Feeling poorly

[Watts]

Hi everyone, I am new to this site. In march of 2013 I was fitted with a pacemaker due to 3 sec heart stoppages. Immediately after I was diagnosed with a-fib. My natural hr is around 50. I am tired, weak and very short of breath. My cardiologist set the lower hr at 50. My question is would I not feel better if she was to set the lower limit to say 60bpm, or is this sort of thing not done.

[Hidden]

Hi Watts and welcome... Just wanted to say hello and that I'm sorry you're feeling so poorly. 50 does seem low to me (though I'm no expert), I guess the thing would be to explain to him/her that you're feeling bad and see if they'll increase it. Are you on any medication that might be causing you to feel bad?

[CDreamer]

Hi Watts and welcome.... Seems low to me, but I am not a doctor. My husband had one fitted in Jan for the same reason and he has PAF and does not have the symptoms you have, his is set to 60. Have you persistent AF ie you have it all the time or is does it come and go Ie PAF? The symptoms you describe are those of AF and it could be the low heart rate. Do you take any meds such as beta blockers which also can make you very tired? I think if you are concerned, which you obviously are, you need to be proactive, forget about whether or not it is the done thing! It's your health not theirs. Is your cardiologist an EP? If not ask for a referral, there are general or structural cardiologist, the plumbers, and Electrophysiologists who are the electricians, if yours is not an EP ask for a referral to one as they are the specialists and what I have learned, mostly from this site, the only ones you know that really know their stuff. I wasted 7 years being in AFib when I could have been treated by an EP but didn't know the difference. Any queries, don't hesitate to ask, we were all in the place you are now when we first joined, I only joined last September and my knowledge and my health and my confidence is SO much improved because of the wonderful people here.

[Watts in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks for your response. People on this site are so helpful. I am so new to this and have a lot to learn. I guess I am different than lot of people on this site in that I don`t really feel AF. My cardiologist is not an EP. I live in Northern Ontario and we have to travel hundreds of miles to see a specialist . I have been on 300 mg of Pradaxa since Sept. which helped a little in the beginning, but now I have fallen back into feeling poorly again. Before the pacemaker I could do the tread mill and walk many miles and now I am out of breath with any small task I do. So I can`t help but feel if my hr was a little higher I would feel better. I don`t really think I have persistent AF because I have days that I feel a little better, but it doesn`t last long. I am 68 and I was always a very active person so to suddenly have to stop doing the things you like, it`s a little frustrating. I guess my next step is to make an appointment with my cardiologist. Have a nice day.

[CDreamer in reply to Watts]

Pradaxa is an an anticoagulant, it will have absolutely no effect on how you feel. It will protect you from stroke which AFibbers are between 2-7 times more at risk than the 'average'.

It is very frustrating not being able to do the things you were used to doing without really thinking about it and you make adjustments. I live in Devon, UK and I also have to travel 200 miles to see my EP in London. Unfortunately they are few and far between all over the world, they tend only to be found in the major cardiac units in major cities.

[CDreamer in reply to CDreamer]

Also forgot to say that AFibbers cut into 2 groups, those who know they are in AFib because they feel the irregularity and those who are completely asymptomatic and only found out they have AFib by accident.

[mumknowsbest Volunteer]

Hi, my pace maker is set at 75, I worked up from 60' it's been a long journey but now I seem comfortable at. My normal was 50 when I originally had the pacemaker. You could always ring up the paving clinic and see what they advise. I must admit 50 does seem a little slow.

Good luck, hope you get sorted soon

Eileen

[Hidden]

Hi Watts,Usually they will set it at a certain rate to start with but after 3 months you should have a call to have it checked and they will ask you how it,s been for you and reset it according to what you tell them,but if you are feeling ill or not happy with the way it,s set give the hospital a ring and ask for a pace maker check.All the best