After first checkup, have gone backward?

 

 

I greatly appreciate all the help available on this site. It has a wealth of information and hope I can help somebody one day.

So my pm mode is AAIR - DDDR and my hr is set 50 bpm at night 60 to 130 daytime. I've  spent some time researching and believe I understand my modes.

So I had my first checkup on Tuesday. Three technicians, but not very chatty types. Managed to deduce I have a dicky sinus node which 'Needs a bit if help'. Transmission of signal to ventricles ok so presume AV node dispatching ok. They tell me they just want to get more out of the battery.

The heart rate hasn't changed an I must presume the mode is unaltered.

I'm  just wondering. I presume they've just been tweaking but since the tweaks I seem to have gone backwards. After my checkup I did a 4 or 5 mile walk, nothing strenuous, took it slow stopped in a wood with a flask and sandwiches. I have been walking just about throughout. Felt excellent. Next day a bit of gardening, again  very slow cutting the borders dead heading the roses.

Then that evening very tired a night in bed for 13 hours. Woke up tired, weak and headache. Had breakfast and  did nothing all day. Headache turned it a light, giddy head by the afternoon so got myself food. Bed again for another 13 hours and rose weak and tired again. Had light palps for the first time for weeks  when I started writing this.

I've  got installation and programming manuals for my pm (Medtronic W3DR01) but frankly there's  nothing I can deduce from those, they're  simple not meant for the uneducated.

I'm  thinking I  just likely need to take it a bit slower for a while. But I'm  also wondering could little tweaks be made which I  must now readjust to, and has anyone experience a little tweak being a tweak too far.

Feeling better now though, mow the lawn when it dries a bit.

 

4 Comments

tweaks

by Tracey_E - 2020-07-24 10:27:31

Once we are stable and healed, it's common to do little tweaks to get more life out of the battery. It was explained to me that it was changes to the safety margins, that once I was predictable in my usage they could turn those down and I would never notice the difference. If you feel worse after a check, always let them know. However, since this time you felt worse after the fact rather than during (when you would need the pacing) and you are feeling better now, it's likely something else going on. It's easy to get tunnel vision and blame everything on the pacer, but lots of things can make us tired. 

All ok methinks

by PandaCub - 2020-07-24 10:53:40

Thanks, yes turning into a bit of a wimp I think. Definitely felt a little weak and quite light headed after the smaller first section of lawn. Had a rest and a cup of tea and finished the remainder and feel quite back to normal.

I'll  leave it a while.

Pacemaker adjustments

by Gemita - 2020-07-24 18:10:09

Hello Pandacub (what a gorgeous name)!  Aren't you the lucky one with three technicians looking after you during your first check up.  I did quite well with two technicians last time and they had plenty of time to spend with me and actually for the first time, they wanted to talk and give me lots of feedback, but they aren't generally so welcoming. 

I have never had any tweaking of pacemaker settings since implant in 2018  (at least I do not believe so) but I have had changes to my medication, requiring less medication over time which has been wonderful. Have you by chance had any changes to your medication because that can certainly make a difference.  Perhaps the adjustments have triggered your new palpitations because our hearts can be so sensitive to even the slightest change to our meds or pacemaker settings which is why my EP wanted to leave well alone when I complained of an increase in my palpitations and arrhythmias.  These went on for over 3 months but settled down quickly when I stopped my anti arrhythmic Digoxin and Flecainide.

My pacemaker is also AAIR<=>DDDR mode and is a Medtronic.  My lower heart rate is 70 bpm day and night, upper heart rate 130 bpm.  I too had a loop implant which was explanted last October.  If yours is still functioning, could you perhaps send a transmission to your clinic when you get your palpitations?  These could be contributing to your symptoms.

First Tweasks

by PandaCub - 2020-07-25 03:20:23

Saying I had three looking after me was perhaps an over statement. One was making adjustments under the supervision of a second, so obviously under a training. A third was recording the adjustments and when she spoke, all stopped and listened . it was the third who answered any questions. I did specifically ask if the recorder was actually recording even though its  not transmitting. I think I got a yes. But the hand sensor is now dead when passed over the recorder. It only works over the pacema,er.

I'm  on no medications. Reading other people's state of health I cannot complain and feeling much better now, thanks. Just seemed a bit troublsoome feeling so odd after the tweaks. Probably the sun 

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