Hard Heartbeat

I have had my two lead pm since Feb. 2007. I have such a hard heartbeat especially at night when I am quiet that it maddening. I just had a pacer check and they said everything was fine, I am 100% dependent as I had an av node ablation because of atrial fibrillation with severe palpitations. When I asked them to adjust the rate before it was beating so hard I had to go back the same day and have it put back. I can feel my heart beatng everywhere. My fingers chest stomach ears. It is hard to relax when this is going on. Anyone else have this? It also makes me cough and sometimes I have shortness of breath. My pm is set at 75 and 135. Thanks DD

3 Comments

Heart Beat

by SMITTY - 2007-12-20 10:12:01

Hello DD,

I'm such a self proclaimed expert on pacemakers I will tell you what to do to solve your problem. Before I go any further, I'm very much like the doctor I was talking about a few minutes ago, I don't really know sheep dip from wild honey about pacemakers. But, I have been down the road you are talking about. My solution was to get the low setting reduced and get the voltage output reduced. It took a few tries to get the right power output but I now have a setting of about 1/3 what I started with and I never feel my PM anymore.

Good luck,

Smitty

Had that problem too

by VonnieVern - 2007-12-20 10:12:23

I just got my pacemaker in October and can relate to what you're saying. I was so aware of my heartbeat most of the time, and as you describe, when quiet at night it was quite bothersome. After three weeks, I had my rate adjusted but that did not help. So they deactivated the rate response feature, and that was just what I needed. Perhaps that might work for you as well.

Me too

by kim75 - 2008-01-01 09:01:18

This morning while lying in bed, I could distinctly feel my heartbeat in my stomach too. Both my husband and I could feel it by putting our hands on my abdomen.

I just received my pacemaker on Friday and I was really worried that a lead had dislodged and moved into my abdomen!!!

Sorry, I have no advice. But I will be talking with my doctor about this when I go for my follow up on Friday.

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

Member Quotes

At age 20, I will be getting a pacemaker in few weeks along with an SA node ablation. This opportunity may change a five year prognosis into a normal life span! I look forward to being a little old lady with a wicked cane!