Af after pacemaker implantation

[grandadbren1]

Well here I am again as you see previous posts I did not just spring back after implant of pacemaker I have been back twice to have pacemaker adjusted and told working fine even though I did not feel myself then 7th October 3 weeks after pacemaker implant I went into full af which paramedics captured on ecg this attack lasted 30 minutes. I was taken to a and e by which time I was in nsr I have now got a specialist nurse I can contact for support and have bee told to increase beta blocker to 10mg. My question is has anyone else had af after pacemaker I think may have had flutters as I had eptopics before but never full af. Anyone with same experience and advice please reply

[farmerwalt]

Hi grandadbren1,

Pacemakers do not stop or cure AF. I am persistent/permanent AF and always will be even although I have a pacemaker. Depending on the settings of your pacemaker, it will only control your heartrate and increase the rate on demand, when required. Reading between the lines, I assume your rate went very high when you were in AF. If so, it would indicate that you did not have AV Node ablation and hence the suggestion that you increase your beta blocker. The beta blocker would slow your heart rate, if you didn't have the pacemaker. This then allows the pacemaker to take over control of your heart-rate. If the bouts of AF still cause you a problem then I would imagine your EP will suggest AV Node ablation. This then means that you are 100% dependant on the pacemaker. I think you will find that a lot of the folks on HU, with pacemakers, have had the AV Node ablation. I didn't have the ablation since my HR was always 40 - 45.

Hopefully your EP will get this sorted out for you.

Walter.

[Maxicono in reply to farmerwalt]

Yes Framerwalt is right ...make sure you find one of the best electrofisiologist to do the Av node do not get the first that the NHS give you , there are amazing doctors in London .

[grandadbren1 in reply to Maxicono]

Does anyone know of good ep in Leeds area ?

[RobertELee in reply to grandadbren1]

Dr Lee Graham at the LGI.

[grandadbren1 in reply to RobertELee]

Thank you for that I did ask to go to LGI as I had heart bypass there 2years ago but was told that the pinderfields department were adept for pacemaker surgery if I need further investigation I will ask for referral there. I have done some research and apparently bypass surgery sometimes affects the sinus node it all just seems a minefield thanks again

Grandadbren

[grandadbren1 in reply to farmerwalt]

I know that the plan was pacemaker to raise low bpm and then up beta blocker to control fast bpm however my beta blocker was not increased after implantation and I wonder if this is why I had af attack I am hoping that now my beta blocker has been doubled I will not have another attack maybe that is optimistic? As I never had af attack before I just wondered if my heart reacted to the pacemaker saying beat faster and threw a tantrum . I suppose everyone with af looks for the trigger that causes attack.

[grandadbren1]

I just wonder if the pacemaker triggered attack by telling heart beat faster I have not had attack before having pacemaker ,also my blood pressure was sky high 210/106 is this usual with af attack. I am going for check on 29th so I have lots of questions but you just wonder if other people have had same xperience.

[Hidden]

My pacemaker keeps my resting heart rate at 60 with increase on demand to 125. I take a beta blocker and flecainide . Have had surgical work (cox maze) for AF when I had open heart surgery. I still have AF but not as debilitatating as once was

[rosyG]

I have no experience of pace makers but my blood pressure gets very high when in AF

[grandadbren1 in reply to rosyG]

Just wondering which doe you think comes first af raises your blood pressure or blood pressure rise sends you into af?

[rosyG in reply to grandadbren1]

High blood pressure does cause AF but in my case my blood pressure rises when my AF starts

[Rubley]

Hi, I think it may be worth getting a better understanding of why you have the pacemaker. Mine kicks in at 65 bpm because I have pauses of around 6 seconds so it fills in the gap. I still get AF (as normal) and have had cardioversions and ablations since having it fitted. The pacemaker certainly hasn't resolved my AF although they did pace me out of it once before. Any other questions please ask. Good luck!

[Carol70]

I too had a 2 lead pacemaker implanted 9 weeks ago. I have been back to have the settings readjusted. I had a full blown AF episode just over a week ago lasting around 12 hours. I managed to get it checked at the pacemaker clinic. They confirmed it was an episode of AF and recommended I take an extra 2.5 Bisoprolol tablet to settle it down. It abated the following morning. I don't think I can offer you any advice, but wanted to let you know I too experienced the same as you. I also get flutters since the PM was implanted.

[grandadbren1 in reply to Carol70]

Had you ever had af attack before pacemaker? I have to go back for 6 week check on pacemaker but have appointment to see coronary care nurse which should be helpful and I hope reassuring. I see from all of your posts it is very upsetting when you go into af and that you have to learn to deal with it when it comes I am just hoping that mine was triggered with pacemaker but maybe I am being optimistic. There are a lot of brave people out there who have to live with this condition.

