DC Cardioversion

Has anyone had a DC cardioversion since pacemaker implant. I have had two of them now since my pacer implant 8/08, and am wondering the efficacy of them, as well as any potential damage to my pacer hardware.
I am having non-stop uncomfortable runs of arrhythmia and fear another hospitilization very soon if things don't settle down pretty quick.
Cardioversion shocked me into accelerated junctional rhythm, but I left the hospital in atrial flutter with variable AV block.
Every time I stand up, move around, walk, just plain sit- I'm dizzy headed, chest discomfort/heaviness, cough, and my heart is not beating right at all. It feels like pauses, but that should be impossible with my pacemaker.
I'm all confused now. Feel like I'm starting from scratch, and I feel horrible.
Electrical experts out there? comments, suggestions,

Thanks ya'll,
Angelie

Takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin', just a tad too much I think.

2 Comments

2 cardioversions?

by ShadowWeaver - 2009-04-02 02:04:07

Have you talked to your docs about possibly having a combination pacemaker/ICD installed? It may help stop some of the hospital visits by applying the cardioversion from the device when needed instead of having to be hospitalized for it. Also, what medications are you on to control your heart rhythm? Have you looked up the meds online to see how they interact with each other and what each does? When I first started having heart problems, the cardiologist that I was seeing put me on two meds that had bad interactions with each other which made everything worse. The best advice I would have is to keep yourself well informed. Make sure to look everything up yourself and don't just take their word on it. If all else fails, make sure to see an EP for a second opinion about what is going on.

Hope you get to feeling better, please keep up informed.

Cardioversion

by SMITTY - 2009-04-02 12:04:54


Hi Angelie,

I'm going to steer clear of commenting on the pros and cons of cardioversion. I know what they are and I know they are life savers for many, but since I've not had the electrical or chemical cardioversion I can't pass judgement.

However, you did mention one thing that caught my eye and since I have a lot of experience with that one, and I'm still trying to get some good answers, I will comment. You said "I'm dizzy headed, chest discomfort/heaviness, cough, and my heart is not beating right at all. It feels like pauses, but that should be impossible with my pacemaker." No more Pauses or skip beats or whatever, you choose to call them, since we have a pacemaker is what we are all led to believe, but it just ain't so. My problem with skip beats (along with other problems that I was told my PM would prevent) has been going on for more than two years now. I've asked cardiologists, electrophysiologist, the nurses and technicians in the PM clinic I patronize about this many times. I've gotten many different answers and to be truthful I think the best answer was "I don't know."

Another answer that I think I can understand is my PM is an on demand type, like most of them. Now please forgive me if I insult your intelligence with the following, but to me the on demand PM checks to see if our heart's natural PM is going to send an impulse to make our heart beat before doing anything. If it determines no impulse is forthcoming from the heart's natural PM, then it will send one to make our heart beat and that is where the problem lies.

Sometimes our heart's natural PM will indicate that it is going to make the heart beat, but that impulse is too weak to actually cause viable heart beat, but our PM can detect this signal. So the manmade PM thinks the heart's natural PM is going to make the heart beat and it does nothing and waits for the next heart beat cycle to see if it is needed.

To make a long story a little shorter, our heart's natural PM is faking out our manmade PM thus we get the skip beats. So, yes you can have pauses or skip beats even though you have a PM. If I understand all this correctly, there are adjustments in our PM for such things as sensitivity, timing and I don't know what else, that can help the problem. But there must be limits because they have never made any worthwhile adjustments to mine.

Good luck,

Smitty

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