Surgery tomorrow (7/10/14)

Hi all,

I am 33 year old male in great physical health. At least according to all the tests run at the hospital.

This passed Saturday I experienced a vasovagel episode in which I passed out six times over a two or three hour period, some times from a lying down position. During the worst two episodes my heart paused for 12 seconds. The cardiologist and EP recommended that I have a PM implanted. I have a small history of other episodes spaced out over the last 15 years, but never has my heart paused.

I am attributing the above to having been dehydrated due to working in the front of my house, going for a run, and then consuming a couple of beers.

I have serious reservations about whether this is right for me. I have done research and understand that this is the recommended treatment for someone whose heart pauses.

I would appreciate any comments from people with similar experiences and how they felt prior to surgery.

Thanks!

4 Comments

Long and short pauses

by LuCas - 2014-07-09 09:07:20

Hello,

I have a pacemaker implanted for many reasons. The main one is that my heart had pauses of 2.4 s and, since I was under treatment with other drugs which could potentially prolong that pause, doctors decided it was time for a PM. Now I feel ok and I can't imagine my life without it. You may happen to be familiar with terminology and low heart rate which result in long pauses compared to a normal heart rythm is called bradicardia.

In your case, you should analyse things carefully and very transparently with your cardiologist. By no means I want to scare you but pause of 12 seconds would definitely be too much for me. The problem tends to get worse with age (I used to feel great when I was younger), but now I have symptoms and I became what doctors call a symptomatic patient.

You should understand that, if you have an almost normal heart rythm with occasional pauses or pauses that doctors cannot define the reason and call it "paroxistical", for your safety, they think that you would be protected with a pacemaker implanted if you have another episode like the one you had. The pacemaker can be programmed to enter into action only when you definitely need it. Almost all the time, your heart will keep on doing the job. Some people like me need it more often than normal and other percentage of the patients are pacemaker dependent, which means, their heart beats are totally dependent on the pacemaker.

As you said, this don't seem to be your case now, but can you tell me when the next longer pause is scheduled for? You can't answer that and neither the doctors.
So, I hope you talk with good cardiologists and EPs and find the best option for you case.
Sincerely,

Lucio Castro
A Brazilian in Brazil :-)

I forgot to say...

by LuCas - 2014-07-09 10:07:36

I had fogotten to say some words about your surgery.
Due to the time zone between Brazil and the US, you may be reading this message much later.

Anyway, in case you read it before your surgery, be sure that PM surgeries are usually very safe. Maybe you'll stay in hospital for one or two days and you won't feel the difference, since your heart is normal almost all the time. Your pacemaker will be your friend and will be there all the time when you need it. Remember: I don't feel my pauses anymore.
Just keep your surgery location protected and follow your EP's or cardiologist's instructions related to post operation care, when you should clean it, how to clean it, etc. Keep it protected and clean and that will make a big difference in your rehabilitation.
Welcome to the clube. Pacemaker is not that bad at all and, sincerely, sometimes I forget it is there.
Good luck and come back to tell us how you feel.
There are many wonderful people over here who can help you much more than me related to practicing sports and living with a pacemaker.

Lucio

Thanks

by ACingire - 2014-07-09 10:07:57

Lucio.

First off, sorry about your loss yesterday to Germany. That must have been tough.

Thank you for the quick and thoughtful response. It is great to know that there is place to turn to with people who genuinely care about each other. My wife is also concerned about when the next episode could occur.

I am still nervous and hoping I am making the correct decision. I have only spoken with one cardiologist and one EP. So part of me is also considered that I haven't spoken with enough doctors.

Thanks again.

Germany X Brazil

by LuCas - 2014-07-09 11:07:04

kkkkk,
Now you know why it is so good to have a pacemaker during World Cups kkkkk.
I knew Germany was strong, but I didn't know Brazil's team was so bad. hahahahahahaha.
I live in the very south of Brazil, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (check that with google and wikipedia). We have a lot of German and Italian people, children and grandchildren of immigrants. Cities like Nova Petropolis-RS, Igrejinha, Gramado, Canela, Santa Cruz do Sul had a lot to celebrate and had fun, because almost 90% of those cities have people of German origin.

Well, as to pacemakers, with pauses of 12 s or longer, I don't think the other cardiologists' oppinion would be very different. The whole question is: Are you going to have another longer pause? To my knowledge, 12s pause is far from normal. So, how do you expect to have a normal heart until you reach your old age? What if you have a longer pause, feel dizzy while driving?
In my opinion, a pacemaker will be there for safety reasons, not to replace your heart normal function, ok?
Living with a pacemaker is more trouble when people have a structural heart problem (as heart failure). In your case, it is an electrical problem.
A pacemaker will not damage your heart, it was made to help. If, for any reasons, you decided that you don't need it anymore, it could be taken away, without any damage to your heart.
Once, here, I've exchanged message with a girl who had pauses of 22s. That is a very long pause. There is no way to live a normal life without a pacemaker.
In case you need more help, please, send us messages here.
Good luck (don't worry, things will be ok)

Lucio

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.