Pacemaker and Covid

I had my pacemaker changed out last October after ten years. No problems.

In June I returned home from Ireland after a three weeks vacation. Two days later I tested positive for covid. It was brutal but I survived. I had a really strange symptom and I am wondering if anyone else has too.

My heart rate was dropping to the 30 and then I could see it coming up back to 70 which is where my pacer is set. This continued for eleven days. I actually passed out three times from it. I called my doctor office and told them I was worried my pacer wasn't working and what was happening. They immediately did an interrogation through my monitor and assured me the pacemaker was ok. I was told to keep track of it and if I was worried I could go to ER and would probably be admitted for observation. The thoughts of being stuck in a hospital bed sounded like torture the way I was feeling. I opted to stay home with my husband who also had it but he had no heart issues and less severe.

My heart rate is ok now but I am wondering if anyone else has gone through this. 

I am not vaccinated. Nor will I be.

2 Comments

interrogation

by Tracey_E - 2022-07-27 16:04:28

Did the interrogation show the rate of 30? How did you count when it was 30? 

All the interrogation shows is what the pacer is doing. It's possible you've got something else going on. If you passed out and your rate is consistently well below what the pacer is programmed to do, you need to be seen. Covid can do damage to the heart.

COVID

by Julros - 2022-07-28 20:54:11

External monitors, including pulse oximeters and watches are not accurate means of counting your pulse. They will sense your pulse for a few beats and then calculate your pulse from that. If you have pvcs, you may not have a detectable pulse, but your heart and pacer sense a beat reset and it will seem like you missed a beat. Unless you are palpating and counting your pulse for a full minute, it is doubtful that you sustained a heart rate of 30, and if you did, you would feel very weak, possibly lightheaded and or short of breath. 

I am vaccinated and have been boosted twice. I had Covid in this year, and had no symptoms. I only found out I was positive when screened for a procedure. 

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I had a pacemaker since 2002 and ever since then my life has been a total blessing.