[Carol70 in reply to grandadbren1]

Hi - oh yes, I have had AF for over 8 years. It was never officially diagnosed as it was never caught when I was having an episode. By the time I saw a doctor, I was vack

[Carol70 in reply to Carol70]

Sorry, this is a continuation of my reply....... back in sinus rhythm. I had a looped recording device implanted in March this year and it picked up that I was suffering from Brady and tachycardia, hence the pacemaker. The PM will keep my slow heart beats regular but won't stop AF. I have been put on blood thinning and fast beats meds. I hope your PM check goes well and you get reassurance from the coronary care nurse. It is certainly no picnic suffering from AF but this forum is a great way of keeping in touch. You are certainly not alone. I am also very new to the forum.

With best wishes

Carol

[grandadbren1]

Just wondering if you can answer one more query do you go abroad and if so do you have any problem with holiday insurance ? I also have prior issues as I had a heart bypass 2 year ago and got holiday insurance no problem 8 months after but I have not even tried since all this and I fear it may be a big problem . My pacemaker was also recommended due to same symptoms as you but the tachycardia was very short lived .

[Rubley]

Yes we definitely go abroad and we have a annual family travel insurance with LV. I have to speak them once a year at renewal time and they ask a few questions to confirm my situation, but so far I've never had an issue getting cover. We upgraded this year for USA/worldwide but normally just keep to Europe. We've never made a claim so can't comment on their performance in an actual emergency. Hope it helps.

[Varina8]

I got my pace maker implanted due to bradycardia and PAF for 10 years ago. 7 years I was treated with bisoprolol 7,5-10 mg daily, had very symptomatic PAF once a month lasting 12 hours, resolving spontaneously. Usually my BP dropped under 100 during the "attack". PAF got worse and Now I have my second pace maker and propafenone 150mg x3 .

[Sunshine89]

I had a pacemaker implanted June 26th 2017 and on my first check (1 week later I was told I had been in af since my implant then on 2nd check (6 weeks later) I was told I have been in af 75% of the time since implantation ( I never get to see the surgeon again?) so I went back to my Cardiologist who put me on Anti-coagulant & Beta Blocker but I still feel awful (breathless, fatigued, chest pain and general unwellness). I have another appointment with my Cardiologist on Aug 22nd 2017 to discuss medications and possibility of ablation. Does anyone have any advice for me??

[Sunshine89 in reply to Sunshine89]

p.s. I don't know where these posts are coming from but I live in Niagara Area, Ontario, Canada

[grandadbren1]

I live in uk and in my case it was the pacemaker was set too high it now won't keep ck the n unless heart rate drops below 40 and I was being over dosed with Nebivol . I went private to see electrophysiologist he turned pacemaker right down and decreased Nebivol I improved within 20 minutes and have not looked back since. Please make sure you see an electrophysiologist not just cardiologist and stress how ill you feel and please could they try to readjust pacemaker . Good luck hope you get some improvement.

Grandadbren

[sann in reply to grandadbren1]

Could you tell me what electrphysiologolist you saw please tia. Sann

[grandadbren1 in reply to sann]

Hello Sann

I saw Dr Pepper in Leeds at the Nuffield he literally gave me my life back as I felt so ill until he turned the pacemaker down and decreased meds I now see him on an annual basis at the Leeds general infirmary . I cannot recommend this consultant enough he has been an excellent consultant and helped me so much

I hope you recover well from your pacemaker op.

Bren

[sann]

Thankyou for all the info, I think sometimes gps don’t bother with you, you feel as though you are nuisance to them especially when you are old like me (82) did you go private as I would do anything to get sorted properly .take care Sann

[grandadbren1]

In my case it was the consultant who put my pacemaker was not listening in fact I could not get to see him the heart nurse just relayed messages to and fro and they just kept putting tablets up and sayin pm was working properly not a successful method and just let me feel worse and worse hence I went private for first consultation with Dr Pepper at Nuffield in Leeds he then saw me next time at LGI in Leeds and I am now under his care there. I think the private consultation was about £250 and worth every single penny I felt a different man 20 minutes after the pace was turned down . I hope you get something sorted but I think you have had new pm inserted now hope it’s a success for you .

Brendan

[opal11uk]

Hi, yes I did! I had mine fitted 7 years ago and when I came out of hospital I experienced bouts of A/F and was then medicated and have to say that since then all has been well. I have been told that I am due for replacement soon due to battery life but I feel I should refuse as feeling well and happy as I am.......don't really fancy being operated on again, having the Pacemaker removed and then replaced, very off putting lol. I was also told that the Pacemaker regulated my heart rate, stopping it going below 60 revs pm, however it could not control the rise in my heart rate and therefore going into A/F but thankfully the medication does that.

[grandadbren1 in reply to opal11uk]

hello catch up from 7 and 5 years ago I finally went private to see Dr Pepper at lgi and he turned my pace down and decreased tablets he literally gave me my life back this was 5 years ago and have seen him once a year at LGI since then . I am now in permanent af but do not know it and my pacemaker has been turned down as hr dies not drop low now I take digoxine to keep the high hr down so consequently my pacemaker should last another 5 years. I have a machine at home delivered during covid and I do a download from pacemaker every 6 months . Good luck with the op for the new pm hope it all goes well