Are you still tired?

I come and go periodically from this site as I continue to find answers to my ongoing issues since receiving my pacemaker almost 5 months ago. As I tell everyone, "My pacemaker and I still have not become friends." One friend recommended I take it out for drink, talk to it and get to know it. I replied that the problem is the darn thing never shuts up and keeps me awake all night. :)

So that being said, I had become so sick and tired of being tired. I was "super mom" and so full of life and energy before getting the pacemaker. Then it became all I could do to put one foot in front of the other each day as I was ALWAYS so tired. It has been even more frustrating as I read about others who actually felt more energetic since receiving their pacemakers, but I guess that is because I didn't already have a heart condition prior to going to the emergency room.

Well, I wanted to share with anyone out there who might still be feeling tired like I was. I think I may have found the answer for me and maybe others. I am currently being the guinea pig so to speak. I am following a strict diet laid out by a cardiologist who deals in pacemakers. After adhering to it for 6 straight days, I finally slept through the night for the first time since receiving the pacemaker and for 2 straight days my pacemaker never kicked on. The energy was returning. Then I went off the diet for 5 days and by day two the darn pacemaker was running as usual and no sleep was in sight for me. So, now I am back on the diet and this time for a month straight. So far so good and the best part is the pacemaker is silent and I am finally as energetic as I had been previously. My children are so happy to finally have their old mom back.

6 Comments

Interested in diet

by brightstar - 2011-02-17 02:02:21

Wow! That is wonderful that you can have a diet that actually makes you feel better with your pacemaker. I would be interested to learn this.
I, too, have been tired since receiving my pacemaker 2 1/2 years ago. It gets frustrating trying to balance what I want/need to do and still trying to rest.
Keep taking good care of yourself.

Please share:)

by nat36 - 2011-02-17 03:02:11

I have had my pacemaker over a year and I am tired all the time. It would be wonderul to be able to have a little energy back! I'm also a mom of teenagers and it is very hard to just have the energy to be a parent some days!! Could you share the diet with us? I'm willing to try anything at this point!

Hi:)

by Pookie - 2011-02-17 09:02:39

Please share the diet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL :)

I am also tired and I've had my pacemaker for 6 yrs. It would also be nice to have a bit of energy back in my life. I had my settings adjusted a year ago, and that helped tremendously, but I'm still not where I think I should be - energy wise.

thanks
Pookie

diet

by 6efrau - 2011-02-18 05:02:36

Ok, first let me preface this with I have no heart disease and take no medications. The nerve in my heart simply quit functioning and as the doctor stated I am the healthiest person into whom he has ever implanted a pacemaker. That being said, be sure to check with your doctor if you feel you should.

First, I was to eliminate all caffeine by slowly cutting back over the course of a week. I managed to eliminate everything except one cup of hot tea each morning. Second, I was to eliminate sugar and replace it with agave syrup. You can find this in the health food section of the grocery store and yes it is pricey, but you need to realize that this is to help you regain that energy. So, in anything you would normally use sugar, you would now use agave syrup.

Now the following foods are to be completely avoided for one month: banana, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, any type of peppers, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, hot dogs, cold cuts, canned meats, sausage, beef, pork, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, butter, mayo, soy products, wheat, oats, rye, alcohol, peanuts, pistachios, ice cream, soda.

Substitute olive oil mixed with garlic and herbs for salad dressing. Substitute almond butter for peanut butter. Substitute sea salt for regular salt. Substitute almond milk for regular milk.

Now the hardest thing to adjust to.....eat a smoothie or bowl of soup for dinner instead of a meal. Don't eat anything after dinner. Nothing until breakfast.

Be sure to drink plenty of water each day. The doctor says one should drink enough water so that you need to urinate hourly.

Once you have gone a month without the items listed above, slowly add them one by one back into your diet. As soon as something makes you feel blah again, don't eat it any more. Eliminate it permanently from your diet. You will know that this is the cause of your lack of energy.

Hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. Feel free to contact me if you have further questions or need clarification.

Me too please

by maureen.coxsey - 2011-02-18 07:02:18

I am just the same at times all i want to do is cry because i am so tired, its affecting my work and I am afraid i will loose my job so i will try anything.

wow

by Binky - 2011-02-20 07:02:32

i plan to try this as I have had my Pm since June 2010 and can do so much before hitting the wall and flaking . If I push to hard I need to rest for a couple of days doing only basic stuff. Thank you so very much Will let you know in a month how I do. best of luck to you

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