ck up soon

CHF put me into ER and I was implanted with a Medtronic Consulta CRT-D. There were complications which are too gross to go into. This was in Mar 09.It was set for 60 and 130. At the first interrogation it was tweaked to 70/130. I currently pace at 30%A and 100% V, so I am dependent on the PM. I am wondering now if it needs some tweaking, especially after reading some of the Q & A on the forum. Symptoms are shortness of breath which if I don't stop everything leads into Angina in my throat and down my left arm. It almost never occurs in the AM just Late afternoon and at bedtime. I have been woken up with it several times during the night. I am tired most of the time. House work is still a bit challenging and grocery shopping usually isn't much fun anymore. I have done Tai Chi Chuan since 1991 and know a number of hand forms and weapons forms. I find it difficult to complete a whole slow set without stopping for a break due to breathlessness. I still can not do my slow set in the time I used to do it. It is now 25 min. and I used to last for 35-45 min.and occasionally longer than that. This is really disheartening for me. I am 72 yrs old and was pretty active before this. I have an appointment with the Medtronic tech on Oct. 23. I want to know if things can be tweaked to my benefit or just shut up and stick with what I have now. I do have nitro patches and pills for the Angina but before the PM, I did not have Angina.
Please, I need help. What should I ask him, what might he be able to do for me? I really would appreciate hearing from people with more knowledge than I have..which isn't much. Thanks alot.

gretchen

3 Comments

Consider Trying This

by SMITTY - 2009-10-15 08:10:11

I'll try giving some advice here, but all I'm doing is guessing for you.

I have a Medtronic (that will be replaced in a few days because the battery is down after 9 years) and I was having symptoms some what like yours, but not as bad as yours, I don't think.

The low setting on mine was 70 and I asked to have it increased to 80 and for the rate response to turned on. I did have to go back and get the rate response sensitivity turned down a little. It was kicking my heart rate up with almost any movement, now I have to be active for 30 seconds before it will come on. After these settings changes it made a world of difference for me.

For what it is worth I'm 80 and like I said I have some of the same problems as you so I hope this works out as well for you as it did me.

I wish you the best,

Smitty

Angina

by ElectricFrank - 2009-10-15 11:10:19

First off if you have impaired circulation to your heart, which is usually the cause of angina, the pacemaker can't do much to fix it. All a pacemaker can do is control the way your heart beats.

Does the nitro help? My "angina" turned out to be GERD which can have the same symptoms. After going the rounds with the doc I finally got some nitro pills, went hiking up a steep hill until I started have the pain, and then popped one. Absolutely no effect other that speeding up my HR a bit. I tried this several times with same results. So I started taking Prilosec OTC and after about a week my angina was gone. That was 6 years ago.

The Medtronic techs are very competent in the pacemaker settings. They don't get involved in meds or other cardiac problems though. Talk it over with him. Also, ask for a copy of the pre and post programming report. Some of us here may be able to offer suggestions based on it.

By the way, I'm 79 yrs and very active also.

frank

ck up soon

by riodog - 2009-10-16 06:10:25

Thank you both so much. I have followed your comments to others and hoped you'd both reply to my question as you are both so knowledgeable. Frank - I don't believe I have a GERD problem altho I guess I could. The nitro patch and pills do stop the Angina after a minute or two. I had Angina before they closed a hole in my heart in 2005 at UCSF and it was gone afterward. My cardiologist said something he has not commented on but once. He said I had a pinched artery on the right side of my heart but he didn't want to mess with it for a while. As I said, there were complications with the PM implant, plus pneumonia, plus a fall where I landed directly on the PM, with no damage thank goodness, or so they said. I'm going to ask for the pre and post programming report from the tech altho I'm not sure what that is exactly. Smitty - thank you for the setting suggestions. I now have some ammunition rather than just saying I don't feel well and what can you do for me. Thanks again to both of you
If either of you think of anything else please let me know
gretchen

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