Do I need Pacemaker

Hi,

I got pacemaker implantation on April, 2016. But still I experience the same symptom which I complained to doctor for which they enforced for pacemaker surgery.This all started while I visited a nearby gynecologist when experienced giddiness, she had done some basic checks, BP, random sugar test & then she did ECG which is of mini equipment, then she found my hearbeat was slow & suggested to consult a cardiologist immediately she also referred a doctor nearby, then my husband took me that doctor it was almost 10PM the doctor about to leave. He saw the report & said this may require a treatment & suggested to visit MaxCure speciality hospital where he is one of the doctors. While my husband said that he would take me there next day, the doctor cautioned this could be serious, then my husband took me to MaxCure while driving me there I requested my husband that better take sometime as I am just ok that time, but my husband did not listened to me, the whole night I was in ICU while my 2 small kids outside dont know whats happenining.Next day the doctor visited ICU & said there is rythm problem & suggested electro cardiologist in the same hospital, electro cardiologist has then suggested for permanent pacemaker but I insisted that I dont need the pacemaker as I knew that this problem (arrhytm) is there from my childhood, but the doctor still insisted for permanent pacemaker saying that this could have developed recently & maynot be from the birth & said even if there is from birth he insisted for pacemaker, my husband not knowing what is that at first decided not to go for surgery felt for second openion but due to one of close relative suggested not to discharge from ICU instead get the second openion from other doctors while in ICU, while other doctors also insisted for pacemaker then he finally decided for pacemaker surgery.

It has been a year till now but the giddiness is still with me which means the issue is not related to heart & due to pacemaker I am not comfortable at all. I know I dont need the pacemaker as the arrhytma problem with me from the birth, can I opt for removal without any further damage to my heart. 

Please suggest.

2 Comments

Yes you probably do need a pacemaker

by IAN MC - 2017-05-01 15:40:28

Hello JRAM  and welcome to the pacemaker club.

If you have a heart-rate which is too slow ( bradycardia ) it may get even slower and you may start fainting . It may get slower still , your heart may start pausing , and you may die !

The only treatment for bradycardia is a pacemaker. There are no drugs used to treat bradycardia , there are no surgical procedures apart from having a pacemaker. With a pacemaker you don't need worry , it will always put in extra beats if your heart-rate gets too slow.

It sounds as though you also have an irregular heart rhythm ( arrythmia ) which you have had from birth.  A pacemaker may not help this at all ; it needs separate treatment , either drugs, a cardio-version or an ablation.

So you have two separate issues i) bradycardia and II) arrythmias . They may be related but they need separate treatments.

I wish you the best of luck

Ian ( in the UK )

from birth

by Tracey_E - 2017-05-01 19:15:31

Many of us have problems from birth. That doesn't mean we don't need paced. The yonger we are, the more our body can compensate when the rate is too low. As we get older, we become more symptomatic and it is harder on the body. 

Question to ask at your next appointment... how much are you pacing? I'd be willing to bet it's quite a bit. If you are using it, then you need it. 

I'm not sure what you mean by giddiness. If the heart does extra things on its own that we can feel, the pacer can't stop it. All it does is add beats when it goes too slowly. You may have two different things going on.

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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Today I explained everything to my doctor, he set my lower rate back to 80 and I felt an immediate improvement.