Pacemaker recipients: Looking for support from others

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.

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.

What is the purpose of a watchman device?

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.

Wasanything done for the pauses?

I agree

I know if it goes below 40 it is bad. I so far never fainted.but got light headed and dizzy ..felt faubt after the moderna vaccine. .3 hours later. I had a pause incident of about 6 seconds three months later but ddin't feel or know it. Showed up on implanted ekg link. I know a pacemaker does not affect afib. How much metoprolol do you take? Do you have any side effects from the meds. .either..I never took flecainide. Are you tolerating it? Have you ever had an ablation? What were you taking before the incident for afib?

I neglected to mention that the cardiologist stated that the “pauses” that I experienced were the cause of the fainting episodes and that the pacemaker would fix this. I believe that she was correct, as I have had no further fainting episodes since implant of the pacemaker.

Hi, Betty. I am no expert on the subject, but I can share with you my history that might clarify things for you. After having been previously diagnosed with occasional afib, last April I had about 4 episodes of fainting. Went to ER and was put on a heart monitor and was asked to spend the night at the hospital for continued monitoring. The next morning, I met with a cardiologist who told me that during the night my pulse dropped to as low as 33 BPM, and worse yet, I had several “pauses” of at least 4 seconds when I had no pulse. While she did not say so, it appeRed to m3 that I was a candidate to be someone who mysteriously died in their sleep! She did tell me, though, that I was a candidate for a pacemaker. I underwent pacemaker surgery the next day. The device was then dialed in to hold my pace at no less than 60 BPM. The device seems to have no effect on a fib. I was also placed on flecainide and metoprolol to keep my heart rate from racing during any future afib episodes. Hope this is helpful. Best wishes to you.

Thanks for getting back to me with your experience. I was starting to wonder about pain too because my doctor wrote to me that it should mostly clear up in 10 days, but I'm on day 12 and am still experiencing pain and sensitivity that is completely tolerable (I quite the tylenol a week ago), but I'm wondering when it will ease. Naturally, I re-injure the incision site a little bit on most days as my range of motion improves and my activity level increases. Using some ice tonight! I'm also tired but in a different way, thank goodness, than before when my bradycardia was so symptomatic and scary. This just feels like regular tiredness and I think it will get better.
Thanks again!