Tired and Weak, hope that is normal?
- by bgallagher
- 2013-04-21 08:04:56
- Surgery & Recovery
- 2376 views
- 4 comments
Hello Everyone,
I am 75 years old, a type 2 diabetic and my heart doctor has been telling me my heart is fine, but I had to have a PM put in this last Friday.
Released from the hospital yesterday and now home relaxing with my husband and son. However, I still feel tired and kind of weak. I was just wondering if this was normal.
My son posted this note on my Facebook page that kind of tells what all happened to me on Friday.
Thank you and so happy I found your club! Betty...
My Son's Note:
Mom is doing better, but she sure scared the heck out of us Friday!!
I came into the house Friday and I was heading to the back and I ask mom how you doing as I walked by the office. She said, "so, so" and I turned back around and walked into the office and said why are you feeling just so, so? She started passing out at her desk as I walked in. I pulled her back in her desk chair and called 911. While talking with 911 mom came to and said, what are you doing? I said you passed out. She kind of wrinkled her forehead and said I did not! Her arm was bleeding and I told her if you didn't how did that happen? She was kind of upset with me as I told them to go ahead and send the ambulance.
She was worried the house was not cleaned up and I was having someone come over. She also said, I have not gotten into the shower. I told her we won't worry about that right now and the paramedics came and checked all her vitals and etc. All was good. They asked her to let them take her in to be checked out, because passing out like that is not normal. I said she is going and mom kept saying she was fine and she hated that I have bothered them to come out when she was fine and did not passout. We ended up talking her into letting them take her into the Heart Hospital.
Dad was waiting on the ambulance when they got there and I was just a few minutes behind them. They got her into a room and took blood and ran a few tests. While dad and I where sitting there mom's eyes rolled back and she turned gray. I was watching the monitor too and I saw her heart rate go down and the alert go from yellow to red as it kept dropping. As soon as that happened, I ran into the all yelling for help.
The room was filled with doctors and nurses and put a device on her that would shock her if her heartbeat went below 40 beats. It was shocking her and making her jump when it went off. They said she needs a pacemakers and the doctor that was going to put it in came into the room to talk to us.
He told us that it was not up for discussion that she had to have the device put in and that it was a life or death thing here. He showed the EKG and he said mom had flatlined. We said of course and they told us that we got her here just in time, as it could have turned out much different.
As they were getting ready to take mom to surgery, the shocker device was shocking her ever few seconds and I asked the doctor why. He said, it's time to get it in now!
She is home, but weak and tired. I have been checking on her every hour or so and even woke them up to take blood pressure and test mom's sugar. All was good. I know and dad both are exhausted.
I love you mom!!!
PS. I was just reading an article about a women that had the same problem and it reminded me of you when said said she could not go to the hospital because she had to fix dinner.
PPS. I hope you can make sense out of my note and there are not too many errors. My brain is not working too well from lack of sleep. :)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/02/28/fainting-can-indicate-deadly-heart-condition/
4 Comments
Yes........
by Pookie - 2013-04-22 09:04:52
it is very normal to feel exhausted and tired and weak, etc after just going thru having a pacemaker and surgery. Time. Time is needed to rest, relax, and recover. Take it easy. Your body will tell you when it's ready to do what. Don't push yourself.
However, if it continues more than approximately 2-3 weeks, please call your doctor because with EVERY pacemaker you come out with what is called default settings - and these settings aren't for everyone. Once they get the settings adjusted to YOUR needs you should feel a lot better. It may take a few visits, so be patient:)
And never allow them to change more than one setting per visit because if one doesn't work, how would you know which one?????
Another thing - educate yourself as much as possible about your pacemaker and what it can and cannot do. Don't put 100% faith into your PM tech or doctors...only you can tell them how you are feeling.
I wish you the very best.
Pookie
Yes, it's normal
by Janey L - 2013-04-22 11:04:15
Hi. Just to say I too felt very tired & weak after my PM implant. My arrythmia nurse told me it was normal as it was, after all, like a surgical procedure....having your chest opened even slightly to put the PM box in (I know it's not like big surgery). You still have a wound that needs to heal etc. I felt like it for a few weeks but I gradually started to regain my strength & stamina...as you will too. Take it easy & rest when you need to...you'll soon be up & about again.
Best wishes
Janey
Thank you all!!
by bgallagher - 2013-04-27 05:04:47
Dear Jeanlancour, Janey L and Pookie,
Thank you so much for your help and the best wishes!! You are all so nice to take the time to write and you have made me feel so much better! SMILE!!
I have been having trouble with my blood pressure this week and my son posted a note to my Facebook page today giving an update for my friends. I am going to copy and paste his note below to give you an idea what has been going one with me this week.
My son wants me to change my heart doctor after this. I see the pacemaker doctor this coming Monday for the first time since he put in my pacemaker.
Thank you again!! Betty...
Here is my son's note:
" Hi Mom and Everyone.. Just a little update on my mom.
Took mom to her heart doctor on Monday and he reviewed her medications. When he got to her blood pressure meds he said she does not need these. She takes three BP Meds and he said to stop two of them immediately and stop the third one in a week. I said no BP meds? He said yes, she does not need them now that she has a pacemaker. Seemed odd to me, but she did what he said and her BP started steadily going up.
All week we have been having to call the doctor to ask what to do as the blood pressure readings rising. He would have her double a pill and add a pill. Just really been a mess.
Yesterday her BP got to 187/113, so he had her pressures all out of whack now and it's Friday/weekend. Finally got the nurse to call us back after calling all day on what to do and the doctor is basically putting her back on all her BP meds.
Mom's blood pressure was not going down last night, so we ended up going to the ER last night to get mom checked out. We went back to the Heart Hospital and we were so lucky that they were not busy at all. She was seen right away and they were so nice. The ER Doctor thought the pills that mom had taken about three hours earlier were starting to bring the pressures down and that she would be okay. They had us stay until the numbers came down a little more and checked mom out real good. When we left her BP was 159/93. Still high, but much better.
They released mom and by 1am or so at home, her BP had came down to 130/70. She is tired today, but much better.
Took mom this morning to get her hair washed at a nearby salon and I think that really made her feel even better. :)
Love you mom!!! "
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Thankfully your son was there.
by jeanlancour - 2013-04-21 11:04:51
Now take it easy, no lifting your arm on the side of the PM. Of course you can move it, you don't want a stiff shoulder, I mean not over your head, or lifting any thing heavy. Follow Drs orders. Relax and enjoy your new bionic life. Enjoy Jean