3rd degree heart block symptoms before a pacemaker

I am 31 years old with a 3rd degree heart block and until recently I have been asymptomatic I was diagnosed at three weeks old. My Cardiologist is telling me that it's time to get a pacemaker but I am concerned that the symptoms I am having are not what people generally describe for a 3rd degree heart block. For the past week I have been feeling very lethargic and I have no energy. My hands face and legs go numb off and on. My hands get clammy. I feel like I can't sit still at times. I feel like I am in a daze all the time and I feel anxious. I have a headache and my ears are ringing. The best way to describe it is that I just feel icky. I have never passed out. Has anyone had similar symptoms before their pacemaker? My concern is that if this isn't from my heart block and I get a pacemaker when I didn't need one yet that whatever is causing this will still be there. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

6 Comments

untreated block

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-18 04:11:15

I was also born with av block but got by without a pm until I was an adult. I got my first one at 27. I never passed out either, but that's really not a reason to wait! You can't predict where you'll be when it happens, we've had members crash their car or fall down stairs when they passed out the first time.

I was tired and lethargic, had headaches, lots of dizziness, not much stamina. At the end when my rate plummeted one day to the low 20's (that would be right before I ended up in emergency surgery), confusion and disorientation. My fingernails turned blue but I never had numbness.

Have you had a holter recently to see how low you get at night and how much your rate goes up with activity? I'm no dr but it doesn't sound to me like all of your symptoms are the block but you'd probably feel better being paced. I had no idea how bad off I was until I felt better. I had compensated and coped for so long that what I thought was normal was actually pretty darned lethargic.

response

by AndreaD1989 - 2013-11-18 07:11:20

I was also born with 3rd Degree HB, diagnosed at 2 yrs old. I however was implanted with my first device at 7. I just had my 3rd implant done two weeks ago. The symptoms you are describing are exactly how I was feeling before my new implant. Im also pregnant so I was writing off the sleepiness to that. After a closer look we realized it was time for a new generator. I feel 1,000X better since my new device. If the Dr. says he feels its time, listen. Also listen to your body. Its truly amazing the difference it makes once the implant is complete.

Thank you

by 2219kg - 2013-11-18 10:11:39

Thank you for the information and advice. What makes the decision so hard is that I never experienced symptoms before and to have this come on so quickly makes it scary. I did have a holter monitor last April and there hadn't been any change from when I was a kid. It goes down to about 35 at night. Thanks again.

sudden

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-19 08:11:12

No symptoms at all then everything within a week does sound odd. Is your heart rate still the same? I can see why you are hesitant to go forward.

My rate stayed in the low 40's all my life. It never went up or down, however the older I got the more tired I was. It was so gradual that I didn't notice. When we're young, our bodies can compensate for the lower rate, as we get older it's more of a struggle. I don't know if what you're feeling now is the block or not, but I can tell you from my experience that going from the low 40's to a normal rate was like night and day. The pm may or may not fix everything that's wrong now, but it should make you feel better. If you're anything like me, a whole lot better. I wish I'd done it sooner.

Frustrated

by yester - 2014-02-21 05:02:58

Hi guys

I am a 32yo male. My AV block condition was discovered more than 2 years back as I was moving country for work and did a routine physical which included an ECG test. As this was a developing country that I was in, the Dr had no idea what it was that showed up on the ECG and thought it might have been a result of myocarditis and told me to seek immediate medical attention. She made it sound so serious that I was literally afraid for my life. I'd since gotten better medical advice and understand what my condition is. However, ever since that point, I have been feeling similar symptoms to what is described above (i.e. lethargy, light headedness, difficulty focusing, sometime an out of breath feeling and palpitations etc).

I have a heart rate in the low 40s at rest but it goes up with exercise and got up to 120 on the exercise ECG. I've been told that when I'm at rest, it is complete AV block. I have been seeing a cardiologist who has been doing yearly exercise ECGs and assured me that I do not need a pacemaker at this stage (nor do I want one). My symptoms (which I've been experiencing with varying severity over the last 2.5 years) are however affecting me and I always wonder whether I would feel better with a pacemaker. My cardiologist cannot tell me if these symptoms I'm having are a direct result of my slow heart rate. I read that with a slow heart rate, the heart is not pumping enough oxygen to vital organs?

This is the dilemma that I'm facing at the moment. I don't know if my symptoms are potentially long term anxiety related to the initial shock of finding out about my condition in such a shocking manner or the AV block. I've had other tests done such as comprehensive blood tests and even a brain MRI and they all came up clean....

Sorry for the long post, I guess I really just needed to get that off my chest. Appreciate any advice :)

I scheduled my pacemaker

by 2219kg - 2014-03-06 10:03:19

I want to thank everyone for all of the advice. I have finally decided to get my pacemaker. It's scheduled for 4/25. I will have to log in and re-read all of your comments to help me move forward and actually do it. I feel scared, anxious and excited all at the same time. I'm sick of having what I call episodes every day where I feel icky, dizzy and I can't focus. To yester, I feel we are in the same place right now. I feel EXACTLY the same as you. I can't give advice right now, but I certainly will be able to soon. I will say that it's interesting that we both feel the exact same way. My pacemaker will be MRI compatible. Any Advice on that?

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