Another Divine Appointment

I am a very fortunate woman. My husband was seated on a plane right next to the Medtronics Chief Cardiologist over North America and Europe just after I got my device. He was able to ask the guy lots of questions and got great answers and advice.

On Sunday, we were on a flight together and this time I was seated next to a man that's a military nurse in the reserves and also used to be a Medtronics EP rep. (He's now working for a laser company.)

He gave me a really good explanation of how/why 2nd degree Mobitz Type 2 can quickly become Complete Heart Block. I was naively asking whether it was a chicken or an egg situation. But he explained that I was 'predestined' to develop Complete Heart Block. However, when one receives a PM, he described it as putting in an additional furnace in a house that already has a working furnace but that it's not working well. When the new furnace is installed, it basically takes over the bulk of the work the old one was doing. Eventually, the new furnace just sort of overtakes the old one's job.

I was bothered thinking that perhaps the PM CAUSED my complete heart block. Not so! It's just that when the stronger device came on the scene (the PM that was inserted), my body's natural pacemaker sort of gave up and let the PM do its job.

Did that make sense? I'm jet lagged and need to go to bed so I hope it came out right! Trust me: the guy seated next to me on the plane described it beautifully! He also told me to see an EP, not just a cardiologist. Will do!

2 Comments

I think you're right

by doublehorn48 - 2015-04-22 07:04:04

I also have Mobitz type 2. I've had a pm for 28 years. The cardiologist I'm currently seeing told me basically the same thing about my heart. He said that over time my heart has gotten weaker because of the pm. That's because my heart has depended on the pm, and now I rely more on the pm than I have in the past. It seems like he said about the same thing you were told.

Yet another divine appointment

by IAN MC - 2015-04-22 10:04:50

Hi NiceNiecey Your post brought back memories. A couple of years ago I flew from Heathrow to Chicago and sat next to an eminent cardiologist who was speaking at a heart conference in the States.

What is it about flying and cardiologists ? Mine was of the plumber variety and we talked incessantly for over 8 hrs. It was most enjoyable but the 2 main things I learned were :-

i) Eminent cardiologists drink quite a lot

ii) Eminent cardiologist / plumbers know very little about pacemakers. Like yours, he recommended that I talk to an EP.

I'm glad that your travelling companions were more useful

Ian

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