Fatigue

I'm 57 and as a nurse work 12 hour shifts. Had PM placed June 2017. I immediately felt better. More energy and fuzzy brain started clearing. Around the end of the year, I started to feel tired again and more forgetful.  PM has been tweaked a couple of times recently due to having sudden, increased heartrate which did not match my activity. I was told, "Most people can't feel what you are feeling." Not sure what that was supposed to mean, I'm sensitive? My doctor has the attitude of your heart is beating, you're fine. Go away. My PCP just says I'm getting older, blah, blah, blah. Is this to be expected - a leveling out/decline of energy? On my days off I reach what I call my zombie state - I suddenly get so tired, I have to take a nap.  A coworker has PM put in last year as well, and he is going through the same decline in energy. Any thoughts?

2 Comments

Time for some new doctors

by Grateful Heart - 2018-06-03 09:46:08

If they are not listening to you, a nurse...it's time for a change.

You need to find an EP who knows how to adjust your settings for YOU.  As you know, we are all different and require the settings of our devices to be optimum for each individual.  

I've had my share of doctors not listening to me.  There is not point to stay with them if they don't believe you. You have to trust your doctors....this is your heart.  Trust works both ways.

I can feel the changes in my heart too...PVC's, PAC's, I felt ATP therapy.  They say most people don't feel it??

Could also be some meds.  Good luck and keep us posted.

Grateful Heart

You're sensitive? Give me a break!

by Gotrhythm - 2018-06-03 13:35:07

While I walked around for 2 years with PVC induced PMT feeling worse and worse, I was given the sensitivity diagnosis. The "sensitivity" was attributed to my petite body build. ( !!!! )  And yes, I felt it when the PMT would happen. But it's like they thought feeling something was the problem--not the fact that by 2 years after implant I couldn't stand in church all the way through a hymn.

Robin has it exactly right. "You're sensitive" means "I don't know, and since I can't admit that and assist you in finding someone who might know, I'll figure out how to blame your problem on you."

"You're sensitive" means "I don't know and I've given up."

There's zero point to your going back there. I agree with Robin and Grateful Heart, you need a different doctor, an EP.

I'll also add that it's possible that you have a vey rare rhythm issue and it's no so much what the pacemaker is doing but how your heart is reacting to being paced--to be fair, something your cardio has likely never seen before. If so, you'll need to advocate for yourself, and keep looking until you find someone who can do the detective work to figure it out. Although the cardiac care where I live is excellant, I had to go to Duke to be diagnosed.

You know you're wired when...

You fondly named your implanted buddy.

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