Pacs

PACs

by piglet22 - 2024-07-07 05:21:29

Hello 

I can't speak for PACs, but can for PVCs.

Many people have these ectopic beats with no real effect on their other than the odd sensation

 I used to call them my hump back bridge moment.

Ectopics come and go, but if frequent enough, become more than a nuisance.

I had 18 years of trouble free pacemaker experience until last year, ectopics started in earnest.

Yes, dizziness, lightheaded, low erratic pulse, low blood pressure and eventually, full blackouts and falls.

I was promised a Holter but that never happened.

How can you get a palpable pulse of 40 BPM when the PM is set to 70 BPM?

Quite simply ectopics upset the PM timing.

There doesn't seem to be a settings solution and there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm to investigate them further.

The solution in my case was to increase the dose of beta blocker (Bisoprolol) to 10 mg daily which I have reduced to 7.5 mg.

The ectopics have largely stopped but the downside is the exercise fatigue. From keen cyclist to stop start walker in a year.

I guess it's something you have to accept.

I'll be having a new device in the next year so it will be an opportunity to see if a different device takes into account the ectopics.

Hope that helps.

PAC, PVS, Winchebach, and SVT am I missing one?

by Giggi - 2024-07-07 10:04:03

I started with arrthmymias when I was 17 yrs old. That began my bouts of SVT back in the early 70's and our family doc told my parents to give me a shot of liquor to cure it. OK, we all know that doesn't work. Move on down, to having bouts of SVT lasing 5-6 hrs and having to go to the ER to get them to stop. I hated the med they would give me as it would litterary stop my heart.

In the early 80's I got an ablation when it became available to stop the SVT's although that left me with Winchebach. (my PR interval gets longer and longer until it drops a beat). Now, it I get SVT it doesn't last long at all, per the recordings on my pacermaker report. However  I do get thousands of PVC's and PAC's which are benign. They are annoying, but at my age (late 60's) I have grown used to them. I am on Metroprolol Succ. for my AFib and that med can be increased due to the high rate of arrythmias showing up on my Pacemaker report however I refused at this time. They are annoying but I can live with it for now. We shall see what happens. 

Jane, I wish you the best in your cardiac journey. I know it can be nerve wracking at times. Good luck.

PVCs

by piglet22 - 2024-07-07 11:56:35

If you are feeling dizzy and lightheaded, that is warning that ectopics are becoming significant and may be affecting the pacemaker timing.

I say may, and all cases are different.

If you can feel pauses in your pulse rate, it's because the pacemaker isn't filling the gaps.You can get into the situation where the clinic will say the device is working fine, which technically it is, but your pulse tells you otherwise. If you have an IPG base rate of say 70 BPM and say radial pulse, BP monitor and oximeter are reporting something lower, say 30 to 40 BPM, it needs investigation.

If it does go to blackouts, I can tell you that they come without warning. You do not want to be at the top of the stairs when that happens.

Before the beta blockers were increased, I had to judge by pulse rate when to get up from sitting to avoid keeling over.

Pauses in heart rate

by JaneJ - 2024-07-07 22:07:42

Hi, thanks so much for all comments and advice.  Pigket, yes I do feel many periods of pausing with my heart rate when checking my pulse at the wrist.  And yes, I certainly have come extremely close to blacking out, unfortunately once while driving.  My EP left it with saying that I may need some medication started, I guess depending on whether or not they go away.  It really came out of nowhere for me.  I was fine like a month ago and now I'm not.  He also mentioned coming to clinic for some adjustments to the pacemaker.  And your completely correct when you said the "clinic will say the pacemaker is working correctly"...I ended up pushing to have a holter monitor done, as I knew that something wasn't right as almost passing out while driving is not exactly normal ( :

I guess I will advocate more for myself for a medication to be started if I continue with feeling crappy...As well as, a visit to the pacemaker clinic also.  Thanks for all the insight and knowledge everyone, I am grateful 🙏

Greying out

by Lurker (Doc DX) - 2024-07-07 23:52:19

About 8 or 9 years ago before I had my PM implanted I was driving home from the gym when I started to grey out. I started to pull over and for some reason I forced a cough. Everything snapped right back to normal.

i can't say it will work for everyone every time but it it certainly worked for me when I needed it.

Doc DX