Papitations/soreness

Adjusting to a new PM

by TAC - 2017-08-29 11:04:44

It seems that you're very impatient and want to feel "wonderful" and back to normal in just 7 weeks. Most people need a few months before they begin to gain confidence with the new device and stop being obsessed about it. Try not to think about your PM, get involved with activities that will keep you busy and let nature do the healing. 

You know what you feel

by Gotrhythm - 2017-08-30 15:17:21

Though he often gives good advice, this time I disagree with TAC.

You said, 

"I still have times where it pounds really hard for awhile, and also times where when it "kicks on" it knocks the wind out of me.  Is this normal?"

I'm not a doctor, nor a pacemaker tech, but I wonder if you are mistaking the activity of the pacemaker for the activity of your heart.  It isn't "normal" for a pacemaker to make your heart pound. Normally, the pacemaker will only speed up when you become more active. At rest, it will maintain your HR, not lertting it go below at a steady base rate.

But, your heart is still capable of pounding on it's on. There's a kind of SSS called Brady-Tachy. (Bradycardia-Tachycardia or slow-fast heartrate.) Meaning sometimes your heart beats too slow, and sometimes, for no good reason, it beats fast. It is a very strange feeling to be sitting in a chair, not doing anything, and suddenly your heart starts to pound.

The thing is, your basic pacemaker can fix the bradycardia, but it can't do anything to stop the occasional tachycardia episode.

About it "knocking the wind" out of you. It's very rare for people to feel their pacemaker kick on. But a PVC (pre-ventricular contraction) is considered normal and it can feel just like that. I have had PVC's that felt like I had been kicked in the chest.They even made me to say "oof" reflexively.

Too often, others, like TAC, assume we are just over-focusing on our hearts, and upsetting ourselves over essentially nothing. I assume that you know what you feel, but you might need some guidance in interpreting what the feelings mean. And you also might be feeling something that's a real problem. PVC induced PMT (Pacemaker Mediated Tachycardia) is rare but it does sometimes happen. 

I think you need to sit down with your cardiologist, or other knowledgeable person, and ask for a detailed explanation of your condition and what you can expect the pacemaker to do for you. I have found that the more specific my questions, the better answers I get.

Soreness

by Gotrhythm - 2017-08-30 17:14:24

I never had a sore neck or shoulder pain associated with the pacemaker. 

I'd suggest consultation to determine if you have "frozen shoulder" a not uncommon complication of using a sling too long. The less you move it, the more it will hurt.

Deep tissue massage therapy, chiropractic, and/or physical therapy can help. You can possibly also work out the pain yourself. Start with warm compresses to loosen the area up. Then gentle stretching. Follow with ice packs. 

Don't wait for it to get better on its own. The sooner you get started on some therapy the better.