Violent heart throbs when crouching down

Hi All, I had a dual chamber PM inserted two months ago after being diagnosed with vasovagal syncope due to sick sinus syndrome.  All is going well, apart from the following:  Whenever I crouch down or bend over my heart feels like it wants to explode.  It feels like my heart is throbbing way too hard, and I have to quickly go upright again.  To avoid this sensation I have to go down real slowly when I need to crouch down (e.g. when tying shoe laces or picking something up from the floor).  I mentioned this to my cardiologist, but he did not appear to recognise the phenomenon.  Has anyone of you ever experienced something like that?

5 Comments

blood pressure

by Tracey_E - 2020-12-17 09:10:57

Have you checked your bp when that happens?

Bending problems ? Absolutely can relate!!

by Gemita - 2020-12-17 11:46:29

I get this often with arrhythmias.  In fact bending forwards, downwards, picking something up from the floor, can trigger heart rhythm irregularities and worsening chest symptoms.  I get the throbbing, the feeling that I am going to pass out or lose my balance because my heart is jumping around so much.

As Tracey_E says, I bet if you were to check your blood pressure and heart rate when this happens, it would be all over the place as is mine.  Do you have any arrhythmias Gideon?  Or perhaps you are developing them following your pacemaker implant.  After my implant it took my heart several months to quieten down.

By the way, I am very surprised that your Cardiologist didn't know about the phenomenon "Bendopnea".  Yes really, look it up on Google!!  Many heart patients experience this.  When bending over, there is increased intra-abdominal pressure/fullness and this often triggers my palpitations.  Maybe it does for you too?

Thanks for your feedback

by Gideon - 2020-12-17 11:56:59

Thanks guys.  I do have occasional palpitations - before the op already, but a bit worse after. This sensation is more like too much pressure in the heart, but at the regular heart rate. I've read about the Bendopnea - interesting, but it sounds a bit different.  Not that I am worrying about it too much.  In terms of measuring the bp under these conditions:  The only measurement device I know it she one aroud you arm, taking a minute or two and requiring you to sit still.  Is there another way?  Thanks again for your responses.

Finger on neck pulse

by Gemita - 2020-12-17 12:20:53

Gideon, finger on neck pulse will tell you instantly if your heart rate/pulse is regular and fast.  Get to know what your neck pulse feels like when you are not bending over/down, and then get to know how your pulse feels when you get your symptoms bending over etc.  

If your pulse feels steady (regular) but fast on bending, then you can be fairly confident that you have developed a fast arrhythmia and you will need to get your doctor to place a heart monitor on you for 24 hours or longer.  Alternatively if you have home monitoring with your pacemaker, you could try downloading and transmitting data to your clinic shortly after a bending episode, for your pacing clinic to see what is happening.

But finger on neck pulse even if you cannot count the exact heart rate, is good for getting to know regular pulse from irregular pulse, slow pulse from fast pulse.  

Otherwise use a good blood pressure monitor which will probably cope well enough to give you an idea what happens with your BP and heart rate under bending conditions!!

Thanks Gemita

by Gideon - 2020-12-18 08:00:52

Thanks Gemita - I will try that.

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