I just wanted to say thankyou to all the encouraging souls that replied to my post before my operation yesterday. I had the operation and its now the day after and all the ill feelings have disappeared and my AF too it seems though i have doubled my bisoporol from 2.5 to 5 this seems to have done the job. i can feel the blood stretching capillaries in my face and body that had been redundant i guess? I look and feel like a very healthy so and so now no AF at all today just a regular 75 like a clock! i am going for a tune up in a month, though i cant imagine what programmes they have on the pace maker...?
Thanks again to everyone and its a brilliant site this!
Savage
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franksavage
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Hi, Frank! Great felling, hey? If my own experience is anything to go by (as I did mention earlier) they will alter the pacemaker after this month of healing to allow you to be even more active. 75bpm is fine for a passive lifestyle but doesn't cater for rock climbers, should you be so inclined! Then, the world will be your oyster, as the saying goes. I think I saw somewhere that you are an artist? Me, too! I know that is a fairly passive occupation but it is amazing how much the creative energy is affected when one is under par, and what surges of renewed energy are generated by an improvement in one's physical state. Good luck with it all! Jos.
Are you saying they can adjust the pacemaker to accommodate cycling which i love dearly but thought i would never do again Joss? That would be too much to hop for actually. i cant believe the difference it makes for me personally!
Great news Dreamer, i guess there are stages to be done even after the pacemaker is fitted..All i can say after three days in is it has had an amazing effect on ALL my body including lungs stomach just EVERYTHING! i didn't realise what i had been getting used to as i was getting more ill....
The Operation is ridiculously simple and quick, but do not think the effects are any less than the big six weeks in hospital ones years ago! INCREDIBLE.
Many congratulations I am so pleased for you. I have just had my Bisoprolol increase to 10mg to try and slow my heart down....they are going to put me on Digoxin if that doesn't do the job I'm not looking foward to that! I have had two Cardioversion ( both were successful but only lasted a short while). My EP has put me on the waiting list for a ablation although she's not keen on doing it saying there is only 50/50 chance of it working....did you go down all these routes before having a pacemaker? I'm only 52 and feeling scared. May your good health continue to go from strength to strength. xxx
You know what Abihel, I asked for the pacemaker straight away and i can assure you its the best thing ever!! Iv'e been in the low 40's for so long some of my capillaries had become redundant and a whole series of other things, i mean water gathering on my lungs and all the other symptoms i am sure your aware of and some you have probably got used to are all disappearing by the hour!!
Even my breathing is better. my skin is tingling all over with the blood forcing its way into my previously dead capillaries and a feeling of well being is all over.
The pain in my shoulder is pretty rough but i took some paracetamol regularly so far and its really easing up as the hours pass. Imagine this: Every symptom is being treated at once and its really comforting. I have a great feeling of security and confidence that my heart is strong again i wouldnt be afraid Ab. be prepared.! Good luck let me know how you feel you will be amazed!!
Yesterday the day after my operation, i had to see the EP for a checkup on the pacemaker etc...see if its functioning correctly and stuff...Anyway, my doctor explained to me that the pace maker stops your heart from going too SLOW! and the cardia part of bradycardia is when it goes fast can be treated with drugs. The pacemaker makes this so much easier apparently, because it will not really be affected by the amount of a raised betablocker intake...
I was ,like you, expecting the pacemaker to accommodate all heart speeds, fast and slow and electronically return my rhythm to normal hence doing away with my AF and also my arrhythmia, a little disappointed but a 1005 more positive i went home and had no AF at all, when i went to see the EP the next day [yesterday] he explained to me that some people are lucky and it DOES stop the AF?? faced with this contradiction i quickly put my heart to the test with fast paced walking,and i can say definitely that i am one of the lucky ones i think! maybe the same for you, but, one way or the other the difference is enormous! every single part of your body has suffered to some degree with the dysfunction of your heart the regulating of that rhythm again causes all them affected parts and i mean ALL AFFECTED parts to return to normal...
The best way to put it is I know how IRON MAN feels now when he puts that suit on!
