First pacemaker

Dropping to 39

by AgentX86 - 2022-02-20 18:16:39

This sounds like PVCs (premature ventricular contractions).  How are you measuring your pulse?  Watches aren't at all reliable and neither are puse-ox meters, bp meters, and a whole host of other gadgets, particularly if you have any sort of arrhythmia (like PVCs).

Essentially a PVC, like the name suggests, is a premature ventricular beat (what you feel when your hear beats).  When the beat comes before it should, the ventricles may not have had a chance to refill completely so pump less blood that beat.  This beat might not be counted by the monitor because it is weak.  If you get enough of these the apparent heart rate can tank.  Usually you'll feel these (they're not good) but sometimes not.  You should be measuring your heart rate manually, timing against a sweep-hand watch for at least 30 seconds.  If the heart rate taken in the wrist doesn't match what is taken in the neck,  the wrist is lying and you may be having PVCs.  Don't worry.  They're rarely dangerous.  Even "healthy" folks get them but just shake them off as their imagination playing tricks on them.  The fact that you're rate is goofy after significant exercise suggests that you're becoming dehydrated.  Make sure you drink a lot of water and be sure to keep up on your electrolytes. Forget power-aid sorts of drinks.  They're all sugar and salt with exceedinly little magnesium and potassium, the two you really need.

50bpm is as good as any other. If you're staying at 50 and you sleep well, leave it alone.  Mine is set to 50 at night (11:00PM to 7:00AM) and it works, unless I'm active at the time. It's set to 80bpm, otherwise, to avoid the dreaded PVCs (I'm highly sensitive to any arrhythmia),

PVCs

by MinimeJer05 - 2022-02-20 23:09:18

PVCs are something I'm still learning about and hoping to cope better with as time moves forward. Sometimes, I feel like I'm having them daily, but I'm not sure if that's stress (mixed with other things) or an actual PVC. 
 

I hope you continue to remain active and find out why your heart is experiencing the sudden drops. Hopefully they don't get worse and hopefully it's something easy that can be solved (like being dehydrated or just over working yourself). 
 

Take care

Jer

A better HR setting is what you say it is

by Gotrhythm - 2022-02-21 15:51:41

Just a couple of things to add.

1. Your pacemaker wire is in actual contact with your heart. A PVC is a "real" heartbeat and so the pacemaker is going to count it. So never worry that your pacemaker is malfunctioning when you get the odd readings from a watch or pulse/oxymeter. It's just that a PVC is an inefficient beat and so it might be too weak to be counted by something on your wrist or fingertip.

2. There's no such thing as the right heartrate. Anything from 60-100bpm is considered normal.  As you can see, a heartrate of 50 is technically bradycardia (slow.) If you feel good and can do all the things you like to do without getting unduly tired, then maybe 50 is right for you. But if you're waking up tired, or having a hard time getting going in the morning, needing naps, maybe the setting needs to be looked at.

Some people will find a heartrate of 50 too slow--they feel sluggish or just don't have enough energy. Some people will find a setting of 70 too fast--they feel "wired" and jittery. But there are people who need a setting of 80 to feel well.

3. You asked, could you get a "better" setting. You can get any setting that makes you feel good. If you think a different setting could help you, talk it over with your EP. Settings are easily changed. The best setting is the one at which you feel your best.