Posted by Glenn Camp on May 05, 2004 at 13:17:24:
In Reply to: POST MAZE BREAKS-ON SYNDROME posted by Paul Jenkins on April 25, 2004 at 19:07:56:
Paul,
I hope your PM helps you. I have a St. Jude's overdrive pacemaker I have had since February 2002. It was supposed to detect afib and speed the heartrate to 'overdrive' any irregular beats so I would not feel the afib. It actually worked for about six or so months. It is the third pacemaker I have had since 1992 when the first one was implanted. I have updated a couple of times, not because of pacemaker failure but to get the latest available. All my pacemakers have been rate responsive models with the activity sensors. I never had an A/V node ablation that requires a pacemaker, but my heartrate fell to 27 bpm back in 1992 and I was told I would go to sleep and not wake up unless I had a pacemaker implant. The cardiologist I had at the time never mentioned to me that Lanoxin and other meds I was taking to control afib was slowing my heartrate to that degree. I only found out last September that longterm use of Lanoxin and other antiarrythymic medicines actually contribute to afib and pvc's. I have taken some kind of medication for afib since May of 1971. I made the decision to stop taking lanoxin back in September last year. I had taken it approximately twenty or so years. I believe it caused my heart to be fibrous.
The problem I have is not getting my heartrate up over 90 bpm while walking as the unit has an activity sensor that is supposed to help my heart to increase the bpm to 120 at least. Of course I am still on flecainide, atenolol and coumadin following my ablation procedure in March and the beta-blockers could be the culprit. I know the atenolol dosage has been doubled and makes me very fatigued feeling most of the time. Most of the time I am pacemaker dependent except when my heart decides it wants to beat faster on it's own while sitting or lying down. It's certainly not from activity.
Yesterday I walked for one mile after the pvc's subsided somewhat and I only had one 'bobble' of pvc that I felt during the walk. During the early evening pvc's struck violently while standing and I had to sit down and felt like they were going to 'take me out'. Continued from 5:30 p.m. until aound 10 p.m. before settling down a little. Voice because weak and I was short of breath trying to talk so I 'cranked up' my oxygen bottle for two or three hours. Eventually came out of it. Pretty whoozy from meds today, but slept good last night.Glenn Camp