Complete block resolved?

Hi everyone,
I just joined this site, and was wondering if anyone might possibly have a similar situation as me. I am a 23 year old female.

6 months ago I woke up in the morning to my heart pounding very strongly, not any faster, just very strong. I felt ill all day and a bit lightheaded/dizzy, but I didn't want to make a big deal of it. The next day it was still there, so I went to the doctor who ordered blood tests and an EKG. Got the results 2 days later and was diagnosed with complete heart block.

I was admitted to the hospital immediately and stayed for 5 days, while I got a battery of tests (blood, MRI, echo), all of which showed a healthy heart with just a conduction problem. I had never had a baseline EKG done so they assumed this must have been congenital somehow. Every doctor told me I would be getting a pacemaker right away until the last doctor, who was in charge. He said that since I had been functioning normally I should try my normal life without it, since a pacemaker at this age would mean a lot of surgeries in my lifetime.

Imagine my surprise when I go for my 3 month followup and am told that I have come out of my complete block, and am now only in 1st degree! I am an active athlete, so this might even be normal. I got a holter monitor a month or so later and it showed 1st degree with a few short periods of 2nd degree, but no complete block.

Now, this is very confusing (for both myself and the doctors). I had resigned myself to the fact that I had a complete block and was definitely going to need a pacemaker likely within the next 5-10 years. Now, there is no way for the doctors to know if the 3rd degree will come back, how soon/if ever I will need a pacemaker in my life, or what caused this (the running theory is a virus). Has anyone else had any experience with this?

Thanks for reading my long post,
K

5 Comments

blocks

by Tracey_E - 2012-11-23 08:11:04

It's actually quite common to go in and out of block. People can go for years undiagnosed because they weren't ever on an ekg when their heart was in block, it's like when you take the car in for service and it runs perfectly.

Complete block, or third degree block, means the signal doesn't get through ever. Second degree block means sometimes none of the signal gets through, or all of the time some of the signal gets through. First degree block means just sometimes.

I was born with complete block. I got by with limited symptoms until I was 25. When we're young, our bodies can easily compensate and we don't feel it. As we get out of our teens and closer to our 30's, it's more likely we'll notice the times we're in block and get symptomatic. If you are athletic and young, it's not uncommon for you to be in periods of complete block and not know it. As long as you feel good enough to be as active as you want, put off the pacemaker.

My advice is not to worry about what degree the block is or even how often it is. Go by how you feel. If you can run and play sports and feel good, keep an eye on it and wait it out. If the day comes you start getting dizzy spells, you get tired before the end of the game, your endurance drops, then it's time to think about the pm. Put it off as long as you can safely do so but when your quality of life is compromised, just do it. It's not as bad as you probably think and block is the easiest thing to fix with a pm.

Me, I stalled and procrastinated until I almost died and ended up in emergency surgery, which I do not recommend! I got more limited so gradually that I didn't realize how bad it was until I felt better again. I got my first one at 27. I'm on my 4th now. I had 2 kids with it, I hike or ski most vacations, I do Crossfit 5 mornings a week- I don't look like a heart patient. If you're otherwise healthy and young, you'll bounce right back and probably feel better than ever. Fingers crossed you continue to feel as good as you do now!

Suggestion

by ElectricFrank - 2012-11-24 12:11:35

When you feel lousy check your HR with particular attention to how it responds to exercise. With complete block your HR falls back into a more or less steady rate and doesn't respond to exercise.

I my case I had a steady HR of 40 to start with. I could take a fast walk and it was still 40. In the next few days mine dropped clear down to 26. I never was light headed or short of breath, but sure felt crappy. When they turned on my new pacemaker my HR jumped back into the friendly 70's and I felt great, like instantly.

The main thing to watch is that for some the block can cause light headedness or fainting. This can be serious if you are driving or some other activity where you need to be alert.

good luck,

frank

My solution

by ElectricFrank - 2012-11-25 01:11:56

Since all the young jocks are having rhythm problems, I've taken to being an old TV watcher, beer drinker. Really improved my health.

LOL

frank

I'm hoping for that too!

by amyoutlaw - 2012-11-25 12:11:05

I'm so glad to read your post! I started training for triathlons in Feb. In October I became dizzy often and blacked out driving once. Scared me so bad I went to my Ob thinking it was horomones. LOL. She referred me to a cardiologist and literally 2 days later I'm in your situation. I was in the best heart hospital in Houston for 7 days. I had every imaginable test run from Lupus to Lyme's, etc. Ended up with a single lead pacemaker with the hope it could come out in a year. I'm praying it was a fluke and exercise induced. If it was exercise induced and I quit triathlons, I can get it removed. I'm so glad to hear that your's was reversed. As far as I understand, if you're asymptomatic, you don't need a pacemaker! But I'm new. Like 3 weeks post operation (sub-muscular). Oh, I'm young too! 37 years old.



Thanks!

by kdb - 2012-12-02 06:12:37

Thanks for the thoughtful replies! It's good to know that there are others with similar experiences and that maybe not knowing isn't all bad. Hopefully I'll be able to hold it off for as long as possible, but I always wonder if having something abnormal with my heart might make future things in life difficult/dangerous, such as pregnancy/labour. But I won't worry for now :)
Thanks again!

K

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