Understanding my pacemaker

Hi there,

i had a dual chamber pacemaker fitted in august due to 2nd degree heart block! I have had the settings changed from 60 to 70 due to low blood pressure which made me feel very light headed! My ep also put me on midodrine which made me very unwell with very high blood pressure.

Have come off the midodrine but am very weak in legs and unable to excercise!  My ep said he doesn't think I need to see him again and go to local hospital to have settings changed down to 60 if I felt better!! Feeling very abandoned and wonder should I get another cardiologist? What questions should I be asking regards settings, at  the last change the technician said I was set st 70 and the rest of settings were very high, what does this mean?

Any advise would be appreciated!

5 Comments

Understanding pacemaker

by soggy123 - 2019-11-17 14:07:55

Hi there,

The technician I spoke with is in a different hospital to the ep! 

 

We are not doctors!

by donr - 2019-11-17 18:02:16

But do some research & get to a new EP or someone who KNOWS high BP and its complications.  You can see the same stuf we can here in the US.  Midodrine is not a really welcome Med here.  Our Food & Drug Admin is eyeing it suspiciously, as it has caused problems. 

A couple questiions:

)0  Did you have HBP before you got the PM?

2)  which came first after the HBP - raising your HR or starting Midodrine?  How far apart did the two corrective actions take place?

3) did you go cold turkey off Midridone or wean yourself off? 

4) Your body detoxifies Mididrone very fast - in 3-4 hrs it is down to 1/2 the starting concentration - in roughly 20 hours it is effectively GONE. 

5)  There is nothing on the web about long term aftereffects like you mention.

You need to see someone who really knows HBP/LBP & all its meds for correction 

6)  Unless Irish doctorrs are different than US ER Docs, the ER is not the place to go for this.

Donr

understanding

by soggy123 - 2019-11-17 18:53:36

Hi there

i did not have high blood pressure until midodrine was introduced, I had very low blood pressure since pacemaker implant!

settings changed from 60 to 70 and midodrine introduced on the same day, that's when it all has gone downhill badly for me!

Ended up in ER with high blood pressure, palpitations, dizziness! They told me to come off the midodrine so stopped it cold turkey.

Have tried to contact my EP to no avail, his nurse rang me to say change settings in your local hospital to 60 if you want!!

Very unhappy with his follow up and feeling helpless as to what to do next to be honest!

 

 

Pretty shabby treatment

by donr - 2019-11-17 23:05:47

I'd say find a new EP ASAP.  He should ot have palmed you off on another Hosp or an ER.  You did not say - is he a long distance away?  Is there another hosp w/ PM capability closer?

This is not something the averaage bear ER DOC or plumber type cardio can handle - no training for it.

Donr

Thank you

by soggy123 - 2019-11-18 13:24:02

Thank you for your help, the ep is two hours away! I have decided to get a new cardiologist and have a full work up, I had no tests done only an echo and pacemaker implant!

i need a cardiologist I can speak to not one who dismisses me over the phone. This is a life changing experience and takes time to adjust to both physically and mentally!

Thank you again and stay well

 

 

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