Do I need it?

Bradycardia

by AgentX86 - 2018-07-24 22:03:39

Yes, a low heart rate is serious, though not usually an emergency.  It doesn't get better and usually goes the other way.  You really should have taken your cardiologist's advice and kept the monitor for a month.  It's a pain but some quite serious problems can be intermittent.  I always demanded two sets of electrode patches for each day I was wearing it because I go to the gym on my way home from work, so take two showers a day.  The monitor isn't a big deal but I'm not doing sponge baths.  ;-)

You may not be having issues now (I didn't have symptoms unless my HR got into the 30s) but, as I've said, it doesn't get better.  You may start having pauses, which if they get long enough will cause your head and the pavement to meet - not recommended.  One of the reasons for the month-long monitor is to see if you have any of these pauses (often they start during sleep).

BTW, Robin is right.  You really need an electrophysiologist rather than a "regular" cardiologist (and EP is a cardiologist that specializes in the heart's electrical system).  You don't call a plumber when your lights go out.

Bradycardia

by CDSmith - 2018-07-24 22:06:42

I had a slow heart rate all my life. In the last two years, my heart became a problem. After wearing a 48-hour monitor I was diagnosed with complete  Bradycardia. When my heart rate decreased to 40 to 45, the lower chamber was not receiving any pulse from the upper chamber. My pacemaker resolved this problem.

You may need it , you may not !

by IAN MC - 2018-07-25 06:19:19

A normal resting heart rate is considered to be anything between 60 and 100 bpm . Doctors will label you as being bradycardic if your HR is in the 30s , 40s or 50s,  but , and it is a big BUT :-

Many people ( particularly athletes ) lead normal lives with very low resting heart-rates and never have any symptoms.   Your doctors rightly have identified your bradycardia as a possible risk of maybe leading to symptoms and cardiac pauses in the future but this may never happen.

If you are not in denial  and definitely have never had symptoms from your bradycardia eg

Near-fainting or fainting (syncope)

Dizziness or lightheadedness.

Fatigue.

Shortness of breath

Confusion or memory problems.

Easily tiring during physical activity.

then there is no way I would agree to a pacemaker unless the doctors gave me very convincing evidence why I should have one.

Having said that it would always be at the back of your mind that your bradycardia could get worse and symptoms are likely ( but not certain ) below 40 bpm.

. If I were you , assuming that the tests don't show anything, I would keep a close eye on your HR without getting too neurotic about it.

Your decision, best of luck

Ian

42? Now? or Then?

by Gotrhythm - 2018-07-25 14:49:32

Although it's true that people who are very fit can have a low pulse rate, here's what struck me about your post. 

You said the slow heart rate was noticed by your endocrinologist that you've been going to for years. Which makes me wonder what was your pulse a year ago? Two years? Five years? 

If you are very fit, and your heart rate has always been low, that's one thing. But if it was once in a normal range but has slowed, that's significant.

You definitely shouldn't get a pacemaker if you don't need one. But wearing a monitor for only a week might not be in your best interests. Many heart rhythm problems are intermiittant, especially at first. You might go days, even weeks between episodes. It may take more than a few days on a Holtor monitor to discover if there is a problem.

You are probably right to assume your condition, if you have one, isn't an emergency.

I denied my need for a pacemaker until it was an emergency. Looking back, that wasn't very smart.

Monitor

by AgentX86 - 2018-07-25 21:33:40

I've had Holters and Event monitors at least a dozen times, usually for two or three days but often a week, over the last three or four years.  The last one, after a near syncope episode was an event monitor that I was to wear for a month.  It found an 8-second pause after two and a half days and I had a pacemaker three days later.  Sometimes they find what they're looking for pretty quickly.  ;-)

Thanks for responses

by Other - 2018-07-26 06:28:49

I'm not sure how to respond to individual posts, but I want all of you to know that I'm reading and very much appreciate your replies. You have told me things I would not have thought about. For example, I now understand the reason for wearing the monitor for a prolonged period of time. Before I read the post from AgentX86 I just figured if something was wrong, they should be able to find it in one day. 

I am grateful to whoever created this site.