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Hi all, hope you are all doing ok, I am 2 years post pm now for SSS, Bradicardia and I also have Afib. I'm taking meds for the afib.I have been noticing that I am short of breath and have slight chest pain when I lean foreward, eg; working at my bench or typing this. I have just had a stress test which showed some abnormality when I first started the exercise, I also notice this when riding my bike which I do for exercise, I find it really tough going for the first mile or so until my blood starts pumping properly. These symptoms have been coming on gradually so I havn't taken much notice until now.
I am worried I might have something blocking up and restricting blood flow from or too the heart, anyone had similar symptoms???
Regards to all, Ian.

3 Comments

Me, too!

by CanadianKirk2 - 2008-08-30 02:08:54

I have had my pacemaker (Guidant 1290, 2 lead) for 9 months. I also got it because of SSS, bradycardia, and a lone episode of atrial fibrillation that landed me in the hospital. The atrial lead displaced almost immediately and I was advised to leave it alone. I had to have 5 adjustment made in the first 4 months because of intolerable symptoms. The last adjustment was to set the lower setting from 50 bpm to 30 bpm. This helped in my particular situation and I have been relatively symptom free except for a relatively faint flutter that I feel occasionally throughout the day. With the change of setting I went from 50% pacing in the ventricle to almost zero.

Lately I have been noticing an ever so slight shortness of breath, no pain like you, however. I mentioned this to my doctor and he sent me for a nuclear stress test, echocardiogram, and 48 hour holter moniter. I just completed the last of the tests yesterday so have not yet received the results.

From your comments I see that your doctor is aware of your symptoms. Keep after him/her to continue on with the investigation. Also, read up on shortness of breath. There are other causes of this symptom.

Good luck.

CanadianKirk

Lower rate works....

by Terry - 2008-08-30 03:08:47

Lowering the pacemaker rate setting forced the heart's conduction system to provide its natural physiological contraction, resulting in less heart failuire and stroke according the publisned literature. Now there are leading doctors who are acutally pacing the heart's conduction system, the His bundle, for the same reason. If you want you can find a doctor who can place the lead in that location for a contraction that doesn't bypass the heart's conductoin system, pormising a better outcome for you.

Terry

Could be GERD

by ElectricFrank - 2008-08-31 02:08:15

Your description sounds a lot like GERD. Leaning forward at the computer compresses your stomach and forces acidic contents into your esophagus creating the pain. The same thing can happen with the bicycle riding or fast walking. I think what happens after a mile or so is that the constant motion causes the stomach contents to move further down into the intestines which relieves the problem. It can be a pretty intense pain which can radiate up into the jaw.
I tend to have that problem and had it diagnosed as Variant Angina. My solution is using one of the acid control meds. I started with Tagamet and then when it seemed to be losing it's effectiveness I went to Prilosec OTC. I haven't had a problem since.

Just a thought,

frank

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