No energy

PM Adjustments

by Grateful Heart - 2018-12-21 23:39:53

It can take a few tries to get the settings just right for each one of us. 

We are all different.  There are many settings and parameters with our devices.

And of course, it may be the meds.

Grateful Heart   

I’m a teacher too

by Queen50 - 2018-12-23 08:46:52

I had my pm installed in March of this year. I’m a traveling music teacher. I was off 3 months bc I would loose my breath when I climbed the stairs and I would have to do stairs multiple times a day. Just this past week they figured it out   They had to phone Medtronic and override the out of the box settings. They raised my 160 to 180. I can now run up the stairs. I cried at the clinic. It was a nice Xmas present. But back to you. I too, didn’t feel great at the beginning but I read on here to give yourself 6 weeks. That seemed to be the turn around point. So I waited. And sure enough I did begin to feel better around then. So I offer you the same advise. It took me 8 months and many visits to the pm clinic to get it right. I’m truly amazed that some people could go back to work after 3 days. That was impossible for me. I went back 1/2 days after 2 months and then finally full time. I just had my two best days last week after my tune up on Wednesday. I’m 9months out. Listen to your body. It will tell you what you need. Best wishes. 

The right settings can make a big difference

by Gotrhythm - 2018-12-23 14:48:29

Robin is right. It behooves all of us to do everything we can to maintain and improve our health.

That being said, getting the right settings on your pacemaker--right for you that is--is crucial to your feelings of maximum well-being.

Do not be satisfied with "Your pacemaker is working fine."That only means it's working as it is programmed to. You need for it to perform optimally for you. Right now, your pacemaker probably is running the standard, out of the box settings.

For starters, it's standard for the base rate to be set at 60 bpm. For many people that's fine, but  some people find it's too fast, and for others, it's too slow. When, at my insistence, my base rate was raised to 70 bpm, I felt "like myself" for the first time since I got the pacemaker.

When the accellerometer was made more sensitive, I found myself able to walk fast with ease. Exercise, particularly dancing became rewarding again.

All these changes happened because I was specific about the changes I wanted.

Advocate for yourself. 

By the way, no professional explained pacemakers or how they worked or offered to make adjustments. I learned about these setting changes from the people like Tracey, Donr, Robin, and others here at the Pacemaker Club. With their support I was able to advocate for myself.

feeling right

by Uelrindru - 2018-12-23 16:00:18

I started feeling better after the 5 week mark. We went to NYC the sunday before, I walked more than I had on a month, it was hard but the day after I was like I'm back. Haven't gotten tired easily since and I feel great! I would wait it out but being active as you normally are will help a lot and cardio rehab is the best