PACEMAKER RATE

BEATTIE

by IAN MC - 2018-01-13 07:57:50

50 bpm may be too low for you and, if this is the case, then yes it would make you feel tired

We are all different when it comes to resting heart-rate and what is needed to pump enough oxygen around your body . I started off with a lower setting of 50 bpm . felt tired so had it raised to 55 . It really did make a big difference !

Often they are more concerned about battery life than they are about how you feel so don't give up. Ask to try 55 or 60 and see if it makes you feel better.

The sensing levels of the leads can be changed, i believe  by a simple voltage change ,so ask for that too.

Best of luck

Ian

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PM lower rate setting

by FaithGrace - 2018-01-13 15:15:03

Hi Beattie ...

My low setting is also 50.  My initial low setting was 40 and I was having dizzy spells at that low rate.  I’ve had my PM for almost a year and a half now for Complete Heart Block.  I do feel good overall with 50 as my low setting.  Once in a while I will have a day where I just don’t have much energy.  I find myself getting up and moving around to get my heart rate going a bit and for me that helps me feel better.

With your symptoms of severe fatigue, I would be asking my device check specialist to check with my EP to see about changing the lower setting.  Or call your cardiologist/EP’s office and talk to them about it.  I’m not sure which method is preferred.  

I hope they can also figure out your over-sensing lead issue for you also!  

Wishing you the best & keep us posted! 

TOO LOW

by NiceNiecey - 2018-01-13 15:55:06

Welcome to our club Bettie.

I think 50 BPM is too low.  FAITH GRACE: 40 BPM is just plain irresponsible! I can’t believe they did that to you!  I’m serious about that; makes question their medical expertise.

My resting heart rate before being paced was typically 76-80.  When they put in the PM, my low number was also set to 50 - about 30 BPM SLOWER than I was use to. That made me feel lousy I improved a lot once they upped it to 60. I had a slow recovery (in my opinion) and I often wonder if they’d raised it to 65 or 70 if that would have helped. But no need to second guess: I’m feeling great now.

Ian also made some excellent observations about preserving battery life.

Keep us posted!

Niecey

Thanks

by Beattie - 2018-01-14 06:04:40

Thanks , thats very helpful... as i am a younger patient they are hoping i get 13 - 15 years out of my battery.... I will ask at my next check up, all rather new to  me as i only started getting bradycardia last year, i have had severe daily episodes of Atrial Tachycardia for past 11 years after a virus i had, so now i get both episodes of Slow Heart Rate and very fast not much in between.

I have had several ablations (6 EP Studies and 4 Ablations) which were unsuccessful so am on multiple rate controlling drugs to slow it down which also contributes  at times to my heart going too slow. But have tried nearly every heart medication there is to try and balance things out. 

Thanks again will keep you posted as to the outcome of my next appointment. 

Great to be in contact with people who can understand and can relate to what i am talking about! 

Cheers

Beattie

Pacemaker Rate

by D-Five of Fourteen - 2023-11-03 16:54:28

Thank you for this post.

Mine is also set to 50 BPM. After suffering bradycardia and 3rd degree AV block or complete heart block, 50 felt pretty good but I really didn't know what that meant for me long term. I had gained a lot of weight during the year or so that I was undiagnosed.. everything was slowing down. I've had the pacemaker for 4yrs now and my weight is still a problem. If my PM was set to a more normal resting heart rate, wouldn't it also track that my metabolism would also improve? I have a clinic appointment next week where I'll be a squeaky wheel about this. I'm also suffering fatigue and micro dizzy spells and struggling not to feel faint several times during the day ...just walking about. 

If by setting the paced resting HR at 50 was an attempt to extend the life of my PM, then they really didn't think about the best outcome for me and my metabolic needs. 

I've never been an athlete, nor do I have the body shape that can support a slow resting rate. I'm tired of being tired, and tired of being fat. Exercise is nigh impossible because I'm in a near constant state of feeing on the cusp of a faint and see stars often. Sucks much when a  cardiologist says "you need to make some lifestyle changes".

For now I can only imagine that raising the resting rate will improve my current issues and as a happy coincidence, my metabolism will also improve.