Newly Robotic

40 yo guy here....history of vaso vagal syncope (19 episodes in 30 years, many of which were traumatic- burns, broken jaw, CPR done once) and finally saw an EP guy who recommended a pacemaker. I am two days post pacemaker and feel ok, got a sub pec, seem to have a contact dermatitis or rash but feeling optimistic this will let me live for the next 40 years without a traumatic fall.

I would love to hear from any other "young" people with "normal" hearts but bad syncope and has the pacemaker prevented or lessoned your episodes.....I understand that it will not prevent BP drops but my MD has had 5 cases in his career and all have done well with a PM.

3 Comments

Didn't think I was that old

by Theknotguy - 2015-03-22 11:03:18

Didn't think I was that old at 65 but here goes.

Yes the syncope put me in the hospital and a six day coma.

Post PM I haven't had ANY fainting episodes. That's what the PM is supposed to do, keep the heart beating when it would otherwise stop.

Had a few episodes where it felt like my heart wanted to stop beating but the PM kicked in and kept everything going. So I guess we'll never know if they were fainting episodes or not.

Also had a few episodes where I'd drop off to sleep when I was quiet - may be dropped BP but without a BP cuff and immediate testing we'll never know.

Mostly positive mental attitude and moving forward with the new life. I can do 99.999% of what I want to do pre-PM so it hasn't affected my life in a negative way.

For me, every minute is a bonus minute and every day is a bonus day. I hope everything goes as well for you.

I have you beat....

by MelodyMarch - 2015-03-24 09:03:23

By a little more than 5 years in age, for basically the same thing.

Haven't passed out since I got my pm in October 2013.

I still have "bottom dwelling" days when my BP is in the tank, but I only get those about every other month or so. Instead of being passed out on the floor, I just want to be in bed all day, if I have to, with help of Gatorade I can get through my day.

Looks like according to your post you are prone to the "goat effect" (look up goats that faint on Google) you passed out when startled or stressed (it will at least give you a good laugh). PM's help with that, as it can be a sudden drop in hr. I still have to be careful about "going all goat" with certain stage effects with my job, but I haven't felt like I was even close to passing out if something surprised me since the pm was put in.

Overall time will tell. For me however the PM has given me the freedom to live my life without fear of passing out, which is more than I could say for the 10+years previous to my insertion.

Live well!

Thanks MM

by Eggnation - 2015-03-24 10:03:21

You are exactly who I was hoping to hear from.....nothing to do with age I guess and that threw a few people off. Just want to know the life of a life long vaso-vagaler after PM insertion........I have woken up so many times with 10 scared sets of eyes over me and hope they will never happen again.......thanks for sharing...

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for being a couch potato.

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