Help!

Hi there, I'm a 40 yr old female and have severe bradycardia. My resting pulse is 38bpm and it drops to 31 at night. My rhythm is normal. I'm knackered all the time (and have no reason to be... I work part time, no kids, lovely life....). I've always had a slow pulse but it seems to be getting lower. I'm fit, but no athlete! My doctor has suggested a pacemaker, she thinks it will help my symptoms. Anybody else had a similar experience they are willing to share?... Thank you in advance

12 Comments

slow heart rate

by vattens1 - 2015-04-16 07:04:44

I have always had a slow heart rate 45 was very fit used to run marathons, scuba dive, horse riding, water skiing do was quite for in earlier years never a problem then in 2014 when collecting my son from night school had to pull in felt dreadfully. Went to A&E found out over active thyroid high cholesterol and when also heart rate 15 so pacemaker time. It's fine heat ticking away a few bumps along the road but it works every day, i found it a little uncomfortable but not painful for the insertion. God luck

Hi Nurse

by IAN MC - 2015-04-16 08:04:13

I suspect that you know there is pretty much only one solution to a severe bradycardia which seems to be getting worse . that solution is a Pacemaker

As I'm sure you also know :-

- there aren't any satisfactory drug treatments for bradycardia

- your bradycardia is almost certainly causing your present level of tiredness . It is not normal to be "knackered" all the time but it is normal to be knackered if you aren't getting enough oxygen pumped around your body !

- if your bradycardia is getting worse, I think you know what the next symptom is; yes you will faint ! Fainting is OK unless it happens in an inconvenient place such as at the wheel of a car or standing at the top of a flight of stairs.

I waited till I got to the fainting stage and thankfully collapsed without breaking any bones ; others are not so lucky !

Having a pacemaker is really no big deal , the PM puts in extra beats and converts your bradycardia to a normal resting heart-rate . You should then feel less tired . I am not writing a single word more because I am late for a game of singles tennis ; life is absolutely normal !

Best of luck

Ian

nothing but good

by Tracey_E - 2015-04-16 08:04:24

I know you'll hear stories of complications and people who hate their pm but for me, it was exhilarating. I went from exhausted all the time, every little thing made me dizzy, sports and working out were out of the question, to feeling energized and able to do anything I want. The first Christmas I had it, my gift from my parents was a week of ski lessons. I joined a gym, bought my first rollerblades, went from gentle little bike rides to regularly doing 20 mile trips, discovered hiking is really cool. If all of your symptoms are from a low heart rate- and it really sounds like they are- you are going to decide this little hunk of titanium is your best friend. We get worse gradually and we get used to compensating so we truly forget what normal feels like. Normal is pretty cool :o)

1 Week Out

by gaman - 2015-04-16 09:04:22

Had a pacemaker for my complete heart block (atria not communicating with ventricles). I also had bradycardia (not too severe) but with a resting heart rate of around 44 bpm. Two EP's told me there was no way to predict when my ventricle escape rhythm could get dangerous so I just went ahead and had a PM put in a week ago. So far, it's been no big deal and I'll totally forget about it once the residual soreness is gone from sub pectoral placement. Get a 2nd opinion and if both EP's say you need a pacemaker, get one and don't roll the dice on your health. With severe bradycardia, you'll probably find that you feel much better. Don't be shy about talking to Dr. about the aesthetics of implant. They can probably place it where nobody will even know.

Thank you!

by NurseB - 2015-04-16 09:04:39

Thanks Ian, that's a lovely reply and very reassuring. I will embrace the idea when I see the cardiologist and go from there. I hope you win your game!

ditto

by Tracey_E - 2015-04-16 10:04:21

What Ian said! Of course you're tired all the time, you're getting about half the oxygen your body needs. Under 60 is labeled bradycardia but often untreated. Under 50 is generally helped by a pm. You are well under that and symptomatic. What's to decide?

My rate was in the 40's all my life, dropped to the 30's right before I got my first pm. Night and day!! I could feel the difference as soon as I woke up. My energy skyrocketed. I'm healthy and active. There's nothing I want to do that I cannot. I've never once regretted it.

