Pacemaker

[Lorraine]

Hi Everyone,

I decided to update everyone on what has been happening to me. I should have got on here sooner but first it happened so quickly and second I was feeling too down to post.

I went to ER on Fathers Day's June 17 at 6pm because I developed palpitations again. It was approx three months since I had my ablation in March. All was going well until I put my 19 yr old cat down on June 2nd. It broke my heart and I spent the next two weeks crying my heart out. Losing her was quite traumatic. The day before the palpitations started again, I had been outside planting my Serrano peppers and tomatoes in pots. I was lifting dirt into the pots. It was probably about 90 degrees down and the sun was beating down on me. I felt fine that day, well except for feeling a little overheated. Anyway, at 3:30am on Sunday I woke up and my heart started racing. I did everything I could to try and bring my heart rate down myself. During this time I also took my blood pressure a few times. Most of the time I kept getting an error message so it wouldn't take the reading. My heart rate had shot up to 160 and stayed there most of the day. It did come down at one point, but didn't stay down. So at 6pm I packed my bag and went to ER. They gave me a dose of my beta blocker in liquid form but that didn't work. Then they gave me some other drug to temporarily bring my heart rate down, so they could get a proper reading on the EKG of what was going on. I was all over the place with PVC's, A fib, A flutter, you name it. They kept me over night and the next day they ended up doing a cardio conversion. That was the first time for me on that. It only took them one shock to bring the heart rate back to normal. They wanted to put in a pacemaker the next day. I would not let them. I insisted I was going on my vacation that I had already planned. I told them I would get it done when I came back.

On July 10th I had a Dual chamber Medtronic MRI compatible Pacemaker implanted. I am healing slowly. I seem to have pain in my shoulder area and armpit more than where the pacemaker itself is. I finally realized yesterday that it would be better if I wore a bra to have more support so the incision wasn't being pulled.


The real reason for the Pacemaker is because my heart rate was way too slow and paused too long a lot of the time. Averaging in the 30's a lot of the time, except for those few months after the ablation. Then of course I went all over the place again. My EP was really afraid for me. I am now being paced at no less than 60 bpm. I believe my range is 60-130. I will find out for sure when I go for my follow-up visit on July 27.

I never use to have a low heart rate. It wasn't until about a year after my heart attack in 2007 I started getting palpitations. What makes your heart start having electrical problems? I'm only 61, so not that old. Any thoughts would help. Thanks!

 

[Greg a]

Pacemakers/ICDs are great products and soon you will not think baout it at all

Stress ia an all damning factor for us and the trauma you were going through (my condolences) coupled with the days heat (= lack of O2) was enoughb to trigger any of us ......as to the implant I found a bag of frozen peas or corn (and provides a tasty mid day snack;-)) but it is most important to

 

[Lorraine]

Thanks Greg! I had been thinking a lot that Stress had a lot to do with all of this. I seem to get stressed very easy. Only person it is hurting is me! I guess we really can be our own worse enemy!

I have heard the frozen pea or corn story before. I have done that. I am icing the area mostly in the daytime hours. At night I'm taking a half a dose of my pain med. It relaxes and helps me to fall asleep. I will more than likely only do that a couple of more days. I hate taking any more meds than I have to!

I know over time all this will pass and others have told me, I won't even think about having a pacemaker. It will become part of me, just like my mechnical valves did in 2001. Thanks for your help.

 

[doubleaaaron]

I had similar events happen. After an ablation it wasn't but a few months and my heart rate was getting to 12! So of course they had to put a pacer in to get it back up. You will get used to it for sure. I don't notice mine is there most of the time. It does stay a little sensitive but I think that may vary from person to person. Good luck with it!

 

[Lorraine]

Thanks for your information. Of course since having a pacemaker put in, is new to me, I have to ask questions. I'm sure in time I won't even pay a lot of attention that I have it. At least I hope not! It was different than when I had my valves put in. Those I didn't feel so much as heard. I felt the OHS part for sure, but not the valves. The clicking of the valves never bothered me though. The double clicking assured me that I was alive! lol! Thanks again doubleaaaron!

 

[epstns]

Lorraine - Welcome to the pacemaker set! Sorry you ended up needing one, but I'm glad that they got it in and connected. I know my chances would have been a lot different after surgery were it not for the pacemaker. I always had a low resting heart rate (usually in the high 40's) that would fly up to the 150's or 160's with normal exertion. One cardio called it brady-tachycardia. I also had some episodes of skipped beats as far back as my
20's. After surgery, things went all crazy and the only way they felt they could control it was the pacer. I haven't looked back.

The only time I notice mine any more is when something rubs across the skin where the device is implanted. Mine is right under the skin, and I can feel it if I rub. No pain, just numb. I also notice it when I do things the pacer is not adjusted for - like carrying heavy objects for short durations. The pacer doesn't have time to react to the load, so my heart rate won't go up enough to support repeated lifts. Learned about this one when we were unloading a bunch of bags of soil from the truck. Live and learn.

When you're feeling better from the surgery, give me a call and we can talk about some of the setting tweaks your EP doc may not have mentioned yet. There's a lot they can do.

Good luck, too! See ya' later, lil' sis!

 

[Lorraine]

Oh Steve! My big Brother! Yep now I'm part of the Pacer set. I haven't seen my EP yet since I left the hospital last Friday. I see him on July 27th. It would be nice to talk to you before that ,so I can have a list of questions to ask him. All I know right now is that I am being paced at 60-130. My low heart rate and pauses were scaring the heck out of my EP and he couldn't understand what I was waiting for. What kind of Pacemaker do you have? Of course you know I got the latest but I don't know if it's the best. I needed MRI compatible because of my other issue I had with the spot above my pituitary gland in my brain. I need to get MRI's done every six months to make sure nothing changes. Right now it's only 8 days after surgery and I'm sure glad I took a medical leave for a month to heal. Could you imagine me commutting downtown in pain and trying to get a seat of the bus? We all know,not everyone gives up there seat for a woman or elderly person. Once I get past the pain and feel more comfortable, I'm sure I won't look back either. At least that is what everyone is telling me. I guess even though I'm not working I should start walking a lot so when the Ep takes a reading, he can see if he set the pacer right for me. I have been wanting to go walking but up until today it has been real HOT in our area as you well know. I finally drove for the first time yesterdy and went to the store. I couldn't buy much, since I'm not allowed to carry much yet. At least it was an excursion. I did use a towel between the seatbelt and my pacer. That did seem to help. a little hard to make good left hand turns. I guess I need to just turn right to go everywhere. lol! Hey PM me you phone number. I don't believe I have it my friend. I do have Corts but not yours. Thanks and take care my friend.