Pacemaker recipients: Looking for support from others

I agree

Wasanything done for the pauses?

In response to your questions, I take 50 mg of Metoprolol daily and 100 mg of Flecainide twice a day. I seem to tolerate both without problems, though I have read in this forum about bad reactions from others. Never had an ablation. I was taking no heart rhythm meds before afib was detected, but was then placed on Eliquis 5 mg twice a day for about 1 year until Last December, when I had a Watchman device implanted. After the implant, I was switched from Eliquis to Plavix (75 mg/day) plus 325 mg aspirin daily for the next 6 Mos. I hope that this info is helpful to you in your journey.

What is the purpose of a watchman device?

I was diagnosed with severe HF, LBBB and cardiomyopathy, I can barely do anything without being completely out of breath doing very little, after a exercise test with cath in place(horrible test! ) then 2 weeks with a monitor I am scheduled for a CRT December 12, at Mayo, I'm excited & nervous & would love to hear how this has helped others, I am 61, this was cause by chemotherapy and I was formally quite fit & active for my age.

My situation is somewhat different from yours but the feelings are likely similar. I have bradycardia and had a 2 lead pacemaker installed in Sept. 2022. Previously, I was moderately active: powerlifting and strength training, yoga and stretch and mobility. BUT, not enough cardio. I am 75. It was an unexpected shock. I am very cautious, perhaps too cautious, worried about doing too much in the cardio realm, and worried about weights. Having said that, I sleep better, don't sweat as much, and can walk with no difficulty. I am also back to yoga, stretch and mobility, and light weights. The pacemaker was an emergency, and it has taken some time to get used to it, mostly the needing it. 🙂 Honestly, it has given me my life back. I hope that with a bit of patience, it will do the same for you.

Thank you for your reply! Yoga is what I miss the most so that you have gotten back to it is very encouraging, I have partly been afraid to return because my b/p does not need lowering! Thank you your encouragement. Namaste.

I had intermittent Afib, had a cryo Ablation in 2014. Did not work. Than an Ablation 6 month later. Worked for 6 yrs, no Afib. Than I started to get Brady cardia, and other irregularities. Been admitted for observation in hospital several times. In January 2022 again serious bradycardia and other arrhythmia problems.. This time a 2 lead Pacemaker was inserted . Am so happy ,so far no Afib or irregularities of my heart. I was on 100 mgr. Metoprolol twice a day which is now cut back to 50 mgr twice a day. Am also on xeralto 20 mgr. and Irbesartan 300 mgr daily , now it is already November and still do well. My B/P is also normal. Best wishes for all of you. I am almost 84.

My journey started with chest pain and shortness of breath, I went to the Dr and ended up in the hospital for 2 days, I have not worked since, I am 61 and would love to return even 1 day a week, It was not in the plans to retire now, wow yoga at 84 is amazing! I hope to get back to that, between the panademic and my low b/p due to meds I just never got back to it. I hope things continue to improve for you and all the best to you as well!

I was diagnosed with AFIB almost twenty years ago. I was highly symptomatic and finally had to retire 20 years earlier than I had planned. Over these years I had four ablations—one worked for almost six years, but the AFIB returned worse than ever. Finally, as my situation became more extreme, four years ago I had a total AV node block and a pacemaker that sends a constant signal in place of the crazy signals from my atrium. The situation isn’t perfect, but I no longer am suffering from EXTREME AFIB episodes that would last for weeks at a time. I still feel faint and short of breath at times and sense the quivering atrium, but the pacemaker does keep the regular beat going. I am hoping that research and technology will bring improvements to the way my PM works with my body. Also, I often wonder if all those ablations significantly scarred my atrium and that the continuing bouncing of electrical signals will always be part of my experience. I am 75.