Thanks...

by NurseB - 2015-04-16 11:04:11

Thank you TraceyE... I'm now actually quite excited by the prospect (weirdly!). The thought of getting through a whole day without needing to sleep, or, in my case, going for a run to get my HR up so that I feel better for the rest of the day, is quite exhilarating!!!

Symptomatic Bradycardia

by J00ney - 2015-04-16 12:04:22

Hello,
I had all the symptoms you are describing. I too always had a slow pulse rate of between 50-60 bpm and all my life coasted along fine until I was driving one day and the road started to sway. I thought it was an earth tremor, but quickly realised it was me.
Needless to say I stopped driving while I had a myriad of tests over the following weeks and during this time my pulse was dropping do 38-40 bpm. My memory was poor, concentration span poor.... There was not enough oxygen getting around.
Had my pacemaker in Jan 2014, woke up the next day and felt like a light globe had gone on.... I was the Energiser Bunny ( from a battery TV commercial)
I felt great from day 1. I run 5-7km every alternate days.
I love my pacemaker and the fact that I live in today's world where such technology is giving me quality of life.
I wish you all the best. You will feel so much better.

Fellow runner!

by NurseB - 2015-04-16 12:04:32

Thanks JOOney - it's great to hear from somebody who has a PM and is a fellow runner! I think I feared that my running days would be over. Clearly from the posts I have received today it is by far the opposite! Thanks again x

Mirror Image

by Busdriver - 2015-04-17 02:04:41

My heart rate numbers were nearly identical to the ones you have now. I had my first PM last December at 55 years old, and I am just now realizing that I may have needed a pacemaker for at least the last several years. Now, at a steady 60 beats per minute, I feel better than I have in years. Never crossed my mind I would need a PM, but I am so glad I have it. I went from being constantly tired and out of breath to feeling better the day after the implant procedure. Now I go for a bike ride after I mow my yard and come home to fix dinner for the wife and daughter! Life is GOOD!

Mirror image no 2

by Hot Heart - 2015-04-18 03:04:14

I've been pacing some 7 years now, cannot believe it is 7 years. How far I have come, I was an emergency, knew nothing about pms. I'm almost 62 now, do so so much, gym, swimming hot tub and steam room most days, hiking, dog walking, dancing, been to Malta, Majorca, Portugal, Ireland on numerous occasions, Tenerife, US and Canadian road trip. I'm saying this to show there is life after getting a pm, I've become a grandmother this year and am having a ball!!!!

bradycardia

by islandgirl - 2015-04-19 02:04:00

I am 8 weeks post pm. I am 58. Still have some pain and tenderness, particularly around the pm area. Recovery was slower than I though it would be. I was not allowed to raise my arm above my shoulder or reach for 8 weeks and am limited to 10# for another month. He implanted it sub pectoral, as I am active and wanted to make sure I could carry a backpack. My rate had been 54-56, but began dropping and sinus node not working all the time. Ended up in ER with a rate of 31. Still plagued with arrhythmias (hereditary and have had 7 ablations over the past 10 years). Don't put it off. I put it off for several days due to work obligations, as my EP dr wanted me to go to the ER then. After lengthy discussion, I had an event monitor that he was monitoring all the time so he could see what was happening. I went to the ER in the afternoon and that night I went from a rate in the 20s to vtach and vfib. The dr. the next morning said if I would have been home I would not have awakened. Pacing 98.7% of time. I send him a download once a week and so far arrhythmias aren't sustained longer than 5 min, just bothersome.
Sounds like you don't have a choice, as I didn't. Educate yourself as much as possible, as I didn't have time to educate myself. My EP dr. is great and easy to talk to, so ask questions.
I did have to go to the ER about 3 weeks post pm with chest pain, but turned out to be chest wall inflammation and steroids cured that.
I am walking about a mile every other day and building up my strength. I am noticing my ankles are swelling. Not sure about that, as I've never had a problem with that before. Waiting to discuss with dr. when I go for my 3-month checkup.

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