new recipient

Hi everyone!

I'm a 32 year old mother to 4. I was perfectly healthy until March of this year. My heart suddenly didn't work right anymore and after a trip to the ER and a week long hospital stay, the Dr finally decided to insert the PM. I'm still feeling palpitations but they've tweaked the settings a few different times and adjusted my meds and nothing is fixing it. Does anyone else deal with this? Am I to expect this the rest of my life or should I continue to have it all adjusted?

7 Comments

Thud2281

by Tick-tock - 2013-10-14 11:10:37

First, sorry you are still having difficulties. I am only 2 weeks into having my pacemaker, also young 31. I have already had an adjustment and noticed a huge change. I am still having some issues, and feel another adjustment or two will help. I realize I'm not much help, but try and be positive, and hopefully all will resolve...it's still pretty new, and our bodies often take a while to adjust.

Try this..

by Duke999 - 2013-10-15 01:10:21

Hello Thud2281, I just want to share with you my own experience. If I may suggest you to look into Magnesium. Magnesium is a miraculous mineral/supplement. You should research on this mineral and find wonders about it. It is needed by many parts of our body including the heart's electrical function. Originally, I was prescribed to take Flecainide after my PM put in back in March this year, but I don't like side effects of drugs, so I researched for alternatives. The supplements I take are Magnesium Taurate (made by Cardiovascular Research) and Taurine. I hope I'm steering you into the right direction to help you with your case. After you're done with your research and still have more questions, you can send me a message. I will do my best to answer them. I wish you well and find a solution soon to ease your discomfort.

Duke

To answer your question

by Duke999 - 2013-10-15 06:10:14

Hi thud2281. I told my EP that I'm not taking the medicine prescribed (Flecainide) and that I'm taking Magnesium instead. She told me that she's fine with it as long as it works. She looked at my PM reports each time I went in for check up with the PM rep and see that my arrythmia, Afib, AT/VT are under control, so she said that we'll keep an eye on it as time progress. I urge you to research hard on this miraculous mineral. Our heart's electrical function is quite complex and it's an amazing system that God created (that is if you believe in such thing as a creator).
Somehow, along the line, yours, mine and other members on this site, heart's electrical system went wrong (I don't know how, but it did). I used to and still question why and how our heart's electrical system went wrong, but still can't comprehend it. Anyway, we each have to figure out what works for us to alleviate the discomfort we are experience. I hope I'm steering you into the right direction to help you in this new life.
I wish you well. Please keep in touch and let me know how things turn out for you as time progress. Have a nice day.

Duke

thank you

by thud2281 - 2013-10-15 07:10:17

Thanks everyone. I was never diagnosed with anything, but the problem is with the electrical current..heart is working fine, no defibrillator is needed. I wore a Holter monitor one time and of course didn't have any episodes while I wore it.
Duke, I am going to look into the magnesium. What did your doctor say about alternatives to drugs? I know they usually are against it, but I am like you and hate medication and the side effects from them.

What are the palpitations?

by PacerRep - 2013-10-15 12:10:34

Are you having PVC's? Is it when the device paces the ventricle? Why did you get the device?

Keep reviewing the settings

by SaraTB - 2013-10-15 12:10:38

It took around 6 months after my initial implant to get the settings to where I was satisfied. I'm on my second PM now, 10 years or more later, and I still push for adjustments sometimes. I realised that many Eps don't have wide experience of setting things up for younger patients, as most of their patients are older and may not have been very active prior to getting the PM.

It helped me, that one of my EPs other patients is a marathon runner, so the doctor got accustomed to being pushed to keep 'tweaking'.

Please don't be afraid to persevere: these things are so complex, with such a huge range of possible adjustments, that it's hard to get to the right range for someone as active as you.

In the end, we set up a meeting with my EP, the nurse practitioner and the PM company representative, who reviewed the whole thing. I would strongly suggest you request the involvement of the PM rep. because they often know more about it than the doctor.

A belated welcome to you Thud!

by donr - 2013-10-17 09:10:35

I read your profile & read that you are a loan collector. And all this time I thought loan collectors were heartless!

Well, ON to your problems.

First - WHAT MEDS are you taking? It sure is nice to know that when trying to answer a question.

Second - Didn't they EVER give you any diagnosis? No reason whatsoever for suddenly becoming Hostess for a PM?

Third - PacerRep threw out there a question using the acronym "PVC." Ever hear that word used?

Fourth - based on what I read above, they are all hinting at PVC's being the problem - but they NEVER tell you what they are - not fair!

I will join the chorus in thinking that is what's ailing you now, but will withhold any long-winded typing about it till you answer my simple questions above. THEN...based upon your answers, I will either write you a book or pass the buck to someone who can.

Oh, BTW, a PVC is a Premature Ventricular Contraction that has a very distinct signature that you sense. I'll not poison you as a witness, by putting words in your keyboard. You be as graphic as you can w/ your description & I'll respond w/ perhaps some clarification & help.

Don

You know you're wired when...

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Member Quotes

Since I got my pacemaker, I don't pass out anymore! That's a blessing in itself.