Question about Complete Heart Block

Hi All,
It has been about 5 years since I have visited this site. You were all so very helpful when my husband got his pacemaker after his MAZE procedure for Afib gave him complete heart block. He's doing great and paced 99% of the time. Though he doesn't talk about it much, I know at a deep level he still struggles with having it. We are where we are, but I have a question. Does anyone know if complete heart block ever corrects itself?? Will he always be paced this much? I know that may be a stupid question, but figured if anyone would know, it would be someone here. This site is so great. Thank you for doing so much for so many.

2 Comments

Heart Block

by Good Dog - 2015-09-09 12:09:43

It isn't a stupid question. I am no doctor, so you have to take this with a grain of salt...........I don't think it is very likely that it will ever correct itself. I was fairly young (38) when my 1st degree congenital heart block went to 3rd degree. At that time, it would bounce back and forth between 1st degree and 3rd degree. I was only paced a small amount of the time. When I exercised, I could get my heart rate up to a point that my pacemaker would shut-off and my heart worked on it's own. However, as I got older, I needed to be paced more. Now, at age 67 I am paced 95% of the time.
So to answer your question, I think that heart block problems get progressively worse, not better.
The good news is that the pacemaker allows me to live a perfectly "normal" life.
Sincerely,
Dave

not likely

by Tracey_E - 2015-09-12 01:09:16

It's not unheard of, however, it's highly unlikely the block will correct itself.

I pace 99.9% of the time for congenital 3rd degree av block. Once when I went for a check, the tech's eyes lit up and she said I was in 2nd degree block and my rate was 60 on my own. We both got so excited! I asked if I was pacing less now, she said yep.... 99.4%. So, yes, I have occasional brief periods of a few beats here and there on my own, but I'm not ready to give up the pacer, lol. Block can be fluid- sometimes 3rd and sometimes 2nd degree. If it's the result of surgery, it can sometimes go away on its own but usually in the months after, not years after. Most of the time, it either remains steady or degenerates. It doesn't much matter, the pacer works on demand as often or as little as needed.

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

Member Quotes

A properly implanted and adjusted pacemaker will not even be noticeable after you get over the surgery.