Shortness of Breath/weakness

I'm 49 with a 7 year old dual lead medtronic pacemaker. I have had shortness of breath followed by weakness increasingly over the past few years. Doctors told me initially it was anxiety which I knew was "bunk" and then they said acid reflux and when I totally changed my diet to all natural and exercise, I still get it. Even more so lately with more intense working out. The Cardiologist medtronics techs have played with my settings for years. My heart is 100% dependent in the atrium and lately my ventricle changed from 3% to 50% pacing. It's set at 60 base. I only have bradycardia...I'd like to hear from others who may have had similar issues.

3 Comments

same symptoms

by revelation - 2014-09-19 10:09:29

I'm on my second CRT-D device. I still get dizzy, short of breath in anything I do, and still have to lay down some every day. My doctor says that my EF is at 45% now, up from 20% in 2007 when I had my first device put in. I was pacing 100% inthe ventricles and 75% in atrium at that time. Now I'm at 100% vent and 92% atr paced. I'm still short of breath just like I was when I had my first one put in. Doc said he didn't think it was my heart since my EF was up to 45%. I exercise and stay as active as I can, but the more I do the worse I feel. Maybe he knows what he's talking about. I hope. But that isn't helping me any.

diagnosis

by Tracey_E - 2014-09-19 10:09:34

Bradycardia just means a heart rate under 60, there are a number of causes for it. It's more of a symptom than a diagnosis.

Have you had an echo to see what your heart function is? A stress test might also be useful, see what your heart does on exertion, make sure the pacer is doing what it should Sometimes our hearts change over the years and we have to modify the settings to keep up. If you pace every beat in the atrium and have trouble on exertion, that sounds like it might be rate response settings. It can take a few tries to get them right. Watching while on the treadmill can be more efficient than trial and error.

Thanks TracE and revelation for responding

by KauaiBeachgrl - 2014-09-21 08:09:11

Thank you for responding. I have a hunch that my heart condition may be related to a parathyroid gone bad. I have already had 3 1/2 removed prior to my heart problems due to tumors. Since parathyroids are responsible for calcium uptake and calcium works on the electrical cells, which is what is fautly in my heart, that is what I'm wondering. Will need more blood work and heart testing. Doctors are very slow to respond here.

You know you're wired when...

You can hear your heartbeat in your cell phone.

Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.