Chest feels as if he getting a chest cold

Hi all!! My husband received his pacemaker last Thursday July 22. He is 56 and his cardiologist felt that a pacemaker was needed because of his low heart rate (42-30). Their fear was he would experience sudden death. No other problems with his heart. Extremely fit, heathy and a runner. They feel this was do to years of his running. 

Anyways........he came home from the hospital on Friday. Felt great. On Saturday, my husband felt as though his chest felt like he was getting a chest cold. 

Today is now Tuesday and he still feels this way. Even though his pain is diminishing from the implantation with each passing day, he still feels this "chest thing". 

Also his heart rate is pretty much a steady 50 (pm was set at 50) all day long......every night while just relaxing, it his heart rate goes to 90. Stays there for about a half an hour. 

So my question is ........do you think there is something wrong or is this a normal feeling after receiving a pm???

I appreciate your input. My husband tends to blow things off. 

3 Comments

recovery

by Tracey_E - 2017-06-28 09:35:19

Things are going to feel tight and sore, that's normal. As Robin said, hospitals are full of germs so it's entirely possible he's coming down with a cold. That happened to me more than once, picked up a bug at the hospital. When in doubt, call the office and see if they want him to come in. 

As for his rate, they send us home with more or less standard settings. However, when someone is young and active, we don't fit the mold of standard patient and no two of us are alike so it's not one size fits all. They don't like to mess with it much the first 4-6 weeks, give the body time to get used to being paced and the leads time to settle in. Then they can start to fine tune. It's normal for that to take a few attempts because they like to do things in small incrememts. When he gets back to running, be sure to let them know if he doesn't feel right. 

How's it going?

by Gotrhythm - 2017-06-29 14:34:33

By my count, your hubby is now 7 days post op. How is the tightness now? Better, worse?

If the tightness is worse, or gets worse when he's more active, I think a call to the doctor is in order. Probably everything is all right, but I would want a doctor's opinion.

What Tracey said about settings? Absolutely right.

Update

by PM Wife - 2017-06-29 19:39:10

Went to the cardiologist today.
Having the same symptoms (every night)
Last night his heart rate went up to 94 and stayed there for 45 min. That fullness feeling in his chest increased while this was going on. 
This morning as he was waiting for the coffee to be done. He checked his pulse and it was 114. 
Later in the the morning it went up again and was at 92. 
When it doesn't go crazy high like that, it's a constant 50. My husband told me he feels symptomatic......that feeling in his chest, low energy and feels as though he is going to be sick to his stomach. When he feels this way, that is when he checks his pulse and it's always high. 

So we go to the appt.  Adjusted his pacemaker. Some thing was set on high that is supposed to be on low 🙄
and they adjusted some thing else. 
If the problem was this, then he would notice a change right away. I'm not happy. 
Basically told us we were being paranoid. That if you don't feel good, your heart rate goes up. 
He tried explaining that as soon as his heart rate went back down, he would feel better. That it was getting to the point of him feeling sick to his stomach. He could tell every time it raised that something wasn't right. 
And apparently it raised multiple times today.

It's set at 50. The majority of the time it's at 50 or close to it. Then it goes bam up high 

They said he has used the pacemaker 68% of the time since he has received it. 

Basically told us we were being paranoid beside their needing to fix and adjust it. To quit taking his pulse. If it gets over 150, to let them know. 
I do not understand that at all!!!
Maybe because I'm uneducated but when you have a heartbeat that has been 42-30, except once in awhile unless exercising.........
Where does the 150 come in???
Isn't a normal heart rate 60-100??

After being home from appt it raised again  multiple times. The highest being 103

Then it goes back down to 50  

Idk  what's your thoughts?

 

 

 

You know you're wired when...

You have the perfect reason to show off your chest.

Member Quotes

I have a well tuned pacer. I hardly know I have it. I am 76 year old, hike and camp alone in the desert. I have more energy than I have had in a long time. The only problem is my wife wants to have a knob installed so she can turn the pacer down.