light headed and nausous

Hi all.  Ok.  I will try to make this as short as possible.  I haven't been feeling well for the past about a month. Saw my doctor, went twice to the ER,  saw my cardiologist, who sent me to have pacemaker checked and was fitted with a holter monitor for 24 hours.  Bottom line , everything seems to be normal, EXCEPT,  I am always light headed and nausous and sometimes i feel my heart really beating hard.  I have to sit most of the time.  While sitting, i feel not to bad, but as soon as i walk just a few feet,  it all starts again.  Blood tests-all negative, chest xray- all okay,  small adjustment on pacemaker, but only because i was complaining that it often gives irregular beats.  Also he told me that it used to kick in 2 percent of the time but now it is working 15 percent.  Said that is normal cuz as i age, the heart degenerates a little.  Holter showed nothing abnormal, same with blood pressure and  EKG'S.  My doctor (gp) was on holiday this past week but should be back monday, so my hubby is going to take me back to him and maybe we can figure this out.  Oh, i also have polycythemia vera so i take hydrea, 500 mg  x 10 per week, 81 mg aspirin and a high blood pressure pill. Oh, almost  forgot.... on one of my visits to the ER they put me on a beta- blocker, apo- metoprolol 25mg per day.  Yesterday my son told us about someone who was told to take vitamin B 12 because they had the same symptoms as i have.  I read that this vitamin increases red blood cells, and i tske hydrea to keep my red cells lower.  So although my pharmacist said there is no reason you can't take both, i am worried .  I try to avoid phlebotomis (to lower my hematocrit) as much as possible.  I would welcome any and all feedback.  Thanks so much and have a great weekend.  Oh, my pacmaker is st. judes and i have two leads for Mobitz 11 since last March (2016)

2 Comments

Nothing to do with a pacemaker

by Gotrhythm - 2017-08-12 20:54:30

Just because I'm a curious sort, I looked up polycythemia vera and Hydrea.

Dizzyness is a symptom of polycythemia vera and also a known side effect of Hydrea. A nauseated feeling frenquently accompanies dizziness. It seems to me, a trip to the doctor who prescribed the Hydrea is in order.

But there's also good old garden-variety vertigo. Sometimes it just comes on out of the blue. Sometimes there's an obvious cause, sometimes not.

Most of us find our hearts are relying on the pacemaker more as the years roll on.  Really, the percentage of use doesn't mean anything. The only thing that matters is that when you need it, you have it.

Dizziness

by Selwyn - 2017-08-13 07:02:46

I really agree with Gotrhythm's comments. In addition...

You should have a lying and standing blood pressure done as you are taking a betablocker ( Metoprolol) and this may produce postural hypotension ( the pacemaker is slow to adjust to the need to increase your heart rate in these situations).

Hydroxycarbamide ( Hydrea) can cause quite severe nausea, and dizziness.  

You say your bloods are negative: large variations in your haemoglobin can cause your symptoms: too many red cells and you get slow circulation and lack of oxygen, too few and you get lack of oxygen. Like Goldilocks, you need to have things, "just right". If having the odd pint of blood removed does the job, I would not worry. Like Goldilocks, 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating" ( though we will exclude Black pudding for the sake of the analogy!). Polycythaemia needs to be monitored carefully, and  controlled, otherwise your blood become treacley, thick, and everything gets clogged up. Your ability to transport oxygen is then limitied and you are at danger of  blood clotting ( thrombosis- hence your aspirin).

Vitamin B12 is used to treat pernicious anaemia. It is not a cure for dizziness. Dizziness as a symptom has many different causes. You need to consult with a physician. 

Best of luck,

Selwyn

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