pacemaker

[Tux18]

There is a forum, I think, for pacemaker discussion, however I couldn't figure out how to ask question on that forum. Many of you have pacemakers so maybe you can answer my question.

My pacemaker is working about 85% of the time and keeps my heart rate at 60bpm.

Lately I have been getting extremely weak with the slightest exertion. Wondering if any of you have a pacemaker that is set at more than 60 BPM as I thought that might help.

Recently saw cardiologist and he didn't think my problem was my heart. He said I was not in congestive heart failure and my Ejection Fration was OK.

I have Afib, however since last Fall it went from persistent Afib to very rarely having any Afib.

Have had pacemaker for 4 yrs.

I will be contacting my cardiologist in a few days.

[CDreamer]

if you have congestive HF I would imagine that would be principle cause of symptoms and you have to ask why your PM was set at 60.

I had to ask to have my settings lowered to only kick in at 60 - was set at 70 and that caused me problems. Pacemakers are normally only restricted to not increase with exercise in the first few months or if there is good reason. What type of PM.

I think you need to get a full explanation from the cardiologist about the reasoning for the PM, what the settings should be, explain the difficulties you experience and ask for what treatments may help.

[Tux18 in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you , I will contact cardiologist as soon as I can.

And will ask them for an updated evaluation.

[Chinkoflight]

Hi, I have an ICD with pacing function. My resting HR before treatment was circa 40-44 bpm. Your pacemaker provides you with a different functional purpose but there are similarities. When bisoprolol (1.25mg) was started this dropped to 37- 40bpm. On one occasion I caused a panic at night with the nurses because my HR dropped below 30. My device was fitted primarily for protection against an LVT causing a sudden cardiac arrest. But they set the pacing function at 60bpm to counter the bisoprolol effect. From day one I had awful problems, with symptoms you describe. Eventually they accepted there was a problem saying readings were showing lead failure. They couldn't explain the symptoms but reduced the pacing function to 33 to effectively not work. Immediately I was better. I had been experiencing awful postural hypotension completely gone at the moment I got out of the chair to leave. Eventually they determined the right atrial lead had detached and was causing all the irregularity. I have since had a lead revision. They removed the device, took out the offending lead and replaced it with a new lead and refitted the box. Nearly 4 weeks on everything is normal. Like you I had no physical cardio vascular changes to explain the symptoms, so the device was the place to look.Of course this might not be your explanation but as you think and have experienced recent health change then this suggests something is not right. If you have a bedside monitoring box I suggest you press the button to send a report every time you feel particularly weak so the EP has current reports to look at before you visit a d perhaps generate one report every day in the 2 or 3 days before your appointment. This will ensure they look at current data. It may be that the device needs some adjustment. The data should help.