Pulse and Anxiety/Depression
I had my pacemaker put in last week. I had a horrible surgery experience, but I'm starting to feel better. I notice that I do have a lot more energy and everyone tells me I have more color. I'm coping ok so far, it's starting to hit me that I'll have this in me forever. I'm 26 I was born with a complete heart block. I've always known that I would need a pacemaker but I was caught of guard when my doctor wanted to do it a week after my recent check-up appointment. I'm having a lot of anxiety. I check my pulse constantly. Before the pm I was at a rate of 34 bpm. My base rate now is at 50. I've been noticing that my pulse still drops in the 30's and I also have skipped beats or palpatations. I thought the base rate would not allow my pulse to dip into anything below 50. Does anyone else have this problem. I have a follow up appointment next week. I was thinking about asking for anxiety medication. I've been worrying about everything and I'm getting a little depressed too..what should I tell my doctor next week? Its just been hard not being able to really relate to anyone.
9 Comments
Pulse and Anxiety/Depression
by thecrazyone25702 - 2010-10-15 11:10:12
I went through the same thing. After I got my pm I was mad and kept thinking that I know its forever. I was 28. That was two years ago. And sometimes it does still bothers me. But you have to think of how better you are now. I had low bpm before as well. Now I have a lot more energy. You def need to stop worrying about checking your pulse so much. That wont help even though it's hard for you. I am sure they will set your to higher base rate. I had mine adjusted my follow up appt. Ask your doc if the base rate is high enough if its in the 30's its def not. One thing I found is you can't be your own doc too much. Sometimes its good to check things but you can driver yourself crazy with it too. Just try not to worry if you can.
Hi & Welcome
by Pookie - 2010-10-15 11:10:25
The 1st thing that popped out to me was you said your pulse still drops into the 30s....you need to have that checked right away. If your base rate is 50 your pulse should not be going that low.
Call your doctor or whoever put your pacemaker in as soon as possible. I'm not trying to scare you, but that is not suppose to happen.
As far as checking your pulse yourself, I think we are all guilty of that. I did it 50+ times a day, it became a terrible habit. However, with time, you will stop doing that.
The depression, stress, or anxiety you are experiencing is also very very normal. It is extremely common for pacemaker patients to get Ativan, Xanax or something like that just to get us over the hump. If it continues, perhaps you should seek a therapist, again, many of us had to do that too. It's good to be able to talk to someone who is not a family member or friend of what is going on. It works wonders, in my opinion. I still go at least once a month and I got my pacer back in 2004 when I was 42. It's just nice to be able to vent:)
Skipped beats and weird palps are very common too. Your heart is adjusting. Now, if they continue for hours on end, that is another matter. Just keep a little diary of what is going on and what you were doing, along with any questions you may have for your doctor.
I'll private email you an article of what to expect that is very helpful (it was to me).
Again, please call as soon as you can about your pulse going down into the 30s if it is happening a lot because it could mean one of your wires fell....which is not uncommon either...mine fell 3 times.
Keep us posted and I'm glad you found this site. You'll be amazed at how many members will reach out to support you.
Take care,
Pookie
Could be PVCs
by MSPACER - 2010-10-16 09:10:15
Hi there, and welcome to the club. It is normal to feel a little anxious, but I will try to explain a little bit about how pacers work when you are having skipped beats or premature ventricular contractions. If you are having pvc's, like I do a lot, the pacer counts those as beats, even though they aren't full beats. Therefore, the more anxiety you have, the more PVC's you will have! When you take your pulse you count less beats than the low setting of 50, because you are getting pvcs, and the pacer is counting those pvc's as beats so it thinks that it is pacing you at 50. However, you cannot feel the pvcs as a beat when you take your pulse. Pookie could also be correct about the lead, so you should definitely get that checked, but I suspect the PVC issue and the pacer settings. I have the same exact problem, and when I first got my pacer 8 years ago, it took several re-programmings to get the settings correct. The doctor should probably raise your lower rate to 60, and may have to adjust the sensing and pacing parameters to deal with skipped beats. It's probably a good idea to get both possibilities checked. Most of all-please relax!
Thought
by ElectricFrank - 2010-10-16 10:10:28
You say you will have the pacemaker in you forever.Just keep in mind that having the pacer may extend forever by quite a few years. If I didn't have this little beast in my chest for the last 5 years, I doubt I would have been concerned about it (or nothing else for that matter).
So me and it are great friends.
frank
Anxiety Attacks!
by donb - 2010-10-17 06:10:56
Welcome to the anxitiers! I have learned over the many years how my mind's thinking can really raise havock with how our heart performs. Now that is with or without a PM. I have had 60 years without, 17 years with PMs', 2months without, and now aabout 1 1/2 years with my 4th PM. I can induce heart skips, PVCs', irregular beat by just taking my pulse. What's even worse is I have very protuding veins as a skinny person so I have a built in monitor on the inside of my elbow. Visually I can see every beat and also see the differance of a good series of beats and a weak beat.
Now, This is not good for me mentally as every time I check my HR skips happen, irregular beats, etc. Sooo, please cool it on checking your pulse. It you're wound tight as a "cat on a hot tin roof" it's a normal thing. I finally bought a Timex heart monitor watch and find I can take a sneak peek while on my treadmill and my HR is stable.
Where is really learned my heart's behavior as during my 2 months without my PM. During that period my mind's anxiety took over and I had to quit checking my pulse, had to break down and have my cardiac nurse wife check it for me. That works the best!! Sorry for the long lesson but it's only in support for you. Impress on yourself "I'm OK".
Enjoy your electronic friend. donb
Affecting our own heart beat
by ElectricFrank - 2010-10-17 11:10:57
donb,
You are right on about the way we can affect our hearts rhythm. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems have there tentacles well hooked up to our hearts at one end and brain at the other. Makes me wonder how many are unnecessarily medicated from being nervous during ECG's etc.
frank
Guess What?
by donb - 2010-10-18 10:10:02
Thanks Frank! It's now confirmed as my wife always says, "It's all in your head". donb
All in my head?
by ElectricFrank - 2010-10-19 01:10:15
If it's all in my head why didn't they hook the pacemaker to my head? They not only hooked to the wrong place they even ran the leads the wrong direction.
No wonder we have problems!! LOL
frank
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Doc gave me anxiety meds
by lahbigbro6 - 2010-10-15 10:10:52
Hello,
I received my pacemaker at 43 yrs old. My doctor gave me a very low dose of anxiety meds after putting my pacemaker in. It helped me relax and recover smoothly. I was on disablility for 8 weeks and relaxed and watched the New York Yankees. So, my advise is to get a low dose of meds and relax. Do not think about your pacemaker so much and the tech stuff !