Questions for son's first annual check up

• by lanena85
• 2017-11-20 08:26:55
• Checkups & Settings
• 1286 views
• 0 comments

Good morning everybody.

I have been actively following these forums since my son (12yr) had his pacemaker placement October 2016 for a high grade 2nd degree heart block and low hr. The bradycardia could possibly be aggrivated by his medicine, but he needs the medicine to live a functional life (for aspergers/ADHD). He now has his first annual checkup tomorrow. At the last checkup (6 months), he was pacing between 45-50% of the time. He had some adjustments then because his pacemaker was overpacing due to a weakening of his heart impulses causing heart palpations. They said that his natual heart signals have gotten weaker since implantation. He said that there wasn't much futher we could adjust it. 

Since then, he has had some incidents of getting dizzy, or a headache after running. He is a very active boy and participates in soccer. He also has had many times of feeling like electric shooting by his pacemacer/under his arm. The Electrophysiologist looked at it by phone, and said that he may be able to feel it since the sensativity was up so high. He said that normally people can't feel it when the pacemaker kicks in, but my son can. Sometimes when sitting, sometimes when going through certain metal detectors. The one at the library gets him everytime if he doesn't speedwalk through it.

My son has a class trip in the spring across the country for a week. I am worried about him going and having problems, but this is a once in a lifetime trip. I will definately ask for clearance and let the doctor know that he has continued to have dizzy spells. He had a stress test at 6 months due to the dizziness, and quickly getting tired. The stress test showed that he had no problem getting his heart rate up, sometimes too high (200bmp). He does not have a top rate for the pacemaker. 

He has also has an opportunity to play soccer on a year round basis for a team, but will need the doctors permission.The doctor had said that he can play previously, but also said no physical sports. With him stepping up into higher leagues it will get more and more physical, but soccer is his life. I have gotten him a pacemaker guard that he wears when playing now. 

Beyond asking about the trip, and permission to play soccer in a more agressive league, what other questions would be good to ask the doctor?