How are others feeling after becoming pacemaker dependent?

[Ozette]

I’m newly pacemaker dependent after having an AV Node ablation. I’m feeling out of breath with activity. Is that usual?

[Ozette]

Thank you. My sinus node is shot as well, thus the AVNode ablation. The rate control is on but seems like it has my heart rate going quite high with my activity. For example just drying myself with a towel after a shower put my heart rate to 103. I felt out of breath like I had been running. Goes not quite that high with just walking out in my garden. It’s only been a few days since rate control was turned on so don’t know if I’ll adjust. I think I’ll need to talk with the pacemaker technician at my cardiology clinic.

[Mrypg9]

Had my pacemaker three years ago and was able to go back to living a ‘normal ‘ life for someone in their late seventies. No problems whatsoever.Until a couple of weeks ago was walking at least 5 kilometers a day, sometimes more and I enjoy an active social life. Have cut down on walking due to painful arthritis but intend to get that sorted.

I have 24 hour Mediotronic monitoring and my last visit to my cardio was in October 2020, next appointment 6 April.

[Ozette in reply to Mrypg9]

Thank you helpful to know settings needed adjusting. I’ll be looking into that.

[CDreamer]

It took about 5 adjustments before I felt comfortable so keep going back and talk to the Physiologists, they are very understanding and helpful.

[Ozette in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you, I will do that?

[Ozette]

Thank you for your helpful comments

[Ozette]

Thank you. I will do that.

[Raznic]

Don't worry Ozette, I too had this procedure with AV node ablation almost five years ago. I too was like yourself initially. But it was explained to me when the technician initially set my pacemaker up that these were the initial settings and I was to come back in eight weeks and they would need to recalibrate it after that settling in period. That duly happened, my pacemaker was recalibrated and it has been fine since. only needing a face to face check once a year, and an in between six month check from home remotely, using the monitor they provided. It's early days, you will be fine. Good luck.

[Ozette in reply to Raznic]

Thank you, this is comforting information.

[Circular]

I had a pacemaker fitted in 2020 following dangerous heart pauses and blackouts.

I had the settings on the pacemaker tweaked on a few occasions but was still experiencing breathlessness. I discovered that my heart rate would not go above 70bpm no matter how hard I tried to exercise. Eventually one of the cardiac physiologists in my local hospital reviewed all the settings on the pacemaker and reset the upper limit. Immediately following this I had energy and aerobic capacity that I thought had gone forever.

So my advice is to explain your breathing difficulties and ask to have the settings adjusted. Normally your pacemaker should be checked every six months.

[Ozette in reply to Circular]

Thank you for that great advice. I’ll ask about the upper limit on rate response for my pacemaker.