Surgery Tomorrow

Hi All!
I'm a 23 year old, fit, female. I am scheduled for dual chamber pacemaker implantation tomorrow. For the past 4 years I've had an extrememly fast heartbeat, contrary to most members here. Normal resting range for me is 120-130 bpm. Recently I was diagnosed with episodes of SVT. I underwent an aggressive cardiac ablation procedure of the sinus node. The first 4 days post procedure were fine, but on the 5th day I was having skipped beats - I later found out my heart was also stopping for 4 seconds at a time, all while I am awake. My doctors attribute this to my failed ablation. I'm very nervous for my surgery tomorrow. I know that the pacemaker will not lower my heart rate, just help my heart remember to beat during those areas of missed beats. Does anyone have a similar case? Thanks in advance!
Desirae

6 Comments

Kinda like you

by Theknotguy - 2014-12-22 03:12:22

My heart will go into afib with RVR (Rapid Ventricular Response) - so it will start beating fast and get faster and faster until it kills me. Then when they gave me meds to slow the heart, my rate dropped below what would sustain me. So I was kinda between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Either too fast or too slow with nothing in between. Doctor's solution is to give me meds to slow my heart and use the PM to bring it up to normal speed. Kinda neat they way they figured that out.

I was unconscious when I got my temporary PM and still unconscious when I got my permanent PM (I was in a coma) so I'll let others chime in about the actual PM insertion procedure. Most have indicated the procedure isn't that bad. I just remember I woke up with this lump near my left shoulder.

The first thing you may notice (some people do - some people don't) is the change in your heartbeat. I'd go into coughing jags because I'd be expecting my heart to do its normal thing and instead I'd get this steady heartbeat. "So that's what a normal heartbeat feels like!?" was my thinking. Kinda different. But as I got accustomed to it, really nice.

Some have indicated they feel the heartbeat right after PM placement because the voltage is set higher at first - others don't feel a thing. Just depends upon you and your body. They'll reduce the voltage at (as I remember) about the 90 day period. No big deal, I was watching the tech when she did it, didn't feel a thing. After voltage was reduced, I didn't get the tickle and thump, so I started sleeping better.

After a session of afib with RVR when my heart went up to 140+ BPM, I had a discussion with my EP about what I should do if it happened again. I now have a procedure to follow if it happens, know what meds to take when, and know when to go to the ER. So that's a question you may want to ask your cardiologist or EP. What do you do if your heartbeat takes off again? You don't have to worry about your heart slowing down as the PM will keep it at a speed necessary to keep you alive.

There are quite a few 20 year olds that have posted on the forum, so you aren't the only one out there your age with the PM. So don't feel you have to go it alone. You'll also see on this site that people with PM's are leading pretty normal lives. So you shouldn't feel it's going to hinder you either. If anything you should be able to lead a better life.

Newer PM's don't have problems with security at stores, airports, etc. I made it from the US to the UK and back without any problems with security, scanners, etc. They've said you aren't supposed to have a security person use a wand, but a guy sneaked up on me over in the UK with a wand - no problems. I've also gone through one of the metal detectors you aren't supposed to go through with a PM - no problem. Nothing in the typical US home will bother your PM. So even if you read, hear, or see something that says it will cause a problem with your PM, it probably won't.

Hope everything goes smoothly. Let us know how it goes.

You'll do fine!

by lauram65 - 2014-12-22 07:12:31

Desira,

I had no trouble at all. People's experiences vary, but it sounds like you need it, you are very young, which is scary in one way; on the other hand, young people tolerate almost anything better than us old guys!

I'll pray for you, and I really think you will feel SO much better! Good luck

Been there

by golden_snitch - 2014-12-23 01:12:38

Hi!

Been there, done that - had four sinus node modifications, first pacemaker implant after the third.

If you have bradycardia and pauses after a sinus node ablation, it has certainly not failed, but has caused enough damage to the node, so that it cannot function normally any longer.

My sinus node ablations slowed my sinus node down in the end (AV-nodal escape rhythm took over), and I ended up with bradycardia and pauses, too. Had an atrial pacemaker put in six weeks after the third ablation. The ablations also caused vena cava superior syndrome which led to open heart surgery and the need for epicardial pacemaker leads. If you continue to have fast rates due to sinus tachy, and your EP wants to do more ablations, make sure he checks your vena cava superior, especially now that you have two pacer leads in there.

Good luck!

Inga

Similar

by Charlotteis - 2014-12-23 04:12:38

Hi there, I had an ablation done due to SVT and was so excited because everyone I talked to that had it done walked away and never had another problem with their heart. Mine caused partial heart block so after 10 days in the hospital with my heart rate dropping to 33 at night, they decided it wouldn't rectify itself and I got a pacemaker on the 12th of Dec. I am still freaked but but what is the alternative? The alternative does not seem like a peaceful way to live. I wish you luck!

TLC!

by AndreaMST3K - 2014-12-23 12:12:26

I hope you will have someone around to give you plenty of TLC! I know I felt pretty traumatized right afterward. It's a big change to have something mechanical put into your body. Don't be scared, but be prepared to feel very uncomfortable around your wound site. Its been almost 3 months for me and I'm still sore, not like I was but I don't feel "normal" yet. I think I may have gone back to work too soon - 1 month after surgery- because in retrospect I felt terrible! Not from the pacemaker but from the wound! My doctor also did not prescribe any pain killers for afterward so I had to tough it out after surgery. The first couple of weeks is really difficult to get comfortable to sleep.Fortunately I do have Ambien and that helped me immensely or I would have been absolutely exhausted from no sleep. During the day, during my month off of work I as able to keep busy and do artwork and light housework to keep my mind off the discomfort and take walks, etc.
I hope you bounce back quickly and have a speedy recovery. I may have not bounced back so quickly because I am 60, LOL!

Post surgery

by ddungaro - 2015-02-22 09:02:23

Hi all!
I want to thank you all for your helpful comments, I read them before and after surgery and they really helped to calm me about the entire process. Unfortunately, I am a tricky case as my EP says. After a six hour long and ultimately failed ablation, my heart started pausing and skipping beats which led to my PM placement. I have found through my recent procedures that I do not respond to Versed and was awake for my ablation, PM placement and a TEE that I had a few weeks post surgery. Has anyone used anything different? Being awake for the PM implant wasnt terrible, just uncomfortable. The ablation on the other hand is not something I want to go through again awake. My case isnt typical, that I understand. I was told that I will likely need another as the first was unsuccessful and my symptoms are so exhausting.....what a journey at 23! I am recovering nicely and barely notice the pacemaker apart from when I sleep (former side sleeper) and on occasion I get a stinging/stabbing pain at my incision site/scar. I have a 3 month check up with my EP on 3/13 - will post again then.

Thanks again!
Des

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