CONGENITAL COMPLETE HEART BLOCK FOUND AT 23

Well this is going to be a long story. My name is Thomas Watkins, I am a 23 year old male from Cambridge UK. About 6 weeks back I experience an episode of hyperventilation syndrome (A panic attack) at university and my house mates called an amublance.

Upon their arrival they calmed me down and hooked me up to an ECG and discovered a complete (third degree) heart block. I was taken to hospital and thats where I stayed for 8 days while they conducted several tests including multiple ECGs, a cardiac MRI, an Echodiagram, a 24 Hour heart monitor and a stress test as well as multiple blood tests. The results showed that my heart block is congenital and I am asymptomatic.

My resting heart rate is around 40 bpm and I imagine when im really relaxed/sleeping it's even lower then that! I seem to have no trouble getting my heart rate up as i used to play football and do a bit of running. Despite this cardiolists do not want to put a pacemaker in yet as they say its not needed. I have another consultation with the specialist pacemaker consultant in a few weeks time and to be honest I want the pacemaker. Almost everything I've read states I will almost certainly need one at some point and it feels dangerous to just sit around and wait for my symptoms to get worse or for my heart rate to drop to a dangerous low and start fainting! 

Do you think I'll have any say in whether they will put one in? Can i request one despite it not being "essential" as of now? Has anyone else had a similar experience or any advice/reassurance please! 

Tom

1 Comments

I hope you get an answer

by MathTeacher - 2019-11-23 21:18:26

Hi,

     I wish someone had responded to you.  All I can suggest is that maybe you can go somewhere else for a second opinion and express your concerns.  For over 20 years I had a problem waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air.  I can't believe doctors assumed it was sleep apnea, even though I was probably only 129 pounds at the time.  It wasn't until years later that I found out my heart was actually stopping.  Yup; my heart rate went down to zero at night!  I had no problems during the day.  Got my pacemaker four years ago, and let me tell you, it's a luxury to be able to sleep at night and not wake up in a panic.

     Listen to your body.  If your gut is telling you that something needs to be done, it's usually right.  See someone else and have that list of questions ready to ask.  I don't blame you for worrying.  Something should have been done with me years ago.

     Best of luck to you in finding an answer. 

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