Pacemaker Club: HEART FAILURE

HEART FAILURE

by BOOTS
2020-09-09 18:49:51
Conditions, Meds & Tests
1013 views
2 comments

I JUST VISITED MY HEART SURGEON AND HE SAID MY PACEMAKER IS WORKING FINE BUT THE SYMPTOMS I'VE BEEN HAVING FOR 1 MONTH INDICATE I'M IN HEART FAILURE AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN CA. FOR THE WINTER AND SINCE COMING BACK EAST I HAVE BEEN IN TACHYCARDIA AND BRADYCARDIA AND PULSE RATE UP TO 114.. I THOUGHT THE PACEMAKER TOOK CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS IS WHY I GOT THE PACEMAKER IN THE FIRST PLACE. SINCE COMING BACK, I HAVE A NEW CARDIOLOGIST I SEE IN A WEEK'S TIME WHO I NEVER HAVE SEE AND MY PRIMARY CARE DR. LEFT WHILE AWAY. I HAVE A NEW PRIMARY CARE DR. I SEE THIS FRIDAY 9/11..

HAVE ANYONE OF YOU BEEN IN THIS SITUATION AND WHAT CAN I EXPECT. I'M 79 YR. OLD FEMALE AND HAD MY PACEMAKER IMPLANT IN 12/2018.

THANKS FOR ANY ADVISE,YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH ME. BOOTS

2 Comments

techycardia, heart failure

by AgentX86 - 2020-09-09 22:58:01

Hi Boots. Welcome back.

All a pacemaker can do is speed up the heart. They cannot slow it down. They can fix Bradycardia but do nothing for tachycardia. On the other hand pacemaker may allow strong or a higher dose of drugs to bring the heart rate down because the pacemaker will protect you on the downside.

Heart failure complicates things. Often people are put on a diuretic to get rid of excess fluid but these are hard on the kidneys so it can be a narrow line. My mother was playing that balancing act for a decade or more. I am a bit surprised that you have to wait that long to be seen, though.

Heart failure

by Carlypollina - 2020-09-29 00:49:22

Hello,

I have a pacemaker but also have worked for St Jude in the device industry as a sales representative / technician. A simple pacemaker cannot fix heart failure UNLESS you have a BIV ( Bi- ventricular pacemaker).

A typical pacemaker has two leads but a BI- ventricular pacemaker has three. This makes the heart pump more uniform and together making the heart stronger. When you have heart failure the heart can become enlarged and weak.

ask your doctor if you have a BI - ventricular device and ask him what your Ejection fraction is. I can help you if you get me your device settings and more information on this.

thanks!