You people are smart!

I first posted a couple of days ago, and got some very helpful responses regarding golf and gym workouts after my surgery scheduled for Tuesday. Thanks!
Since then I have been reading a lot of the postings and comments, and realized that I know very little about what is about to happen to me. It's much more technical and complicated than I realized. So, if you will indulge me, let me tell you my story, so that when I go for my pre op visit on Monday I will be able to ask better questions of the Dr.
I was diagnosed with cardio myopathy 11 years ago, which has led to congestive heart failure. I have had no symptoms until a year ago when I started being mildly short of breath. Meanwhile in 2005 I had triple bypass surgery for blockage, and had a stent put in last August for minor blockage.
After the angioplasty I still had shortness of breath, so in January they did another cath, thinking the stent had collapsed. Everything was clear.
A week ago I started experiencing severe SOB, felt like I was drowning. Got some Lasix and am back to mild SOB. While getting the Lasix they set me up for the defib/pacemaker combo to be put in Tuesday.
My ejection fraction has been around 20% for several years. Last taken in August and probably worse now. I know there is no cure for my CHF. My heart is getting weaker and less efficient by the day. I'm 62 and the research I've done on CHF says that 80% of men under 65 diagnosed with the disease die within 8 years. I've been alive 11.
The Dr. doing my procedure said that there is a 50% chance that the pacemaker part will improve my breathing, the defib part will do what the paddles do WHEN my heart stops.
I don't want to have this done but it sounds like I really don't have a choice.
So, Smart People, please make me intelligent enough on this subject that I can ask good questions and request the proper procedures BEFORE they cut. Settings, rates, volts, anything...help!
The only thing I know for sure is to ask for the Tiger Woods model, to help with my driving distance.
Thank you so much. I feel better just having written this.
Ed

2 Comments

SOB

by ElectricFrank - 2009-03-07 09:03:12

I always feel funny using those initials..it meant something quite different in my younger days..

The pacemaker can't cure a heart that is deteriorating, but by improving the timing of the various chambers it can sometimes improve the efficiency considerably. Kind of like a good golfer with a poor set of clubs is often as good or better than a lousy golfer with good clubs.

There is one suggestion that might help with SOB. The breathing difficulty is often due to anxiety rather than a direct physiological problem. Anxiety tends to cause the diaphragm to tense up and it is involved in deep breathing. My cardiologist kept asking me before the pacer if I was having shortness of breath. My answer was that when my HR got down to 26 I had longness of breath. I have learned to slow and deepen my breathing when I have that feeling of it being difficult to breath and it never fails to solve the problem.

Anyway for what it is worth,

frank

You actually want the PM

by BillMFl - 2009-03-07 10:03:54

It can't reverse the damage you already have, but it will increase the stroke and volume of your heart. More of the muscle cells will contract in unison and with more vigor. Doesn't mean that you can run a 5k, but it may relieve some of your symptoms. Also, the rate response can be set so that your HR will increase whenever your motion requires more demand. You will be less like to suffer presyncope or syncope if you stand quickly or move fast to avoid a drunken golf cart driver. Not to mention protection from full cardiac arrest. So think positive. This thing may even lower your handicap and allow you to play an extra nine or win a few bucks off your buddies. You've already had about every procedure in the book. This one should be a breeze. I think people like you are amazing! You make me feel like a whiner. :)

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