Changes...

Keep pushing for an early pacemaker change

by Gemita - 2020-08-21 07:06:57

Hello Qwerty,

Well you certainly have a good sense of humour and that will really help !!  Firstly just a couple of tips.  Before you get out of bed, try drinking some water (which you can keep on the bedside table).  After a break from eating and drinking during the night, I often wake dehydrated and this can certainly result in a blood pressure fall and cause dizziness.  Also never get up quickly, especially with heart problems!!  That said many health conditions can cause dizziness.

Looking at your post, I would be telling my doctors about these symptoms and asking whether a pacemaker change sooner rather than later would help.  Your dizziness could well be due to blood pressure changes. I suffer from low blood pressure and it can certainly cause weakness/dizziness.  Unfortunately a pacemaker cannot do anything about low blood pressure and with your failing battery, you could start getting blood pressure changes too.

I certainly wouldn't stay in bed too long doing cross stitch, it will just make you weaker and slow everything down further !!  Keep moving gently during the day, keep well hydrated and start pushing those doctors of yours to act sooner rather than later !!  In any event, if the dizziness continues, you should see your general doctors for some checks.  Stay well, stay virus free.

Dizzy

by AgentX86 - 2020-08-21 08:19:19

The reason you're dizzy is that your BP is 90/60. The is a dangerous level no matter what the cause. In my opinion,  if you can't get in to see your doctor TODAY it's time for a trip to the ER. Don't make light of this.

Yes, your PM may be causing this but it really doesn't matter. You need help NOW.

when it's time for a new one

by Tracey_E - 2020-08-21 10:22:08

When it switches mode at the end of life, it will not let you get under 60, but it also won't help your rate to go up anymore so try not to exert until you know what's going on. A remote report should tell them if this has happened or not. BP is likely a different issue, don't assume it's related. 

Pm dying...

by qwerty - 2020-08-21 12:37:59

Well got up this morning. Bp 113 over73.  Heart ratebrate 65! today Ok let's exercise. Walking tape 3 mi.  Really hard. Light headed most of it but thought getting heart rate up might improve the light headed feeling.  Made 3 miles. sat down and did BP. ,107 over 72 heart rate 65.  Sat for 15 min BP 97 over 86 heart rate 65.  Waited 15 min took again.  BP 103 over 77 heart rate 65. Hmm seeing a trend.  Have called nurse and waiting for call back.  Light headed most of time.  My plan is to remote check Sunday and call Monday.  Nurse today may be able to tell me who to call.  My cardiologist is not the one that will replace pm. I have not talked to guy yet who will replace pm.  It is a new guy.

2020 is in full effect

3 months

by Tracey_E - 2020-08-21 16:01:34

It's not going to die overnight, when it switches mode there is usually 3 months left before it shuts down so it's not urgent but don't mess around either. I would not try to walk or work out again until you get it fixed. It's hard on the body when your rate should be higher but is stuck at 65. 

Experiences With A Pacemaker in End of Life Mode

by Marybird - 2020-08-21 17:32:47

Not me, but my daughter,'s  experience. She had a dual chamber Medtronic pacemaker implanted in January 2012. They knew it was getting close to needing rep!acement, had figured this summer. There was a two week delay in her seeing the EP ( seems he had to quarantine as his kid tested positive for covid19) and she needed an in office monitor check before the replacement- seems her at home monitor( not Bluetooth remote) had bitten the dust.

Well, she asked the nurse over the phone how she would know the pacemaker was reaching its EOL. The nurse told her when it was reaching its elective replacement time, it would still function normally but would sound an alarm once a day, this would continue for three months. 

She said after that three months was up, the pacemaker would go into its "End of Life" mode and would pace steadily at 65, with no other settings operational. This would also go on for  3 months till the pacemaker stopped. 

My daughter figured she had 6 months, her pacemaker was still functioning normally when she spoke to the nurse and she had not heard any alarms. She was skeptical about hearing any alarms though as she thought she had asked about it before and was informed by a pacer tech that her pacemaker was incapable of producing any sound.

Well, apparently she was right, because about two weeks later, she woke up one morning feeling very tired and a sense that something " was not right". She noticed her heart rate was a constant 65 no matter what she did ( she had had a minimum setting BPM setting of 75 and a sensitive rate response on that pacer). Her own heart rate also became irregular ( tachycardia and just irregular) and she said she was dizzy and lightheaded as well as exhausted much of the time till the pacemaker was replaced. An appointment with her EP and pacer rep verified her pacemaker was operating on its last legs and she had the generator/battery replaced yesterday. She felt better right away and today she is a bit sore but back in business. 

Qwerty, might it be that your pacemaker has reached its "EOL" status now, and for that reason it's pacing at a constant 65? That could also be the reason you,'re feeling the way you are and the exercise isn't bringing the heart rate up as it should be.

The EP told my daughter to go home and take it easy after they verified her pacer was at the EOL stage, until they could replace it. They did so 5 days after they saw her.

A remote monitor report should verify, I 'd think, the status of your pacemaker, but as others have said, don't let it go, either. I 'd put a call in for your cardiologist as well as sending that monitor report.

!

Thanks guys.

by qwerty - 2020-08-21 20:25:37

I knew I could count on this board.  Thanks Tracey.  You can always be counted on for sound advice. I really appreciate you!!!

And the lady who posted about her daughter was right on point.  Amazing that I get more out of this board in one day than I get from Dr s in a week.

Thanks again guys.  I will do my remote check Sunday and then call the guy that is going to fix it Monday morning