Meds after PM surgery

I got my pacemaker a week ago and am doing well. I have tacky-brady syndrome and two leads. I had been on benicar and Tizak for several years for blood pressure. I was told to take a full strength asperin every day. I don't know if this was just for awhile because I had the PM put in or a permanent thing. My pharmacist told me I would ruin my stomach if I took the full strength asperin every day and to take the lower amount. I don't want to have a stroke. I am a very young 70 and don't have any other risk for stroke except high blood pressure which is controlled quite well with medication. Does anyone have an opinion on this. Also the asperin makes me very constipated.

5 Comments

Aspirin

by D4ve67 - 2010-11-07 08:11:27

Hi, I have only recently had a PM inplanted about 7 weeks now am also a youngster (43) I was on no meds at all for anything and then suddenly suffered from heart block and 30 HR. After implant was not given or told to take any meds at all and hey presto 6 weeks after op had a TIA as a result of clots, no cholesterol problems so looks like a result of surgery or leads am now undergoing tests in next few days.
They are now telling me to take apirin 300mg daily try to stop any clotting, bit of the horse and stable door, so I would say take the aspirin and if it causes you a bit of constipation better that the alternative !!!!

Dave.

Hi :)

by pacergirl - 2010-11-07 09:11:02

Welcome to the Pacemaker Club
I am quite sure that your doctor carefully thought about the medications your were taking before he instructed you to take the aspirin. I suggest that you speak to your dr. before you changed anything about what you should take. I am also quite surprised that a pharmacist would suggest that you not change the dosage and tell you it would ruin your stomach. There are specially coated aspirin (which I have taken daily for 5 years) that does not irritate the stomach. No one wants to have a stroke, not you and certainly not me. I welcome information from my pharmacist, but I always ask my dr. the whys, whats and when about medications he is prescribing for me.
As far as constipation... never been a problem for me. I do eat a lot of fresh veggies and lots of salad.
Take care,
Pacergirl

Stroke Aspirin TIA and Veggies

by cah - 2010-11-07 10:11:00

I agree with all of you ... on the 'ask questions' .

I am not one to take medication without asking 'why', 'what are the alternatives' and 'what do I have to restrict' and 'can it cause another illness'?

Second comment is for TIA. I am a nurse and work in a Stroke program. I asked a lot of questions about aspirin and stroke with pacemakers (some answers I already know) but wanted to know more of course when I suddenly found myself with a pacemaker.

There are different diagnosis for pacemaker placement, different reasons we all have one and each reason leaves us at a different risk for stroke. So although we all have a pacemaker we are still at different risks.

I myself was told I did not have to take an aspirin for my condition but had already been on a baby aspirin (because I am 50) once a day and was told it was o.k. to continue.

If you have high cholesterol , a history of afib and are at risk for stroke because you have had one before or have had a TIA in the past and have a pacemaker or have other blood clotting issues or risk factors for stroke ... please discuss this with ALL of your doctors.

If you are on blood thinners and/or have blood clotting issues , vegetables are good but certain ones should be avoided (like broccoli) as they have vit K and can contribute to reversing the effects of certain blood thinners (like coumadin).

I hope this was helpful!
C

To D4ve67

by cah - 2010-11-07 10:11:38

D4ve67

Stroke and TIA are medical emergencies. The same as a Heart Attack. If you suspect you are having a Stroke or a TIA call 911 immediately as the saying goes "Time = Brain" .

The same risk factors that cause a heart attack cause a stroke. You can recognize stroke by using the letters in the word FAST

F=Face -- Numbness or Drooping
A=Arms -- Drifting, numbness or drooping of an arm or leg
or both
S=Speech/Swallowing ... Any difficulty speaking or
Swallowing. Slurred words or words that do not make
sense to anyone else (garbled speech)
T=Time as time is brain. The sooner you get to a hospital
(and please find out which hospitals in your area are
certified stroke centers and should also be certified
chest pain centers as this means they have a set of
written care protocols that will "fast track" you through
tests to see if you qualify for life saving treatment that
can stop or reverse some or most of the affects of
stroke (or a heart attack if a chest pain center).

The key is not to wait as time = brain. The longer you wait the more damage that is done!

I teach this to Emergency Medical Workers, Hospital Personal and even my 13 yr old daughter when I was in the E.R. last month recognized that the person behind the curtain next to me was being evaluated for a stroke because she goes with me to Stroke Events.

Also, your family and friends need to be taught the signs and symptoms as unlike a heart attack where you may be able to say call 911, family and friends need to learn the signs and symptoms as they may be the one to save a life in the future. I call it "TEACH IT FORWARD"

Not to be scared. Just stay informed but most important you are young and need to have to the tools at hand to remain healthy!

One other thing ... know your LDL (your bad cholesterol) number. Do what you can to keep it low.

Hope this was helpful!

C

IAspirin

by SMITTY - 2010-11-08 12:11:09

If the doctor said take an aspirn every day, take one. But if a full grown aspirin causes you a problem, take a baby aspirin. Then talk to your doclor and find out just why and how much aspirn you need to take.

In the meantime, don't worry about a stroke because you may be taking to little aspirn unless you are prone to having blood clots. I expect if that were the case your doctor would have put you on a more potent blood thinner than aspirin and you would not be told to take aspirin..

Smitty.

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