Day Five

Well after considering taking my doctor's advice regarding a pacemaker I finally bit the proverbial bullet. I have had atrial fibrillation for about 10 years and have had four cardioversions during that time. In addition to the atrial fibrillation atrial flutter I have SSS, first degree heart block as well as Bradycardia.

I had been in atrial fibrillation/flutter for about a week and last Thursday felt very poorly. I visited my cardiologist and an EKG confirmed I was in afib/flutter. We discussed another Cardioversion as well as finally putting in a pacemaker.my doctor felt strongly that a pacemaker could control my Bradycardia and possibly my atrial fibrillation but mainly could allow him to use other drugs which my Bradycardia wouldn't allow.

And so Thursday afternoon I went directly from my doctor's office to the attached hospital where I was scheduled for a Cardioversion on Thursday and a pacemaker implant on Friday morning.

I was cardioverted without incident on Thursday afternoon stayed overnight at the hospital and went to surgery for my pacemaker implant at 830 Friday morning. The two lead MRI compatible pacemaker surgery was done with local numbing of the area and I was awake during the entire procedure.

I stayed overnight on Friday and notice that my heart rate was running about 80 bpm or more. The nurses who visited expressed a little concerned that the initial setting was so high. My doctor visited late Friday and indicated that the Medtronic's technician would be in early Saturday to make any adjustments necessary that I would be discharged after an x-ray to confirm that the pacemaker and leads were in the proper position.

The technician and my doctor agreed to make adjustments to set my lower limit at 60 bpm. I immediately felt better as the 80 bpm resting made me feel quite uncomfortable. I was discharged that morning and have taken some 650 mg Tylenol at night for the discomfort in the incision area but other than that feel great.

I regret that I had not taken his advice earlier which would have spared me many years of low heart rate, low-energy and general discomfort due the afib/flutter. At 74 years old I am looking forward to the next few months when I will gain full use of my left arm and resume an active life.

3 Comments

Great news

by janetinak - 2011-07-26 03:07:55

let us know how your doing.

Janet

Bruceal

by Bill T - 2011-07-26 04:07:34

Good luck with the PM. I'm a long term A-fib captive and have been the route with beta blockers that your doctors alluded to for A-fib control. Hope they help getting your A-fib under control. A mini maze procedure in 2007 gave me relief for 3 years but the A-fib came romping stomping back. Last June (2010) my beta blockers was upped to 800 mg of Acebutolol and 625 mg of Rythmol, along with a similar PM as yours. Good results for about 11 months then the doctor switched me to a stronger beta blocker, Tikyson 500 mcg. Still had A-fib while in the hospital after starting the Tikyson. This maxed me out on beta blockers so my alliterative was live with the A-fib and crappy feeling or have an AV Node ablation. I chose the ablation and it required upgrading my PM to a CRT-D. Had these procedures about 2 month ago and so far so good. Still have had some A-fib episodes but hardly know when its occurring and don't feel rung out and hungover afterwards..

Day Nine-Worried about dislodging a lead

by brucecal - 2011-07-31 12:07:23

Still feeling pretty good. Some slight pain in incision area and still black and blue under my left arm and shoulder. Although in no pain I find it hard to sleep perhaps because I don't want to lie on my left side.
I do have a concern about the possibility of dislodging a lead. I catch myself from time to time using my left hand to open doors turn knobs and reach for things. I have not lifted anything heavy with it. On occasion I have also raised my left arm a bit over my head without thinking.
My resting HR remains rock steady around 60 BPM. I'm thinking that's a good sign that everything is O.K.
I see my cardiologist tomorrow for a check up and hopefully he will reassure me (or not) and remove the steri-strips over the incision.
So far so good and I continue to look forward to full recovery and getting active again.

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