this reason!  It took a few tries but we zeroed in and I now feel pretty close to normal - or at least as I remember it!

After surgery

by Cajun Girl - 2017-04-11 00:44:19

i had my pm inserted 10/05/16.  After I had sleeping issues and was tired all the time.  I guess the surgery was the last stressor my body could take.  I was dx with Adrenal Fatigue and am still fighting it.  My heart beat was irregular and I was short of breath.  Only after my 4th integregation and having all the bells and whistles turned off on the pm did that finally straighten out.  That was 2 weeks ago.  (I have a dual chamber Biotronics, inserted for sic sinus syndrome.

Cajun Grl that's me

by Jimcslady - 2017-04-11 05:53:50

Sounds like me. I'm not sleeping and tired all the time and short of breath. I  Called the Dr. And he is sending me for an echo and doubled my dose of Flecainide.