One week after pacemaker implant

Very happy to join the pacemaker club. I am a 52-year-old male, I just had a single chamber pacemaker implanted in my ventricle a week ago.

I previously had a heart bypass 3 years ago and also had 5 stents before. The indication for pacemaker installation was bradycardia with complaints of frequent dizziness and feeling like I was going to faint. EF 62%

Please share your experience, is it normal to feel a bit tired and dizzy for a week after the implant? Is this part of the recovery process?


4 Comments

Post implant tiredness

by piglet22 - 2024-09-19 05:45:31

Hello 

I don't recall having any unusual symptoms after two procedures.

It's very early days, and implantation with local anaesthetic isn't major surgery, but might affect people differently.

If it persists, and it worries you, get in touch with your pacing team.

The pacemaker should make a big difference to your bradycardia.

Normally, you get a review shortly after surgery, about 2 weeks, but as I recall, this only happened on the first implant.

It might be worth checking things like your BP, pulse and oxygen levels.

If you haven't already got them, purchase it decent BP monitor and an oximeter.

Have you been given a home monitor?

The monitor for Medtronic is one of the MyCareLink series.

Post Implant Too

by PortCityPacer - 2024-09-19 10:12:15

I had a PM implant July 8th to treat LBBB and I could tell a big improvement the moment I awoke after surgery. My energy level has definitely improved, I am even running a little now on the gym treadmill. Don't push things and don't be discouraged.

What to expect after a pacemaker implant

by Selwyn - 2024-09-19 11:59:15

Hello ITSUGAIRA,

Welcome to the pacemaker club- the one no one really wants to belong to. However, most pacemakers are there to save your life or improved the quality of life. We are lucky to live at a time when there is so much coronary intervention. My father died at the age of 56 after his third myocardial infarct. Today, his life  expectancy would have probably been normal.

Talking about normality, as you would wish, is fraught with hazard as each experience for the individual is different.  For example, I was out riding my bicycle in the first week after my implant.

I am aware of a large number of people that undergo surgery and then have 'rebound' tiedness. I expect the ' large number' counts as normality perhaps? My experience of this is certainly much more than most people's. Indeed, dizziness and hightened body sensations are not uncommon.  Of course, dizziness itself is a term of many different meanings from light headedness to vertigo.  If your pulse is nice and regular, and a decent rate, I think I would just wait a little while and see how things improve, unless the situation was worsening.  Take medical advice if you cannot check your pulse, or the situation worsens. 

It is early days. Most adjustments ( if any) need to be made once the implant scenario has healed.

What a lovely part of the world you live in. I hope medical care in Indonesia is easily accessed.

Best wishes.

Thank you very much for all the support

by itsugaira - 2024-09-19 21:41:02

Really appreciate the comments from all of you. I can understand what happened and will try to be enthusiastic in the future. Yesterday I had a check-up with EP and the results were as expected. Hopefully it will get better day by day.

You know you're wired when...

You have a dymo-powered bike.

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