Post Surgery Symptoms

recovery

by Tracey_E - 2018-04-02 16:19:19

Were you on the lisinopril and metoprolol before? Lisinopril isn't bad with side effects, but metoprolol can cause dizziness, esp the first few weeks.

Don't raise the arm higher than the shoulder and don't lift anything heavy for a few more weeks. Other than that, you should be able to do what you want as soon as you feel up to it. I preferred walking to running, it took a while until the impact didn't jostle things and leave me sore. Give it a try and see how you feel. 

If you have high grade av block there's a good chance you pace every beat, or nearly every beat. Most of us do. With av block the pacer isn't actually setting the pace, it's  playing follow the leader. The sinus node in the atria reads the oxygen levels in the blood and raises/lowers our rate as needed. With av block, the sinus node typically works normally. It tells the ventricles when to beat, but in our case the signal is blocked so the ventricles beat at random. The pacer watches. Any time the atria beats, it gives the ventricles a fraction of a second to beat. If they don't, it sends out a signal that mimics what the heart should have done on its own and the ventricle responds by contracting.

When you hear people talking about their pacer being set at 60 (or whatever), that's the sinus rate and atrial pacing. All pacers have a lower limit and if our sinus rate falls below that it will pace to get it faster, but that's not usually how we pace when we have av block. The atrial lead usually just provides information but we don't really need it for pacing very often. The pacer is there to keep the heart in sync, not keep it from going too slowly. 

Thanks

by Gavsdad - 2018-04-02 17:11:31

Thanks.  Tomorrow is my first follow up with my cardiologist since the procedure. I have been on the Lisinopril and metoprolol for about a year. He dropped the metoprolol down to 100mg a day from 150mg a day.  I was hoping to be off of it after the procedure.  I’m always lightheaded and don’t seem to have a lot of energy.  I know I have to wait but I want to be able to have the energy to cycle and run.   It’s all so new and it happened quick for me. I think its great to have a group like this

Thanks

If you are feeling light-headed ....

by LondonAndy - 2018-04-02 17:47:25

... It could be low blood pressure of course.  Personally I am a great believer in having facts at the time of an odd feeling, and if you don't already have one consider getting a home blood pressure meter (the type with a cuff around the arm for easier reliable results than wrist meters).  They are only $30 - $50 and then you can take a reading at the time.  

If the lower, Diastolic reading drops below 60 then your blood pressure is going too low, and it could be your Lisinopril dose needs to be reduced. 

But I agree with TraceyE: Beta Blockers like Metoprolol can cause serious tiredness, and if it is safe to reduce the dose further I suspect you will find it a big help.

I think there would be no pacemaker reason not to resume a treadmill immediately, provided your blood pressure/light headed feeling is not bad.

running

by Tracey_E - 2018-04-02 18:18:08

Exercise intolerance is common with av block because we exert, the atrial rate goes up, but the ventricles are still chugging along at whatever random rate they are in to mood to beat at. Pacing should help get your energy back.

Lisinopril won't keep your rate artificially low but metoprolol is a beta blocker so it will. It makes the heart beat more slowly and not as hard, which can make exercise a challenge in addition to the fatigue and dizziness. Why are you on it? 

Keep an eye on your bp, your dose may have changed. 

Post surgery symptoms

by Buss1118 - 2018-04-02 23:26:18

I had lightheadedness and just funny feelings after my pm was placed. The only med I was on was Lisinopril. They took me off of it and the odd symptoms went away so I would talk to the doctor. 

Follow up

by Gavsdad - 2018-04-03 15:05:37

Hi.  First off, thanks for the replies.  I went to cardio today and he wants me to stay on the 20mg of Lisinopril and wants to up my metoprolol to 150 per day. He says he is concerned that my BPRA os a little high and he wants to see if we can get it down with the metoprolol.   He said it may take a few weeks to start to feel “normal” again.   I hope so!! 

Thanks again

Metoprolol

by Jimmy Dinfla - 2018-04-05 23:53:53

I was on metoprolol for several months and upon standing I would feel weak, getting light-headed.  I told my cardiologist and was switched to a different product. Problem solved.

Felt dizzy too

by Martine - 2018-04-12 23:02:37

Second day after my implantation, felt really dizzy.  Took my blood pressure and discovered it was 100. So today I lowered my BP medicine by half and it was better.  Not sure if AV block can cause high BP, but my med hasn't sent me this low since last summer when the AV block wasn't as frequent, so maybe.