Virgin territory

life changing

by Tracey_E - 2017-08-03 12:14:06

For me, getting the pacer was life changing in that I no longer felt like crap all the time and I got my life back. I've never once regretted it or looked back. What diagnosis did you get? If your rate is low, how low is it and how long does it stay low? A low rate will make us dizzy and tired, or some people don't feel much different.  Some doctors want to hold off, esp if we are younger,  but just because we can get by without it doesn't mean we wouldn't benefit from having it. Perhaps a second opinion is in order?

???????

by Iros24 - 2017-08-03 14:14:55

Thanks for that it is great to hear success stories.  I am 61 so not too young for a device. My diagnosis showed "sinus rhythm with first degree AV block. There was a brief episode of Wenckebach at night. There were frequent ectopic beats with nothing sustained. Given the syncope one could make a case for a pacemaker".

all another language to me but learning. 

foreign languages

by Tracey_E - 2017-08-03 15:08:20

sinus rhythm is what your atria is doing. 

av block means sometimes the signal doesn't get from the sinus node in the atria to the av node in the ventricles. So it's an electrical signal that is blocked. 

first degree means that it just happens intermittently and some of the signal still gets through. 

I can never explain (or spell lol) Wenckebach but here's a good site to learn about, it refers to where the signal breaks down rather than how often https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hb/types

ectopic beats are random extra beats, harmless, the pacer won't do anything about them.

normally first degree is simply watched, not treated. Second degree- meaning all of the signal is sometimes blocked, or some of the signal is blocked all of the time- is sometimes treated depending if we have symptoms. Third degree- all of the signal is blocked all of the time- is nearly always treated. It's not uncommon for us to go between, sometimes we'll be in first, other times in second.  It rarely goes away. It can stay the same for years, or it can progress. 

How low does your rate get? When you are in block, the atria is beating normally but the pulse is low because it's not getting the signal to beat every time the atria beats. If it's low enough to wipe out your energy or make you pass out, then pacing is a good choice, as long as you've ruled out other causes of the fatigue.

Understanding more

by Iros24 - 2017-08-04 06:57:02

Thanks for that great explanation I now understand a bit more what is going on. I've noticed my heart rate gets as low as 43 to 52 During the night and sometimes below 60 during the day. I do get dizzy spells quite often but no more fainting and I do get an anxiety feeling especially in bed when awake during the night. If a device would eliminate this I would be happy to go down that path.  I will try to get a second opinion before November. 

symptoms

by Tracey_E - 2017-08-04 13:19:49

If your rate is low (under 50-60) and you are dizzy, then you would likely benefit from pacing. With the pacer, you'll never get under 60, and any time the atria beats the pacer will make sure the ventricles also beat, so the heart will be in sync.

Unless you happen to have a crystal ball to let you know when you're going to pass out, you want to fix it before you start fainting!  We've had members pass out while driving or on stairs, then they had to recover from those injuries along with pacer surgery. I always shake my head when even doctors use that as a benchmark to say we need the pacer, IMO that's too late. If the symtoms are clearly linked to a low rate, if you have a diagnosis (av block) that is the cause of the low rate, why suffer or put yourself in danger when there is a fix? I say that as someone who procrastinated for years, until one day my rate tanked and I almost died and ended up in emergency surgery. Not the easy way to do it! Afterward I was surprised at how much easier the surgery was than I expected, and most of all I was blown away at how much better I felt. I'd been compensating and making excuses for so long that I had no idea how bad I really felt until I felt normal again. So now my advice is always that if you know the cause of your symptoms, and those symptoms are keeping you from living your life fully, just do it. 

A similar situation

by Big Dude - 2017-08-04 18:06:38

I was in this exact same situation 2 weeks ago, I had Atrial Tachycardia, atria going 200-300 bpm, but only had an irregular ventricular rate of between 30-60 during the day! After an ablation for my Atrial Tachycardia, I was diagnosed with variable 2nd degree AV block, and like you offered a choice of a pacemaker. I had been told that due to a congenital condition I will have to be paced eventually but for the time being it was not critical. I've been unwell, fatigue and dizziness for the last year, I'm 44 and been off work since March. I decided that I was only putting off the inevitable so went for it, 12 days post implant I feel fantastic, have loads of energy, no dizzy spells and will hopefully be back at work soon. It honestly has been a life changer and I don't have any regrets. For me, I wanted my life back and to know that my heart would beat at a reasonable rate all day, everyday, rather than when my AV node decided to work! I hope you get all the information you need to make your decision x

Big thanks

by Iros24 - 2017-08-05 04:57:03

A big THANK YOU  to both of you for your imput to my post. It really puts it into perspective and I can now focus on making a more informed choice. I am already on the list to have a device but now I can go forward without doubting if right or wrong decision.  Keep well.  X