Heart spasm after peacemaker replacement...?:(

Hello everyone!
I had my pacemaker replaced on Oct-30-07. It was upgraded from a dual to a Biventricular Pacemakers by Guidant. And I am not doing well at all. Right after the replacement I started getting chest pains. It is not only a pain but I feel tightness and pressure in my chest and in my trough at the same time. At first I thought that probably the settings just needs to be adjusted at that new pacer. After calling that electrophysiologyst who did that surgery I was told that my new pacemaker is set exactly the same as my old was. And was told to go to my cardiologist because from the description of that pain and my previous history I probably have a blockage in my heart. It dos feel very similar to that pain before my heart attack. I had a heart attack about 7-years ago, at that time I got 2-stents in my heart. By now I have five of them, because they do clog sometimes.
Yesterday I got two tests: echo & enjogram. The echo test was to see if maybe their are some problems with that new lead (the third one). After the enjogram I was told that I have a muscle spasm in my heart. I have never heard of that before. Did anyone in this club had that? or heard anything about that? I am just very scarred. I just don't think that my heart or me can handle any additional problems. I feel already like a walking "robot." I am totally dependent, my Av-node was ablated about 5-years ago. Not mentioning that not too long ago I find out that I have a cyst on my ovary. My mother died from ovarian cancer. I just couldn't take care of that, because my pacemaker needed to be replaced first. The battery was running "low."

I would appreciate very much any info. on that subject.
Yesterday I was prescribed Verapamill 180MG once a day. I remember taking that medication before my Av-nobe ablation, but it was prescribed for a different problem.

Thanks to all of you girls, who provided all that info. on that pacemaker placement. My new pacemaker is placed under the muscle this time.

Thank you all for everything,
Krys

1 Comments

Experienced the same....

by ADalsmom - 2007-11-13 11:11:00

Hi Krys....

I went through a similar situation that you did. On Oct. 1, I went thru an AV node ablation and my dual chamber PM was replaced with a biventricular version. I didn't have a heart attack or any blockages so our background is a little different. I had a severe case of atrial fibrillation and this was the last procedure they could do. I also asked that they place it under the muscle, as opposed to just under the skin as with my prior PM....it was a more painful recovery, but there is no discomfort all the time, as with my other. I am pleased with that. The closest thing I had to a heart spasm was right after I came out of the anesthesia and my chest was in spasms. The PM tech came in and adjusted the settings and said that at times, the electrical impulse in the 3rd lead can trigger a nerve in your diaphragm and puts it into spasms. Since the initial episode, at times, especially when I feel hungry I feel a throbbing in that diaphragm area...but it is minor compared to the first time. I've also done some reading and they say that it's common to have a hiccup sensation at times with that type of PM. I don't know if this helps in any way but I thought I'd pass on my story. Hope that you'll feel up to getting your cyst taken care of, now that your PM is replaced. Sometimes I know that I've wanted to give up.....but I guess we need to trust that our doctors will do all they can to bring us closer to being normal. I feel 100% better since the heart resynchronization....I was able to drop all the heart meds and my heart is in rhythm again! Wishing you the best of luck....be positive!!!
Claudia

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