6 months in and today was a weird day

I am 6 months in and just had a weird day I was wondering if anyone can help me out with. I have been doing a pretty good job post implant and have gotten into a good routine of exercising daily up to about 2 weeks ago when my work schedule changed but I don't think this is related. Anyway, today at work I started to feel a little weird, like something wasn't right and then suddenly it was like pre-pacemaker, light headed, weird feelings in my gut/chest and the a pulse check confirmed my HR was slow, probably at the 50 bpm that is my low end (my RHR is in the high 50's). Had to go and chill out for about 20 minutes and I seemed to feel better but three more times I felt these weird feelings. Got home, shoveled the walk and felt fine but I do feel fatigued and at the same time kind of buzzing. I would almost say panic attack but it came on with nothing to be panicy about.

Anyway, my diag was a 2nd degree intermittent heart block (I am fine 99% of the time per my pacer tech), Sick Sinus Syndrome and the pacemaker was put in due to syncope due to my heart completely stopping for seconds at a time. Plan on calling my cardiologist tomorrow (besides fatigued feel fine right now although still a little 'buzzy') but was wondering if anyone else has had these symptoms and any ideas what could be the cause.

Thanks gang... you guys have gotten me this far. BTW, I am an otherwise healthy 50 year old who was tested for all other sorts of heart disease and my cardio told me I am in great shape but for my screwed up exercise system. Work out a hard hour at least 4 days a week (80-95% MHR in my workouts) and have never felt anything during my workouts. But this kind of threw me, not to mention my boss who was freaked out when I told her I just needed a few minutes to get myself back together.

4 Comments

Not screwed up exercise system

by COBradyBunch - 2009-12-08 10:12:57

That was supposed to be screwed up electrical system. Sorry bout that.

Ask about rate drop response

by bowlrbob - 2009-12-09 02:12:40

Ask your Dr. if setting the rate drop response might help you. How this works is the pacer detects your hear rate going down too fast. Then it kicks the heart rate up for a prescribed amount of time. This stops the dizziness and syncope.

To give you an idea in my case my EP set my heart rate up to 70 bpm. Then he turned on the rate drop response. When my heart tries to stop the pacer kicks my hr up to 100bpm for 2 minutes. Then it goes back to 70. This has worked for me for 4 years now. The 70bpm keeps me from getting to tired. Normal hr is 72.

They try to keep you lower to increase battery life in the pacer. But i vote for quality of life over battery life. Bowlrbob

Going to see doc today

by COBradyBunch - 2009-12-10 10:12:33

Due to my little event my doc wants to see me today. First thing out of the nurses mouth was meds but from everything I have heard about meds I want to stay away from them as much as possible. Worked out yesterday and felt great working out and took my HR way up there as I did a hill assault workout on the spin bike. If I could only keep in a constant workout mode (HR > 120) I think I would be fine all the time.

No cardiac cause

by COBradyBunch - 2009-12-11 09:12:50

Saw my doc today and when they interrogated my pacer they found no cause for my recent lightheadedness episode. They are thinking about vasovagal issues possibly being the cause but unless it happens again they aren't going to bother with a tilt table or anything else. Told to update my fluid intake and maybe add some salt to my diet. Other than that see my follow up post for the other interesting thing they found.

You know you're wired when...

You forecast electrical storms better than the weather network.

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