new recipient of a pacemaker

Hello🌺🌺

by Lavender - 2023-10-22 17:28:53

Four days in and you can expect weird heart signals and various pressures and pain. Your body is healing. Tissues and nerves have been cut. 
 

You may have a home monitor (?) if so, it would alert your heart team if anything was amiss. I don't know the protocol in the UK. 
 

I would think you should soon have a wound check, again I don't know how soon you're seen in your country. Mine was at one week then at five weeks I also had a pacemaker check in the USA. 

There has been a lot of discussion on Apple Watches here. You can go to the magnifying glass above and type in Apple Watch or Fitbit. You will find lots of links there.

Your heart is adjusting. I would think it would be set higher than you mentioned. Most are set at a low of 60bpm or higher. 

I have also seen posts where the accuracy of fitbits is interefered with by the pacemaker in some cases. 

 

Thank you

by Ticketyboo - 2023-10-22 18:35:32

Thanks for your response Lavender 

An experiment

by Lavender - 2023-10-22 20:48:01

Try checking your pulse manually. Find it on your neck and count the beats in 15 seconds. Multiply that by 4. See what you get. 
 

You could also use a pulse/ox finger gauge. I have found those to be accurate. 

Great profile name!

by LondonAndy - 2023-10-23 14:05:07

Can't help with the questions, but just wanted to say that!

Heart rate

by piglet22 - 2023-10-24 08:12:26

Did the cardiology people give you a Pacemaker card on discharge?

There should be a figure on it like IPG rate (IPG is Implanted Pulse Generator).

The rate is in BPM (Beats per Minute) or sometimes m-1 (meant to be m supercscript minus one).

60 BPM is popular. It's meant to be a minimum.

45 to 49 BPM seems slow to me.

Check manually, wrist radial or invest in a BP monitor and/or oximeter

Your oxygen levels sound fine as long as they keep above 90%

Thank you Piglet

by Ticketyboo - 2023-10-24 09:28:04

Yes I was given a St Jude card and a paper slp . On the paper slip under the heading IPG it has base rate [??] min-1.

I do have my own blood pressure monitor because I do have white coat hypertension. I have noticed  that my BP   has been a bit on the high side and pulse rate  has shown between 59-60 beats .The lower pukse 45-50 tend to be when I am lying down. 
I have taken a couple o very f short walks and have been amazed how high my heart rate my heart rose despite the the shortness of the walk and on level ground. This was on  Sunday 3 days afteer the implant,  it went has high 136 but yesterday on the same walk 104 so I guess things are settling down. Really appreciate these comments,  this is all so new  

Ticketyboo

by piglet22 - 2023-10-24 13:02:21

I would get back to your cardiology people and get them to explain a few things.

You might not have a minimum IPG rate set. It's a bit confusing for anyone who had to read the card to see IPG ??. It needs sorting or clarifying. If you had to present it for some reason in say A&E it could delay things while it gets confirmed.

If you have an IPG rate set and someone hasn't filled it in, you need to know. If it is set, your pulse/heart rate should not be going below the minimum. Mine was set to 60 BPM and was consistently correct when measured by blood pressure monitor for 18-years.

When my first PM was replaced, they managed to get the year wrong on the card. They can have bad days too.

This year I had new rhythm problems that evidenced as BPM below the set rate, sometimes as low as 30 BPM. Knowing the IPG rate was key to getting some further investigation.

Was 45 BPM your rate before pacemaker? It doesn't add up.

Your BP monitor is suggesting that the PM is set to 60-BPM - don't worry about 59 or even 58.

I can't explain the 45 to 49 BPM.

I wouldn't want to see your heart rate on fairly gentle exercise going much above the figures you've been getting, but your heart might take a while to get used to the new way of working.

Keep an eye on things and perhaps keep some records.

I can't speak for FitBits or similar as I don't have one.

A decent BP monitor is essential. Upper arm type. I've used an Omron M10-IT for years and it consistently gives good results for BP, pulse rate and erratic events. It has a memory which can be downloaded.

I sometimes take an oximeter out with me and take a reading twice a day like the BP.

It may be the oximeter (ChoiceMed, same as the GP's), but I find it's not as good as the BP monitor if the pulse is erratic. It seems to get stuck on the first readings. At times, my pulse is so erratic, neither instrument will do a reading.

The BP monitor is my go to device, backed up by oximeter and manual pulse.

I’ll be honest and never found the routine clinics very helpful. Information was never offered other than battery life and sometimes that had to be asked for.

Do you have a bedside monitor – the norm now – or an application on a mobile phone?

Early days yet, so don’t worry.

Reply to Piglet

by Ticketyboo - 2023-10-25 05:15:49

Thanks again  Piglet I am waiting for an appointment for the 6 week check up so will query this then. It may have been left blank in case it needs a tweak. My resting pulse on my fit bit is now going up to 52. Pre implant it would be about 45. Starting to feel more energised and wound is healing nicely. Just now concerned about my rather high blood pressure. It's always perfect after a glass or two of wine but can't medicate on wine🤣🤣 Best wishes 

Ticketyboo

by piglet22 - 2023-10-27 08:08:21

You might be able to increase your BP medication with the PM fitted.

Pre PM I was restricted on how much Atenolol (beta blocker) I could take which I found very effective.

Post PM, I'm now on the maximum BB dose of 10-mg Bisoprolol without ill effect.

Personally, I see red wine as a medicine. If you feel well and have something to look forward too, it works wonders, like Guiness.

As just think of all the health benefits of those polyphenols.

In the interest of science, I'm looking into the benefits of homemade sloe gin and have just made the last batch and might test round about Xmas time.