Sick Sinus Syndrome Diagnosis

car analogy

by emerson taylor - 2018-08-24 10:22:37

using your car analogy, sometimes parts just fail.

in rough idle, several parts of the firing system are involved, each needing a tune/cleaning/adjustment...

your sinus node, only one part of the firing system, initiates the spark for the spark plug. 

the pacemaker becomes the new sinus node, the lead(s) the new spark plug/wire.

no adjustments needed to air intake, fuel/air mixture, filters, etc....  :)

i'm happy with my medtronic

SSS

by Electric Elise - 2018-08-24 11:26:41

Hi Sean,

You and i both started feeling rough around the same time and, in my case, the first mention of sick sinus syndrome came around late May/early June. Only 1 of the 5(!!) cardiologists i had consulted came up with the SSS theory, but before we could look more into it, i went into a 3rd degree AV block, at which point it was decided i definitely needed a pacemaker. And by that time, i was feeling so rotten, i couldn’t care less about what exactly was making me ill, i just wanted a fix. They gave me a Medtronic, i’ve had it for almost 2 months now and it simply brought me back to normal. I really hope yours will make you feel the same. It’s just brilliant. I love my life once again. I won’t lie, the surgery - for me - was not the piece of cake that folk seem to be talking about usually. And the first month’s recoup was again a bit challenging at times, but it was absolutely worth it. My only regret is that i didn’t move faster and have the surgery sooner.

Best of luck on the journey and keep us posted

decisions

by Tracey_E - 2018-08-24 14:06:11

It sounds like your electrical system may have been a little faulty all along. Whether it's new or has been brewing, sometimes the electrical signals will deteriorate in an otherwise perfectly healthy heart. Nothing we did caused it, nothing we could have done differently would have prevented it. Sometimes electrical parts just stop. Do you know why one spark plug went bad faster than another? Nope, you just get a new one. Very few of us ever get the answer to why. Sometimes it's caused by infection or medications, sometimes it's caused by surgery, but more often than not it happens at random for no known reason. It doesn't much matter the cause, the fix is the same. 

If you are having pauses, if you are dipping to 30's, if you are symptomatic and not able to do what you want to do... those are 3 reasons to do it sooner than later. 

Boston vs Medtronic, either one will keep your rate from getting too low. Either one will kick in when you have the sudden drops to keep the rate level. They last about the same amount of time, are equally dependable. Medtronic is the largest company so the easiest to find reps to program it if you move or travel. Boston isn't exactly small, tho, so that's minor. I know of one person who lives in a rural area and the (only) local Boston rep wasn't very good and was never able to get her programmed correctly. She switched to Medtronic when she got a new one, was able to find a great rep, and now she's doing a lot better. That's rare, but something to consider if you live far from a big hospital. 

The biggest  difference between them is how the rate response works.  Rate response is the feature that will get your rate up for you on exertion, mimicking what your heart should be doing on its own. Medtronic uses accelerometer, which detects movement and raises the rate. Boston uses minute ventillation which also monitors breathing to know when you need to beat faster. Practically, the difference between them is sports like cycling where the chest doesn't move. Cyclists do better with minute ventillation because when you're on a bike the accelerometer doesn't pick up the movement. If you go for a run, go up the stairs, row a boat, lift weights... both will work. 

I would suggest asking your doctor his thoughts on both, what are the differences and how much experience has he had with both. Discuss your lifestyle and activity needs. The devices are only as good as the programming, so you want one your doctor knows inside and out that is the best fit for your lifestyle. 

Medtronic or Boston

by bposter - 2018-08-24 14:43:11

My neighbor is a Medtronic rep, but he used to work for Boston Sci. When they gave me a Boston he immediately said it's because I am young (35 at the time) and Boston had the longest demonstrated battery life of the group. Honestly you cant go wrong. Medtronic has been in the news again lately for security concerns, but they'll make that right. They also have the highest, or second highest, install rate if I understand correctly.

The only thing to note about the Boston is that precisely 4 hours post activation it'll do a full self-test. You'll feel it pacing and doing things while you're in recovery and if the nurses don't know about it they act concerned when you tell them.

Just got a PM for sick sinus

by Going Forward - 2018-08-24 16:52:26

I've had a St Jude's for a week now and like you, had some electrical problems for some time and similar symptoms to you, Sean. I also have Afib though. My HR was going into the 30's, jumping to 100 for a few minutes, pausing, etc. The minute my EP connected the leads I felt better. 

She'd done treadmill tests a few times to try to qualify my and I finally failed one enough to qualify a few weeks ago. She wanted to move on implantation before I had more problems and I agreed. She thought that the St Jude Assurity would suit me best though she also implants Boston and Medtronic--she seems to choose a brand and model according to the individual. As others have said, they all do the job though through slightly different technology. 

I'm over the most bothersome pain now and, though I'm not pushing it, I can really tell the difference--no more huffing and puffing on slight exertion. 

Best wishes for your procedure.

SSS

by tammyjk1021 - 2018-08-24 22:47:14

My symptoms were exactly as you describe with one difference, I was having 20 sec pauses as well.  Looking back even as far back as my 20's (30 years ago) I was having symptoms and just didnt realize what it was.  In my case my heart rate went up and nuts mostly after the PM.  Although I was diagnosed with SSS before.  

I was lucky enough to get in on the trial for the Medtronic Micra.  It is inserted in the heart through the femoral artery through a cath.  No leads, scars and so on.  In fact, I was out shopping in less than 24 hours.  I still get the high heart rate now and again for which I'm taking metroprolol.  I take a very very low dose of that and now and again a xanax.  WATER helps so much.  I cannot tell you how many times I've had a glass of water and found my heart rate goes down.  

I cannot say enough good things about the Micra.  One issue that is a bit scarey is the fact that it can not be removed.  Battery goes and they add another unit.  It does worry me a bit but if all else fails, I will go the traditional route.  In my case, they expect the battery to last over 10 years.  In fact, the rep said she wouldnt be surprised to learn my battery lasted 15 years.  

SSS

by pacemaker20 - 2018-09-06 01:37:51

I am 28 and was diagnosed with SSS at 23. I got a pacemaker, at that time. They believe I was born with it. I have had symptoms as long as I can remember and a cardiologist since grade school. It was a battle to get people to believe me and for about 10 years I stopped telling anyone what I was experiencing. The symptoms continuously got worse and I finally found an amazing doctor. I have a Biotronik dual chamber PM. I can't say that it makes me feel "normal" because I have never felt that but it has made a big difference.