Pregnant!

Hey everyone, i am 24years old, and i have just found out that i am pregnant! I have been trying for a little while so i have had a chance to speak to the electrophysiologists when having a battery check for my PPM. Unfortunately the physiologist i had, had only experienced 2 other people with a pacemaker that were pregnant in his quite signifiicant career. I have recently had my care moved to a different hospital nearer to where i live, without asking me (NHS for you, love 'em or hate 'em) and so haven't been able to see a cardiologist to ask - consultant reviews are not a regular thing.

I have rung my new cardiology department, got passed round a few times and it seems impossible to just request an appointment with the cardiologist - i have even found my way to talking to his secretery. 

I have been having dizzy spells with the pregnancy which is quite normal and due to the dialation occuring. My concern lies in the fact my PPM rate is set at 50bpm which before the pregnancy was just enough to keep me concious and upright but i still lost my pheripheral vison - i am worried with an already lowered blood pressure when my heart rate is going at what it should be that when my rate drops it could have serious implications on the developing embryo. I want to have my rate upped to 60bpm.

Does anyone have any experience of having a PPM and pregnancy? There appears to be very little literature online, and it would seem it may be a few weeks before i can see my cardiologist. Any and all advice is welcomed!

1 Comments

paced while pregnant

by Tracey_E - 2019-01-26 09:34:23

Hey! I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. 

Yes, dizzy spells are normal when pregnant. However, I would absolutely want my minimum rate bumped up to 60. Moms and fetuses both need lots of oxygen, this isn't the time to worry about minimizing pacing. You may still be dizzy with it at 60 but it sure can't hurt. I was dizzy most of the first trimester both times. My bp was very low so I was put on a high salt diet, only time in my life I lived on fast food and canned soup! 

My ob had never had a paced patient before, and my cardiologist had never had a pregnant patient so it was new for all of us! The two of them had a conference, that was very helpful for me because no one was guessing what the other was thinking. My cardio said that the pacer fixed what is wrong with my heart so he told the OB to treat me like any other healthy mom to be. I had two normal pregnancies and deliveries. My oldest just graduated college and we ran a half marathon together last week. 

 

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