Sick Sinus Syndrome

[destiny4me]

I am a 41 year old female. About six weeks ago I was having a hard time with my heart rate. I had been on Betapace 120 MG twice a day but continued to go into tachycardia. My medication was changed to toprol xl 50 mg twice a day to carry me over for a week to switch me to Rythmol. During that week I became very sick and did not have the energy for anything. After 7 visits to the emergency room within 6-8 hours of each other I was constantly being told there was nothing wrong. However, on the monitor my HR was dropping in the 20s and 30s as I would go to sleep. Earlier in the week my Dr. had ordered a Halter monitor.

Per the Halter Monitor results it was found that my heart was stopping for 4.5 seconds at a time and a decision was made to do a pacemaker placement. They decided it would be best to do the dual pacemaker. I was admitted the day before my surgery as I was very sick. During that time I was put back on the halter monitor to where there were episodes of my heart stopping for 9-12 seconds at a time. I am assuming when he says stopping this meant completely as he said I was flat lined for that period of time.

He has diagnosed me with Sick Sinus Syndrome, however, even with the pacemaker placement I continue to have dizziness, also shortness of breath and very tired and fatigued. My question is will any of this improve with time. I had a dizzy spell last week and managed to fall flat on my face.

[is_something_wrong]

I agree - it's probably your pacemaker that isn't programmed right.

Note however - that your pacemaker only will work taking care of bradycardia. Your tachycardia events must be treated with beta blockers or other antiarrhythmic drugs. Though, with a pacemaker installed, medications may be used more aggressively, as there's no risk of bradycardia present.

From what I know, SSS is difficult to dx, and people are often put on high dosis beta blockers to stop tachycardia - while bradycardia is not taken into consideration and may considerably worsen with beta blockers.

Make an appointment with your doctor and discuss this through. It's probably your pacemaker that is incorrectly programmed - not increasing your heart rate as much as is should when it's physiologically needed.

[destiny4me]

Thank you, I have called and made an appointment as I stood up from my chair today and fell flat in the floor. He is going to get the readings off my pacemaker to see what is going on.

[grendslori]

You need to go back and see your cardiologist if that is happening. If you had SSS and had a duel chamber pacer put in, you should have seen a difference of night and day in the way you felt. You should be feeling SO MUCH better! Now having said that; the pacemaker settings have to probably be tweeked a bit for you. Go make an appointment.