Pins and needles

[Traceyma]

Hi everyone, i had my pm fitted in may after being diagnosed with complete heartblock. I have been generally fit and well since then but for the last week I've had pins and needlesin my left hand and foot. Not sure if this could be related to my pm or something else. Does anyone else have experience of this?

[sandybrown]

Please call 111 to discuss or your doctor? we are all different!

[jimmyq]

Officially, I have 5 blocked arteries, 4 of which have been bypassed. Since March I have been following a WFPB (whole food plant based) diet after watching the film "Forks Over Knives". My weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse have come down to "normal" levels (80kg, 100/60, 2.7, 60bpm), sometimes lower, such that my doctor has been reducing my medication. She has taken me off the statin because I was getting a lot of side effects as well as my cholesterol coming down. I am convinced that my arteries are clearing but I have no proof of that except for blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse. If my arteries were still blocked these would be still raised.

[jimmyq in reply to jimmyq]

Also, Please call 111 to discuss or your doctor. We are all different!

I don't get any grief from my doctor about the diet because they are vegan.

[sandybrown in reply to jimmyq]

My cholesterol did come down from 6.8 to 2.8 on statin medication, after 2 months I gave up, did not try different statin, I am 72, my life style change is helping, only time will tell.

for the first time my BP did go high!, I am just taking it easy.

[Fredders]

Give your pacemaker clinic a ring, I find mine really helpful if I have any concerns.

Wendy

[AliceAnnie]

Hi Traceyma, I too had a pm fitted in June for complete heart block. I've not suffered from pins and needles. There should be a telephone number on your pm card that you can ring for advice. I've found our hospital clinic very helpful in answering questions. Good luck.

[Traceyma in reply to AliceAnnie]

Thanks for your reply. I've seen my gp who took it quite seriously but doesn't think it relates to my pm. Hopefully it will clear up on its own!

[Redcollector in reply to AliceAnnie]

Hi, how are you? Do you have any other heart issues? The reason I ask is that I had a pm fitted a year ago after suffering heart block, I am told that my heart function is ok but I just can’t believe that nothing caused this issue and get very anxious whenever I get any kind of chest pain which I have had the last few days.

[Traceyma in reply to Redcollector]

Hi Redcollecter sorry to hear you have had chest pain and understandable anxiety about it. Since I posted last my pins and needles have gone and I now know it was to do with my neck not my heart! It's so easy though to worry that everything is heart related especially in our case when it came out of the blue. At my last pm check I was told my heart was beating too fast and I had a 24 hour monitor and echocardiogram. I was very anxious because at first the consultant said it showed thicken g of the heart muscle. However he has now decided that this is "unlikely " and has signed me off for a year. It is very stressful when these things happen out of the blue and of course when there doesn't seem an obvious cause. However I've decided just to live my life and not let it worry me too much. I've now talked to a few people who had pm fitted out of the blue and feel happier that it's not just us. I just try to be confident that the original problem was found and the pm let's us live a normal life. Hope this helps