First Check - Not sure

Well I went to my first check since the implant of PM.
Explained how I was feeling. My cadiologist agreed that I could have the base rate turned down to 50. He said that the rapid response was turned off or low (couldn't understand that part of the french conversation) and that the voltage was also taken down. I also asked about the medication and that if the ectopic beats were just benign and I did not have any heart problems that would suffer I would prefer to try and stop the Beta Blockers. he even agreed to this. He took an ECG whilst I was there as well.

He did not know why I was still feeling fatigued, and did not have an answer to that.

I am at home now. Thought I would be feeling on top of the world but instead feel slight weird. Is this normal after having the pacemaker adjusted. Hopefully, I will sleep well and have a more positive mind tomorrow.

Also going back in two weeks for another stress test to check on my response to exercise.

What do you reckon to that. All the suggestions that I have gleaned from all the pacers were used today and I think and hope I will be feeling better from these.

Take care

Julie

2 Comments

First Checkup

by SMITTY - 2008-02-22 03:02:46

Hi Julie,

Welcome to the mysterious world of pacemaker checkups. I know it will probably be of little comfort to you, but I think many of us leave our checkups thinking “I’m about as confused and puzzled about what is going on now as I was when I arrived.”

Having experienced some of the problems you mention, I will offer a guess based on my experiences. You say you have been on a beta blocker. During the last 25+ years I have had about 8 or 9 different beta blockers prescribed for me, by different doctors, with all of them having the same effect. That is they make me tired. I have often called beta blockers the devils concoction because of them making me feel about the same as I feel when I have the flu. No elevated temperature, just feeling about as bad as I ever want to feel. My feeling poorly usually starts about 3 or 4 days after I start taking the beta blocker. I had 2 stents implanted Monday and the doctor insisted that I start taking Toprol XL (again) and today I am feeling the full effects of the fatigue. For me this feeing will continue until I have been off the beta blocker for about 4 or 5 days. So, give yourself a little time to get over the residual effects of the beta blocker and you may feel better.

You mentioned that the low setting on your PM is 50. What is your heart rate without help from the PM? Does it normally run less than 50? If you are living with a heart rate of 50 BPM that is being maintained by the PM, and you are not accustomed to a heart rate that low, that can contribute to your tired feeling.

Lastly, a PM checkup, especially the first one, can be about as stressful due to the uncertainty of what is going on, as anything we live through. Give yourself a few days to get over the stress and to get over the effects of the beta blocker and maybe you will find things are actually better.

I wish you the best,

Smitty

Hi Smitty

by Jules - 2008-02-22 04:02:49

My BPM was 40/45 before the pacemaker and at night it dropped to 29/30. This was the reason for me to have a pacemaker fitted.

Thanks also for the comment about the beta blocker. Hey you have had a rough time lately, two stents and I am complaining about a pacemaker check. Good luck with the Beta Blocker and hopefully those 5 days will go by quickly.

Take care

Jules

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Pacemakers are very reliable devices.