AFIB episode after pacemaker implantation

I am completely new to the world of pacemakers as mine was implanted last Friday by a Dr. I never met before and it was deemed immediately necessary by another cardiologist filling in for mine who was out of town at the time.  I was wearing a heart monitor which picked up events showing my heart was "pausing" for periods of 4.7- 6 seconds multiple times in a period of 3 hours and In other minutes of the same episode beating between 250-300 times a minute. On Tuesday the stand in cardiologist called me to come into his office immediately and told me I needed a heart cath to check for blockage and a pacemaker put in place immediately and it could not wait for my cardiologist to get back the following Monday because I should have passed out already and possibly died. Maybe I'm gullible but I had definitely felt the effects of the episode he showed me the monitor had picked up and knew I had experienced these types of "episodes" more than once in the last year. I had both the procedures and trusted him that these would resolve the issues (as well as taking a pill he would prescribe me to take everyday going forward.  I have read a lot of posts on this site and everyone seems to know what kind of device they have, the settings put in place on it, whether it is one lead or more and how they are attached. The only information I left the hospital with was that mine is a Medtronic. That's it-nothing else. Everything has seemingly been working this week as I have stayed home from work since I am not allowed to drive and other than pain and swelling and a feeling of having a golf ball at the very base inside my throat - until tonight. My husband and I left the house for the first time for dinner. Without any warning, as I am eating my salad - I experience another "episode". All the strength drains from my body, my head starts to pound, my heart seems to be alternating between fluttering and racing and the joints in my jaw start to ache continuously. My husband took me home and put me in the bed just as he has done many times before when this happens. I thought this wasn't supposed to happen anymore and a pacemaker was to ensure it didn't. Have I totally misunderstood the purpose for this procedure. Is it normal to have AFIB attacks AFTER getting a pacemaker?   I would appreciate any insight you could provide.  Thanks so much. 

2 Comments

I know it's scary !!

by MartyP - 2017-07-28 12:10:18

It all happens so fast, many times with little to know warning at all.  I'm 8 weeks in and can offer some thoughts that may help.

When the surgeon puts in the PM it can be set a "standard" setting.  I had to go back a few days later as my heart "ached".  The physiologist looked at the setting and made some adjustments, so I think that would be a good first step - let them check the settings.

I can tell you thatthings will be different.  If you are anything like me, I was hyper sensitive to every different feeling, some were OK and some worrimsome - in particular the "skipped beats" now I know them as PVS's Premature Ventricular Contractions.  They are exhausting and scary, but everyone says they are mostly normal and we get used to them.

I know that it's hard to be upbeat about what happened, but for me it saved my life, and I'm reassured that "sparky" is working well.

Just a thought that I got from my flight instructor many years ago ... "when in doubt, there is no doubt" ... if you don't feel right call the doctor.

If it's a Medtronic and you have the MyCareLink Smart device, don't be afraid to call the doctors office and tell them you want to send a transmission so they can look at what it's doing.

Hang in there, most days it gets a little better each day, but some days we fall back a little.

I'm suseptible to depression, so my GP prescribed Zoloft and I've just started that for the anxiety.

Hope this helps a little ... there are far more experienced people on the site that will give you even better information.

Marty - Age 72 - 8 weeks Post PM :)

 

 

Pacemakers and AbFib episodes

by denzilg - 2017-07-29 05:21:14

I have a St Jude p/m fitted - about 8 years ago.

I initially went to see a cardiologist because of the fibs but monitors showed that my heart rate decreased to around 32 at night.

I was told I needed a p/m urgently - the danger was that while beating so low, my heart could stop altogether.

This was thus the prime reason for the p/m.

As for its impact on fibs, my cardiologist/EP, a well regarded international expert in the field, told me that the p/m could have no impact at all, could reduce the incidence/severity a little or a lot, or could stop them completely - but it was not possible to predict the impact in individual cases.

I was having about 3 severe attacks a week. That soon reduced to about 3 per year, and now I have gone for 18 months with no attack - thank goodness.

I know that every case is different but it could be the case that the primary reason you got a p/m was not because of the fibs, but because your heart was stopping.

P/m's don't "cure" ab fibs - that is not their purpose - but they certainly can be of major benefit.

Hang in there and see what develops.  Good luck!

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