what happens if pm stops.

i had a pm in 2010 with 3 leads, before that 4 oblations, last time the dr. blew my av node and the top part of my heart is in atra flutter ... just had the third lead truned off because it kept shocking me everymorn. i was told i didn't need the 3rd lead..i get a pacer check every 3 months.. I feel awful all the time.. wish i had not had the pm. i wish i had ask more ??... if my pm stops working..i suppose its goodby for me.. wish i had been told.does anyone else have the same condition? with blown av node and upper flutter? thanks...

3 Comments

Hello

by Karen - 2013-03-26 11:03:11

They tried different ways on me to get in sync. They tried to shock me through my pacemaker. Then the put me on Tykosyn. Then they shocked me to the max, and then they changed my pacemaker mode from ddi to ddd.
Hope you get in sync soon.

AV-dissociation

by golden_snitch - 2013-03-26 11:03:39

Hi!

I think the reason why you're feeling awful could be that your atria and ventricles are beating out of sync. I have had that for quite a while, too, though not because of flutter. I was very symptomatic with this so called "AV-dissociation". In my case, my ventricles were beating at a faster pace than the atria which resulted in pressure in my chest, neck and head, lots of palpitations, shortness of breath.

With the permanent flutter in the atria it is very difficult to get the chambers back to beating insync. The pacemaker cannot do anything about it, so one would have to find a way to stop the flutter. Since you already had several ablations which didn't work, I guess that you also have tried all kinds of drugs to control the flutter, have you? There is lots of progress in the field of electrophysiology, and it's been more than three years since you had the ablations. I wonder, if there now is a new ablation tool or mapping system that would make another ablation worth a try. Did you ever go for a second opinion at one of the large EP centers?

Even with your AV-node ablated, your heart will still be able to produce an "escape rhythm" should the pacemaker ever fail. My escape rhythm is around 40-50bpm. Don't feel fine with it, but at least I don't pass out - it does give me enough time to get to a hospital. In some people this escape rhythm is slower, just around 20bpm, and in some it takes a few seconds until it kicks in, BUT your heart will most likely not just stop beating and you'll die.

Hope this helps a bit. Hang in there, and if I were you, I'd try to get a second opinion on how to stop the flutter.

Best wishes

Inga

thanks

by carolenek - 2013-03-28 09:03:42

thanks to all of you for the answers God bless everyone!!!

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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At age 20, I will be getting a pacemaker in few weeks along with an SA node ablation. This opportunity may change a five year prognosis into a normal life span! I look forward to being a little old lady with a wicked cane!