Headaches, dizziness and nausea

I just had a new pacemaker put in. Got my old one in July of 2004. I just had it checked out and was told it would go for up to 5 months. 3 Weeks later they had me come back and it was 100% dead.Lucky it had a backup battery. My heart is paced 100% of the time and so was told I had to have a temporary one during surgery, but while I was on the table it started beating on its own so they did not have to do the temporary. I am fine now and this new one should last 12 or 13 years. It is quite a bit bigger than the old one. It sticks out unlike my old one. When I haven't checked out and they place the magnet over it I get totally dizzy and nauseated and a headache.The tech told me that doesn't happen. Well I am telling you it happens every time and lasts a couple hours. Does anyone else out there have a similar problem?

3 Comments

It happens

by TalkinCardio - 2012-08-09 03:08:21

the tech has no business telling you that doesn't happen! Obviously it is happening. That gets my goat when doctors, techs or nurses say something like that.

I have not had this experience personally, but I do recall old posts from members on here saying this was happening to them too. Try looking it up with the Search in the upper right hand corner of this site.

Good Luck, Cathy

Effect of Magnet

by ElectricFrank - 2012-08-09 05:08:01

When the magnet (or Puck) is placed over the pacer most systems initiate a test that causes your heart rate to make sudden changes. Mine goes down to 55, then to 85, and on to 100, and then back to whatever my current rate is. During some of this segments it will cause your heart to skip a beat or two. This is done to test the operation of the pacer and your hearts response over a wide range.

This feels strange and for some it can cause other symptoms like yours. My suggestion is to ask the tech to warn you when he is going to start the sequence. Take a few deep breaths as it is happening. What you are experiencing is primarily the result of anxiety caused by the sensations. We are naturally very sensitive to sudden changes in HR.

As Cathy mentioned the tech is totally out of line in telling you that you aren't feeling it. Next time you have an appointment let him know you have researched it and he wrong.

best wishes,

frank

Let me stir Franks pot full of ingredients

by donr - 2012-08-09 10:08:07

a bit more.

I had feelings similar to that when I first got my PM, back in 2003. I felt absolutely awful WHILE the puck was over my PM. Over the yrs, the feeling has eased & Now I have to concentrate to feel any effect at all.

There is an anxiety component to everything cardiac/pulmonary related. So it may well be causing all or some of your discomfort.

Now THAT was real, no doubt. My Cardio, et al, all agreed that ! was feeling something, & said it was just what Frank described.

Now my effect never lasted after the puck was removed.

As you described things, it did not start for you till you got your NEW PM.

I always say that when you fix something & things are different after the fixing, go back & examine what you did to fix things. In your case, that means get someone who is rational to examine what may be different between the old & new devices. You said the new one is a different model & is larger. Maybe, just maybe, the new one does something different during the test sequence.

Then examine what effect the new PM may have on your COPD. That may well be triggering some effect that lasts after the testing.

Is any part of your COPD asthma like? Has it ever made you feel this way under the old PM's regime?

Heart & lungs work together a lot. Perhaps the new PM isn't working as well w/ the COPD as the old.

Don

You know you're wired when...

You read consumer reports before upgrading to a new model.

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