Hi Abihel - Bisoprolol didn't work for me so now back on Sotalol. Took about 3 months for the Bisoprolol to leave my system and for Sotalol to kick in properly but haven't had a single racing heart episode since :). So much better that my Cardiologist is no longer suggesting I have ablation. He also says it takes a minimum of 2 to be effective. Good luck whatever happens.
I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling so well. I've heard so many people say how much better they've felt after having one. A friends brother has one and he plays badminton several times a week with no ill effect.
Frank .. what a lovely positive post. So pleased that your PM is doing so much good. I'm sure that this will inspire others who are hovering over the decision whether or not to go for this.
Hi, again, Frank. I have just managed to lose my reply to your query about cycling. It is free wheeling somewhere out in cyber space!
I am no expert, obviously, and can only judge by my own experience. I, too, love cycling! We have a summer home in the Auvergne, in France, in the volcanic area. One cannot get anywhere without frequently going uphill. (Mind you, the pay off for that is the downhill run on the other side!) Last summer, before I had my ablation and before my pacemaker was activated, I could not do more than a few hundred metres on a very low gradient. As you can understand, that was so disappointing and frustrating particularly as, the summer before, when I was still feeling the positive effects of a cardioversion, I had been able to do long (25k) runs, uphill and down. Then I had the ablation and the pacemaker was activated last October. I was horrified at how little I was still able to manage, physically. I had not been told that the pacemaker is set at a single rate for the first month or so(in my case, 80bpm) in order to allow the heart to heal. This was fine for anything passive, but no good if I needed a sudden burst of energy, ie; dashing across a busy road or hurrying up stairs to catch a train. When I went back after one month to have the pacemaker checked, it was adjusted to allow a base hr of 60 and an upper hr of 130. This upper limit has something to do with the pm recognising the body's need of extra energy up to that heart rate. The technicians said that 130 should satisfy any reasonable physical pursuit but that they could adjust it a bit more should it really prove necessary. I never allowed my heart rate to go beyond about 120/130 anyway so I should be able to cycle at least some of those hills again. I cannot put this to the test until April, when we go over to open up the house in readiness for the summer ahead. I will certainly let you know!
I am glad things are working out so positively for you. I really do believe that we have been very lucky and this rejuvenated quality of life really is a wondrous thing. We may not qualify for the Tour de France but, like Destry, we will ride again!!!
I didnt know that there was an adjustment to be added as such...I shall certainly ask about that when i return, as you know i am still in recovery and have a FLAT setting. Im not sure what that means but i am assuming that it dosent allow for bike rides?
Thankyou so much for your help, well "Destry" it seems you are ahead of me, so i shall be following your progress if thats good with you and we must stay in touch its so difficult to converse with someone about these issues without boring them past their point of politeness! hahaha
Hi Frank, I just wanted to add my experience with my pacemaker not to discourage just my experience. In Dec of 2013 I went to the emergency room with what later diagnosed as pericarditis. I was given a heart cath with no blockages. I was treated with antibiotics and released in 3 days. After that my world changed. I started having what seemed to me like cycles of slow heartbeats, in the 30's. After lots of ekg's and no evidence I think they thought I was just crazy. I was finally referred to an EP and he saw an episode of afib on a ekg he administered. But I was still plagued by the slow episodes. He put me on anti coag but because of my distress over the slow beats he had a heart monitor implanted and my problem was found. I had something called bigiminy where the heart beats a strong beat followed by a very weak beat making it seem like my heart was beating too slow. My pulse oxometer actually registered in the 30's. The problem is that mine did this all the time in succession of 20 to 40 times making me faint and no energy at all. On 11/3/14 I was given a pacemaker. Like you it was such a blessing but I had an episode of svt (190-215) in dec and again in January. Both times I went to the emergency room and was given something to slow my heart with the second time I had to have it twice. I am now looking at having an ablation for the svt. To finish my life history, I just hope you stay well and have no other issues
I still love my pacemaker, it is set at 60 beats which is great for me!
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