Another bump on the road

So, I had my AV node ablation on 22 October, and if I didn't exactly skip out of the hospital I walked out and up a long hill I would never have contemplated the day before.

The next two days I walked between 2km and 3km each day, did various outstanding chores around the house and garden, and admired my matchstick legs...

And then I woke up breathless, with elevated blood pressure and swollen legs again, and got progressively more so until the Monday just gone I had a conversation with the arrythmia nurses, who advised me to go and see my GP who sent me to the local hospital where  I got a diagnosis of pulmonary oedema. (With hindsight, I've had this several times before, but never had it diagnosed).

They dithered about whether to keep me in overnight, so I told them I was going home to feed my cats and they agreed I could go as long as I increased my daily dose of diuretics.

4 days later, my breathing is OK(ish) -- no worse anyway than before I had the pacemaker, and the swelling in my legs is reducing, and my blood pressure is down to normal (for me).

I have an appointment for review with my GP in a couple of weeks (or earlier if necessary) and an already-scheduled appointment at the 'Device Clinic' on 22 November (which I believe is to review the operation and settings of the pacemaker.) 

My PM is set to 80bpm VVI , but during the day it's going up quite frequently to between 110 and 115 (according to my Fitbit), even when I'm not exerting myself.  I'm not feeling any palpitation of other heartbeart irregularities.

I'll take the opportunity to plan with my GP what I should discuss at the device clinic, but I suspect that those of you with more exerience maybe able to give me some steers?

4 Comments

pacing

by Tracey_E - 2018-11-02 18:04:50

They often set our resting rate higher until we heal so that may explain the higher rate. Don't trust the fitbit, count manually if in doubt. If you feel good, try not to be constantly checking, trust that the pacer is working. Tracking all the normal ups and downs will make you crazy. 

Edema is unrelated to pacing so don't wait on a device check to investigate it. All the pacer is doing is keeping your rate up. 

Fitbit

by atiras - 2018-11-03 04:10:45

Thanks, Tracey. I rarely check the Fitibt (I've only got it for tracking how much exercise I manage) but looked back on this occasion to see if there were any clues.

Interesting re edema -- I've had it as long as I've had atrial fibrillation and they always told me the two were related.

edema

by Tracey_E - 2018-11-03 16:42:39

It is definitely related to heart, usually heart function rather than heart rate so it's not related to pacing. Pacing is how fast it's beating not how hard or efficiently it's beating. Make more sense? 

Edema

by atiras - 2018-11-04 03:52:10

Tracy, yes it's efficiency not rate -- I get that. So I'm deducing that -- even paced -- my heart isn't operating efficiently.  Maybe the node ablation didn't do it's job, maybe my heart doesn't like being paced... maybe it's something else. Hence my question: what should I be asking about.

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