new PM

2 weeks with the PM.  Not too bad, a little pulling and occasional weird twinges, but nothing scary.  No warning of a heart issue until I nearly passed out on Thanksgiving and went to ER, learned that my heartrate was dropping to 30 and needed a PM.  4 hours later, it was done.

I am quite a ways away from working out but I came across this site and liked what I was seeing.  I need to find a bra - I am thin with a very bony chest, so the PM really sticks out!  I am a yoga teacher, do weights and fast walk for exercise.  My old resting HR was always 60 at doctor visits and my BP was always quite low - 90's over 60's, something like that. The run up to the ER was about 3 weeks of head rushes (lightheadedness) that were being chalked up to migraine.  My neurologist said I have vestibular migraine - haven't had a symptom of that since the PM insertion.  Never had my heart checked.  I also had terrible calf cramping on a fairly regular basis that I told my doctors about but that was always attributed to my exercising. No more cramping.

Sorry for the rambling, I'm still wrapping my head around almost dying.   I am noticing that this week when I take little walks around the office, I have some sensation in my legs and chest, not exactly breathlessness, but something and my legs feel a bit tired.  Is that just getting used to having the better blood flow.  I am noticing that this week when I take little walks around the office, I have some sensation in my legs and chest, not exactly breathlessness, but something and my legs feel a bit tired.  Is that just getting used to having the better blood flow. 

Anyway, I really appreciate having a place to go to ask questions.  Thank you. 

 

3 Comments

Welcome, Glad You Found PaceMaker Club

by Maude's Mom - 2018-12-06 21:44:01

1. Bras are a P.I.T.A.! 

You are in luck lots of suitable bras for the less chesty ladies. Not knowing what you look like I am guessin, no offence meant.  I wanted firm support, no jiggle, no squeezing, very soft.  I found a lot of T Back sports bras that gave good support without strangling me.  CoolMax is my favorite fabric right now it is soft and works.

2.  Most of us feel like our device protrudes.  My CRT-D certainly is predominate!  I just think of it as "My Red Badge of Courage".  I wear what I please. very rarely do I get a comment.  Coments are almost always by someone who has a similar lump or a heart pump. Kind of a secret club, well almost. Use your  lump to help othets ser you are a strong functioning person with a pacemaker. Help dispel the idea only old sedimentary folks have pacemakers.

 

3.  Your BP might come up mine did.  I now average 99 on the systolic side. 

As your heart's efficiency improves everything will work better your brain,  kidneys your whole body will have an easier time functioning.

3. A lot of things overlap it is really difficult to find answers sometimes. Especially foe women.

4.  There are a lot of unknown factors involving heart rhythm issues.  Vestibular issues and Migrains are also very difficult.

I have Vestibular issues, Migraines and some just plain weird stuff going on from time to time.  Thongs like my vision is constantly changing.  Eye glasses are useless to me. Stuff like talking to someone and their face disappears or there is only half a car in front of me.

I suspect something with anesthesia is causing the headaches that float through many times a day. Thes float through headaches started with my first-CRT-D back in 2011.  I have vertigo now, I absolutely unable to function in the dark. I can not stand up if it is dark, no balance.  I normally have excellent balance.

What is related to my cardiac condition is anyones guess.  Our heart controlls our brain.  If our heart does not pump correctly the rest of our organs do not get the nutrition they need to work efficiently.

People get misdiagnosed with breathing issues, seizure disorder, asthma, dementia and just being a mental case.

I am sure if you teach Yoga you know how important your diet is to your body.

A Sleep Study is a good idea, many of us have Sleep Apnea, just because you are slim does not exclude you.

welcome

by Tracey_E - 2018-12-07 10:36:20

Glad you found us!

It can take up to a year for all of the swelling to go down and for the device to settle in fully. How it looks now is most likely not how it will look in the end. 

It's crazy how in hindsight all the puzzle pieces fall into place. When we are young and otherwise healthy, it's easy for the doctors to write off our symptoms and not dig too deeply.  

Mention the thing with the legs when you have your next appointment. Sometimes the settings need fine tuned. They send us home with a good guess but we are all different so it's hard to predict what settings will work best for us.  

As for bras, I'd hold out a few more weeks. I wore tank tops with the built in shelf bra with another top layered over it until I was fully healed. After that, go to a good department store with a bra fitter and get them to help you find something. My problem isn't regular bras but my workout bras. Some of them catch the edge of it. It took some expermenting to find the brands that have the elastic positioned so that it doesn't bother me. 

bras

by SamanthaS - 2018-12-15 13:16:22

I found that the Coobie bras work well for me right now.  I remove the left strap and then wear a cami over it for added support.  I also found a wide-strap Coobie that is pretty comfortable, although I wish it covered the entire device area.  I've been walking a lot at work, trying to get my steps back up.  I'm returning to the device clinic this week for tweaking.

Site is still quite tender and touchy.  I'm very careful when I wash it to get all the soap of otherwise it really stings!  Looking around for yoga teachers who have worked with students with implants.  Just want a little guidance.

 

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I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.