An answer?

Hi out there everyone. Great Turkey day but it's the last turkey I'll cook without help, just too heavy and too much to do. Sure tastes good and I love leftovers. I have a question that maybe some of you who know PM and settings can help. Got the Medtronic Consulta CRT-D 3/09 and am disappointed with it in some ways. I was told the shortness of breathe and fatique would be gone after a while. As you can see, it's been 8 mos and they are still with me. Dr. upped the lasix to one a day from every other day and it has helped but I still have problems. I don't think I can handle a larger dose, bladder spasms.I just can't help but wonder if there isn't some setting on the PM that would help. It's now set at 80-130 and the heart rate response is on. I take digoxin,Carvedilol 6.25 mg twice a day, lasix and potassium, and amiodarone 200 mg 1/2 in a.m. and the other half at night. Since he upped the lasix, my blood pressure is dropping (is that good?) it was 105/47 and a 72 HR this a.m. and had been running in the 120's and 130's. The Medtronic tech is VERY quiet, gentle and practically never says a word, I have to have specific questions before I get anything from him. I have the last interrogation printout but don't understand the things on it. It's 2 and 1/2 pages long. I may have to quit Taichiquan if I can't get better breathing. Any advice? Thank you all.

Gretchen

2 Comments

Shortness of breath

by ElectricFrank - 2009-11-28 11:11:20

Most of the meds you are taking indicate the doc is treating you for the symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF). Has he run a test of your Ejection Fraction? This would give information on the condition of you hearts ability to pump blood efficiently.

While a pacemaker and meds can reduce and fatique happen when your body senses it it short of oxygen and increases breathing in an attempt to correct the situation. The problem is that it doesn't help to increase breathing if the lungs are being supplied enough blood to oxygenate.

My suggestion would be to ask the doctor for an honest evaluation of your condition. Being told the symptoms would be gone after a while, when it has been 8 months is a bit suspect.

By the way the Medtronics techs approach to you makes me suspect the doc even more. Some docs will prohibit the tech from making any suggestions to a patient even when they could have helpful input. I had to get the doc and tech in the same room at the same time and lay down the law to the cardiologist. I let him know that I knew what was going on and that I would be looking for a new cardiologist if it kept up. Things have changed a lot since.

best wishes,

frank

help ???

by heidi reds - 2009-12-13 10:12:56

Hi Gretchen
couple of questions for you
1. do you know what your diagnosis is? / why you have the pacemaker?
2. have you ever gotten a second opinion?
3.do you know what percent you are paced?
4. since you have a CRT-D have you ever had an echo optimizations ( this is where they do a echocardiogram and make pacemaker changes at the same time using what they see on the echo to change the pacemaker)
now some of the rationing behind my questions. after I got my pacemaker I was told that I would not be able to live a normal life- would have to lead a sedetary life. but I sought a second opinion and the first doctor just didn't know how to set my pacemaker for a young person. it was the settings that were wrong for me. I was later upgraded to a CRT-P and I had a doctor try to adjust the settings for me but he couldn't get them right and I continued to have fatigue and SOB (shortness of breath) I eventually went to another cardiologist ( one at a major university hospital who specializes in CRT devices) and he was able to do an echo optimization and now ( this was only 3 weeks ago) my fatigue is much less and I am eager to start exercising to decrease my SOB and increase my conditioning/ exercise tolerance.
my biggest suggestion is to be persistant- tell your doctor and the medtronic tech that you expect help in getting good settings and that if they can't help you then you will go to someone who can help you. if you can answer the above questions and give me more information I might be able to help you more. Heidi

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