Driving to work with thoughts

• by Tinkergirl
• 2015-02-05 10:02:29
• General Posting
• 969 views
• 6 comments

Driving to work this morning for some reason many thoughts went through my head about my issues and how I ended up here. First I would like to say I read everyones post daily and find them all interesting and some helpful to my situation.

First I was diagnosed with Junctional Escape Rhythm around 2008 and was told not to worry it is a "Normal, abnormal heart beat" nothing to worry about. So a few years later and symptoms becoming a little more intense my doctor on base did a few EKG's over time and insisted I needed a pacemaker and said I had a lot of issues with my heart, "Heart block type II, which was causing my chest tightness and breathing issues. My pulse at this time stayed in the upper 30's to lower 40's. He sent me to a cardiologist, a different one from the first time as my husband is in the AF and we move a lot. So this cardiologist looks at my EKG and said no it is "Isometric AV dissasociation". Said nothing to worry about right now as he felt I was too young for a pacemaker and the pauses in my HB were nothing to worry about right now. Well about a month after that visit I had a tumor taken out of my breast and my heart issues got worse for some reason. I constantly felt like someone was sitting on my chest and I would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. During the day I had to shake my head a lot to focus from the dizziness. While in recovery the nurses kept panicing as the BP machine alarm kept going on as my pulse kept dropping in th 20's.

So I went back to my doctor to find out why I was having a hard time breathing and he did another EKG and said it was because of my heart, but sent me to a pulmonologist and back to the cardiologist. Well the cardiologist said if you lost 15 LBS that would help your breathing issues. While I am not skinny I am not fat either. I am 5'5" and weigh 155. I broke down in tears when he said this to me. Next was the pulmonologist appt. she said I was fine on her end, but she looked at my EKG and said your problem was with my heart. I told her what the cardiologist said and she said get another doctor.

Well we moved to OKC right after that appt. and the doctors here on base sent me to a new cardiologist here after he did an EKG and took my BP, which always stays high(another story..lol)

So this cardiologist said lets start over, he did an eco, stress test (which at that time gave me nitro pills) the results were not good with my chest tightness and then he did a 48 hour holtor monitor. When he got the results he said you should have had a pacemaker a long time ago. My pulse got down to 27 with about 2346 pauses lasting 3 seconds, my average heart rate in 48 hours was 42. There was a lot more things but this was the part that I understood...lol

So one week later I got my PM(October6th)I still have a few issues that need to be taken care of, but I am moving forward.

I guess my point is keep asking questions, just because they are doctors do not mean they have all the answers or some do not want to take the time to find the answers. It has been a long ride for me, but I am greatful for where I am at right now and greatful for everything that is posted here and for those who take the time to answer all those who have concerns!!