Pacing

Pacemaker turned off?

by John V - 2017-09-03 08:29:30

With 3rd degree heart block, why would your pacemaker be turned off?  Are you sure this is what was done?  A diagnosis of 3rd degree heart block essentially means you have no natural connection between the atrium and the ventricle, therefore no efficient heartbeat. I was diagnosed with complete or 3rd degree heart block and when my pacer was tested at the 6 month mark and was turned off for a few seconds, my heart responded as expected ... no beat.

pacing

by Tracey_E - 2017-09-03 09:08:24

If they turned it off and you feel worse, then ask them to turn it back on. I would question if you really weren't pacing at all before, and if 3rd degree block was your diagnosis. It's extremely rare for 3rd degree block to go away, and most of us who have it pace 100%. By definition, 3rd degree means all the time the signal is disrupted between atria and ventricles. 1st and 2nd degree block wouldn't pace as much because the block is intermittent or not complete.  Have you talked to the doctor or only the nurses/techs? If not the doc, that would be my next step.

reply to comments

by mayan2012 - 2017-09-03 15:22:33

Hi,

My heart was at 12 by the time I reached the hospital. A pacemaker was implanted immediately. After all the testing they could not figure out what caused the heartblock. When I left they told me it has not paced yet with the pacemaker , the check up at 3 months I was told the same thing, however I left the hospital feeling ill and ended back in emerg 5 days later, again told was not pacing and the pacemaker was fine.

They convinced me I had anxiety from the whole ordeal. For 10 months I had weird episodes of total weakness and feeling faint. It was a psychiatrist that told me it was not anxiety. Saw a specialist in July who does testing (not an EP) and he put a holter on. Called me and said I needed to see an EP immediately and told me I should not drive; my heart was going to 189 and back down. Well before any doctor saw me I ended up in emerg with chest pains and difficulty breathing, something I had never had before.

I got the same EP that authorized the pacemaker last August 2016. He told me I have not used the pacemaker for pacing that my heart was doing it on its own so he turned the pacing off and reset my rate to 40 for it to come on.He also told me the chest pain and breathing difficulty was not the pacemaker even when he saw that my rate was going to 189.It magically stopped when the pacing was turned off.

I was convinced it was PMT. Now my rate is going from 86 to 42 in seconds doing nothing. Believe me I have tried the pacemaker clinic the referral office and they all say you will just have to wait your turn to see an EP

I now have constantly, Palpitations which I never had before even with a high rate, I never felt them, chest tightness, head throbbing, a pounding pulse in the neck and head, lightheaded, throat tightness, sweating and headache. I have also developed high blood pressure.

Pacing Up-Date (far too long of a reply)

by mayan2012 - 2024-07-28 16:53:26

Hello, I do not know why I never replied but I will now. To make a long story short I eventually got a Doctor to refer me out of the city to a different Doctor who I researched. With in 2 visites the setting were changed and I felt great. However I do pace at 100 % now. It has been awhile and I now have my second pacemaker at the out of town hospital and all the setting are great.