PULSE

Hi everybody,

I had my 3rd pacemaker installed in Nov. of 2022. They were going to replace the 20 year old wires at the same time. One is causing interference. But the last minute they decided not to to, I think mainly because of the complications it could cause (bleeding?) and my age of 87 back then.

Immediately after that, my pulse at home was sometimes normal, but often between 38-48! Still going on 15 months later. The nurse at my Electrophysiologist's office told me to throw out my home cuff, also oximeter (the thing you put on your finger.) because my pacemaker is set to go no lower than 60. Have any of you seen anything like this?

Another story is: Last Aug 11th, my TSH was 7.15. Range is .4 to 4. My Endocronologist mailed me a script to have it checked in 1 mo. Now 10.25, so I had severe hypothyroidism. This was resolved in a month of the proper thyroid replacement med. I don't have a thyroid. But now the second bomb drops! Aug, 15th, 3 days later my Electrophysiologist's girl calls and says your pacemaker bedside monitor picked up a pulse of 122. You have to come right in. You have AFIB, and need blood thinner, and should have surgery for the Watchman instaled in your heart.This high pulse continued for a couple months.

Here's what I think: The hypothyroidism caused the AFIB!. Now that I don't have AFIB any longer, as the hypo has been corrected, I decided not to have the surgery, and I quit the blood thinner med. Many things can cause AFIB, not just thryoid hormone problems. I get that. They say hypEr thyroidism can likely cause AFIB, no so much hypOthyroidism. But I think my hypO did.

Any of you have an opinion on this?  Thanks, Roger.

 

1 Comments

AF Stroke Risk

by Gemita - 2024-02-11 15:10:51

Not sure that you are really looking for an opinion Roger.  It seems you have made up your own mind about your condition and what to do about it?  A thyroid problem can most definitely trigger an arrhythmia like AF, but so can many other conditions and I wouldn’t have total confidence that you are completely free from AF, even though you have your thyroid under firm control.   I am therefore uncertain just how safe you will be without stroke protection?  

It only takes a short run of AF to put us at considerable risk for an AF related stroke if we have risk factors.  And I see you have risk factors.   A major risk factor for AF will be your age, and you cannot control that.

Yes my base rate can appear to go lower than the set rate in certain circumstances, please see similar posts currently running.  I am experiencing this too due to my rhythm disturbances which may affect pacemaker timing.  However I see you also have a lead problem, so there is a lot going on that could be causing difficulties.

I have attached a calculator link on stroke risk which should be copied and pasted into your main browser to open in case it is of help.   You will see you have 2 points just for your age.  I held off for as long as I could, until a caring anticoagulation team found me a suitable anticoagulant that I could tolerate. It might be worth speaking to someone about your options again, unless you are happy to do nothing and I can respect that too.  Perhaps you could ask for some longer term external holter monitoring to see whether your AF has really disappeared before you make a decision.  Stay safe Roger 

https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/801/cha2ds2-vasc-score-atrial-fibrillation-stroke-risk

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I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.