Post surgery

How long your breathlessness lasts will depend on the cause?

by Gemita - 2024-09-20 05:42:13

Babesmom,

Thank you for your post and welcome.  I see Angry Sparrow has already given you good information.  

Breathlessness can be caused by many different health conditions as you can imagine.  Your Bio doesn’t state what the main indication was for your pacemaker?  For example some of us need a pacemaker for heart block or for bradycardia/tachycardia syndrome (sinus node disease), or to support us if we have heart failure or an arrhythmia.  Do you know what your actual diagnosis was by chance leading to your need for a pacemaker?  That would help us to answer your question.

I usually have no breathing difficulties when my heart is beating regularly and at a normal heart rate (between 60-100 bpm) but in the presence of a high heart rate or an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) like Atrial Fibrillation, I can experience breathing distress which is only relieved on cessation of the arrhythmia.

I don’t think any of us should assume that the pacemaker can cure all our symptoms.  While a pacemaker can certainly quickly treat heart block and bradycardia, it cannot stop an arrhythmia or be a cure for other health problems that may have contributed to the need for a pacemaker.  You may still need treatments for other health conditions present, like any lung disease or heart failure.  So the answer to your question depends on the cause for your breathlessness? 

A well set pacemaker can though make an enormous difference to how we feel, but it does take time for our hearts to settle down following implant and to get our settings optimised to suit our lifestyle and our heart condition. 

If however your breathlessness is not well tolerated, please do let your doctors know immediately in case it needs to be managed more effectively or further tests need to be carried out.  I hope things improve quickly for you

Angry Sparrow

by piglet22 - 2024-09-20 06:00:08

Hello AS

I was just wondering what the drugs are you mentioned,?

Apart from the local anaesthetic, on the two occasions I've been in, I haven't been offered or received any medication.

It's always been a fairly routine affair.

Gown on, walk from ward to lab, chat to surgeon, wheeled out, rest on ward for an hour or two, go home.

The first time round, it was "what music do you like?" 'You choose" Iggy Pop Passenger. There might have been others, but I was watching the fluoroscope screen.

The second time, even less ceremony as it was via the A&E entrance.

Maybe I'm lucky and heal in all respects quite quickly.

Had my RSV jab two days ago and no reaction at all.

Pacemaker update

by Babesmom - 2024-09-20 11:42:47

Just to let you know I got the PM because of Bradycardia 

Low heart rate, skipped beats & heart creating extra beats to make up for it.

When I went in for an Angiogram I has exhausted all other options 

Lungs were good, Pulmonary function was good but I waa completely breathless and felt constant pressure in my heart.

I was so bad I literally could not function on a daily basis 😫 

Thank you Babesmom for updating your history

by Gemita - 2024-09-20 12:49:19

I suppose your general doctor has checked your bloods too, particularly for anaemia.  If so, then Bradycardia and your rhythm disturbances are likely the main culprits, but one week on from implant we can still expect to have a few symptoms, especially before our settings have been optimised to suit us.

My symptoms actually got worse before they got better because my heart was over sensitive to being paced and to the trauma of the implant and it is a trauma for some of us.   However my symptoms were easing by 6 weeks and after a couple of months I started noticing real improvements with a higher heart rate setting, particularly with the skipped beats.  

I had my lower rate limit increased from 60 bpm to 70 bpm and this seemed to help reduce the total number of skipped beats I was getting.  It may not work for you but if you are pacing at 60 bpm, you could ask about trying a higher lower rate limit.  This can be effective for some of us.