Complications due to Pericarditis, are there others who have had Pericarditis?

• by RickBT
• 2024-09-28 23:03:25
• Complications
• 201 views
• 4 comments

My story, January 23, 2024 I was standing in my kitchen, when without any prior warning, I collapased and fell on the floor with my eyes open but unresponsive. An ambulance arrived within 3 minutes and I was taken to North York General where heart rate was 30 beats per minutes. ECG showed a complete heart block. I was diagnosed with Syncope, complete heart block, Bradycardic. They installed an emergency pacemaker and over the next 12 hours it took 4 adjustments, before I was stable. 3 days later I was transferred to Sunnybrook Science Centre where a permanent pacemaker was installed. I was discharged two days later.

February 4, I woke up at 2:20 am, lightheaded, chest aching pain, wretching and started mild convulsions. Once again we were fortunate and the ambulance arrived within three minutes. Blood pressure was 70/50 and heart beats were 50. I was awake and arrived at North York General and started vomiting and more convulsions. ECG showed a narrow complex rhythem, with complete heart block and paced complexes. I was disgnosed with a large pericardial effusion and subsequently went into atrial fibrillation. A tube was inserted into my heart sac to drain the fluid and relieve the pressure, It drained over three days, then with no further signs of fluid build up, I was discharged with a treatment of medications (antiinflamatories) for the pericardial effusion. 

Over February and March, I was experiencing some stabbing pains in the chest and tightness which worsen with any kind of exertion. I thought it was from the trauma the heart experienced and part of the recovery time. 

April 3, the pains continued. Consulted my cardiologist who recommended the pacemaker program of AAI-DDD be switched to DDD. The pacemaker clinic  changed the programm to DDD 50/130 and changed current medications.

May 14, I am feeling much better and am able to exert without pain. Have started light weights again and am doing chores around the house...cutting grass and some gardening. Not perfect, but I say 95% better and I'll take that.

July 10, my cardiologist advised that my ECG and blood pressure are both excellent. Next appointment will be in one year.  I continue to do light weights and activities. Finally starting to feel healthy again. 

September 25, 2024 It happen again. I woke up at 4 am with chest pains across my stern. I had just seen my cardiologist so I thought I was good and it was indigestion or a upper stomach issue. In the morning I called my family doctor who told me to go to emergency. I was there for 12 hours getting bloodwork, xrays, an ultrasound, a CT scan and monitored closely. They diagnosed me with Pericarditis - an inflamation of the sac surrounding the heart. The same thing I had in February. With an Echocardiogram they determined this time I only had inflamation and no fluid around the heart. I heard another man in his twenties with a pacemaker also had the same issue 2 weeks after having a virus. I was also sick about two weeks ago with a virus.  Apparently, once you have had Pericarditis, you can easily get it again. A virus like a flu or COVID gets into the heart sac and your immune system attacks it in trying to get rid of the virus thus causing an inflamation.  I caught it early before fluid formed and I am now on medication treatment, with plenty of rest. 

Have others on this site been diagnosed with Pericarditis?