Newly implanted pacemaker

How have those who have pacemaker implants handle the PVCs that occur occasionally?

7 Comments

It depends

by Angelie - 2009-02-03 05:02:01

The first question I would ask you is how long you've had your pacemaker.
Sometimes, until they get you programmed to fit your lifestyle and individual needs- you can have PVC's kind of frequently. I also had them a lot as my body was getting used to being paced. For me they would come worse when I was lying down.
Since I don't know how long you've had your pacer, I would advise you to call your doctor, either that or make an appointment to get your pacer interrogated.
Usually when I complain about PVC's to my doc, he says to me, "well don't do that then!" It's one thing to say it, and another to not do.
I have a pacer and get them all the time, but there's nothing for me that can really be done.

Good luck, and I hope you get to feeling better with the PVC's. I know how aggravating they are.
-Angelie

Just got my pacemaker

by attybern - 2009-02-03 06:02:13

I was implanted 4 days ago. I have my first appointment with the cardiologist and the pacemaker tech next Monday.

You got some good advice and I will add

by BillMFl - 2009-02-03 07:02:32

They can make you very nervous, etc. but if the runs are fairly brief there isn't any significant health risk. The longer they last, the more potential risk they may have. Hopefully they can smooth thing out for you. I have frequent short runs and have learned to more or less ingnore them. The so called Vagal manuever works sometimes. Bear down like you are trying to take a big dump for 15 sec or so. Squeeze the abs. Worth a try.

Me too, I think...

by Katie - 2009-02-04 01:02:46

Hi all,
I am new to the club and new to a pacemaker myself. I am still having some weird symptoms and I think this might be what is happening.
Tell me please, what does a PVC feel like?
Katie

hmmmmm

by Angelie - 2009-02-04 02:02:32

PVC's to me feel like a flip flop, a feeling of a skipped beat, or pause followed by a gigantic beat. It all depends. I get them all the time in runs, which is easy to cause panic, but I've had them for a really long time and it's just a part of life. I just grimace a bit, try to relax and continue on. Sometimes people don't feel PVC's, and some do.
Your doctor will be able to tell what you are feeling by looking at your EKG. PVC's and PAC's are very evident on an EKG strip.
Hope you and your medical professionals can fingure out what it is that you're feeling. I know it can cause great anxiety not knowing.
Welcome,
Angelie

Nuisance but little risk

by ElectricFrank - 2009-02-04 12:02:00

PVC's are just a fact of life. Likely you had them before you got the pacer. Most people including athletes have them. They rarely seem to occur during heavy exercise. Mine are worse just after exercise if I relax and my HR and BP drop.

Stress and emotional excitement tend to aggravate them also.

frank

Thanks

by Katie - 2009-02-05 08:02:01

Thanks Angelie,
I just returned my holter to the clinic and am waiting for results. It doesn't happen all the time. Mostly after I have been busy and sit or lay down. Night time especially. Sometimes I feel dizzy and a little naseous with it. Same sort of thing though...it's like a
paaa-thump...if that can be considered a word. I feel better after reading these comments though. I just figured that I couldn't be feeling anything anymore...Thought that I was just imagining the sensations... My cardiologist keeps telling me not to worry that I should be happy to be alive...which I am...very much so...and that this will go away as my body gets used to the pacemaker...You are right though about the anxiety...it makes it worse. I hope I get some info from my holter.

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