My first PM

Normal

by AgentX86 - 2019-04-07 13:42:14

It's not unusual at all to have weird rhythms for a while,  particularly if you've had them before. Your pacemaker is cranked up tight now until your leads get settled in. Your EP should reduce the voltage to your heart at your next interrogation and things should get better. Sometimes arrhythmias can continue, though. Talk to your EP about it, though. It's not at all uncommon and highly unlikely to be dangerous.  They can be a RPITA but almost always benign.

My first PM

by AmyV - 2019-04-07 13:48:06

Thanks! The first week was awful, she adjusted if and much better she turned off my LV lead. I only need my atrial lead. Then about a week ago a new "flutter feeling" started. It wakes me up in the night, it's like a skipped beat. Its consistent.  It stops when I sit up? So I have not slept well, have no energy. I have called the dr office but the nurse just says shes never heard of that, that's it. 

Apparently that's pretty common.

by AgentX86 - 2019-04-07 18:05:58

Sounds like your diaphragm is getting paced. They should be able to turn down your pacemaker at your next interrogation. That usually fixes it.

PVC's - Skipped beats

by MartyP - 2019-04-08 12:45:14

PVC’s - Premature Ventricular Contractions - wow, no one told me about these. For me they felt like my heart was pounding and if I check my pulse it feels like a skipped beat, but it’s actually a PVC. I remember “Tom” saying that he had them for ten years and his doctor said “they won’t kill you”, but for a newbie they are uncomfortable and scary. For me, before I knew what they were, I thought something was very wrong and at 1:00 AM my wife took me to the emergency room - 5 hours later, nothing found. ------ So the lesson learned … Either before or after your PM, talk to your doctor and ask lots of questions about what you could / should expect and what you may feel … your heart won’t stop, but it will be different”. 

What I think I found a little later on, at least for me, when I’m not doing much and my heart rate gets into the high 50’s or low 60’s; again my lower rate is set to 55) I tend to get more PVC’s sometime 2 a minutes - they are scary until you know what they are. I do take Magnesium with Taurate and while I can’t be sure, I think they keep the PVC’s in check for me.  Usually none, once in a while perhaps 1 to 3 a minute at most, just for a few minutes.  Sipping water slowly can also slow them down.

Also, stop caffeine, reduce sugar, chocloate and alchohol - they are contributors to PVC's.

They are really scarry till you know what they are .... and they will occur from time to time when you least expect them.