complete heart block

I had joined this group last year. I don't remember the user name I used. I have been told I had complete heart block since I was 25. I'll be 37 this September. Last year I had an episode and was told by 1 cardiologist I needed a pacemaker then. I got a second opinion and opted not to get it. I had talked with a girl with the same situation who opted to get it and wondered how she was. I don't remember her name.

6 Comments

Lady One

by Tracey_E - 2008-08-16 02:08:10

Night and day! I went from always tired and dizzy, never able to do any sport and limited stamina to a normal, active lifestyle. I work out regularly, love sports (tho I suck, lol, a lifetime of not being allowed to participate makes one a klutz). Most people who know me have no clue I have it. I don't hide the fact I have it, but it's not something that usually comes up in conversation either. When I had my last battery change, someone put me on the prayer chain at church. For weeks I had people coming up to me saying "No way!!".

There are inconveniences and there have been a few bumps in the road but it's totally worth it. It takes me longer to get through the airport, I can't have an mri, and I'll never arc weld or work in a junk yard (big magnets are a no no for us). You should be feeling better than your old self soon!

pnelope

by Tracey_E - 2008-08-16 02:08:34

It was left up to me when I wanted to get it (you know, until my hr dropped so low, lol) but was told to definitely get it before I had kids.

Do you get tired or have trouble doing activities you'd like to do? If the answer to either is yes, you might want to get it sooner rather than later. I went from sitting on the sidelines for all sports to hiking, skiing, roller blading, biking... pretty much anything I ever wanted to do that I never had the stamina for before.

How old is the doctor that told you to wait as long as possible? When I was first diagnosed as a kid in the 70's, that was the philosophy. Pm's were new and not perfected yet and the surgery was more of an ordeal that may or may not give you a normal lifestyle afterward so the doctors wanted to hold off as long as possible. The philosophy from most doctors now is there's no reason to wait. They're small and last longer, surgery is usually outpatient (overnight at most) and you can stay awake for it, and the technology is amazing so they can make a heart with chb beat perfectly normally.

on feeling tired

by pnelope - 2008-08-16 06:08:19

I've never felt I felt more tired than anyone else. I'm a single mother of 2 boys and have a very fast paced job. What started all this last year was I had drank some alcohol. I hadn't really done that in several years. It was way to much for me and I had a fainting episode. Didn't pass out but felt like I would at work. I didn't no if it was the heart or the alcohol. I've not drank a drop since. I thought I would die that day. About a week after that I had got paranoid about the heart and had what they think was a panic attack. They sent me back to the cardiologists. The second doc is in his 40s and diagnosed me with this at 25. He just says its always better if you don't have to have something foreign to not do it. The first cardiologist said, it was possible during the episodes that my heart actually paused. Since I've stopped thinking about it so much I haven't had a problem. I'd never had a panic attack before that day.

CHB

by pnelope - 2008-08-16 11:08:14

Thanks Tracey. I sometimes wonder if it would make a difference. My heartrate is 39 up walking around. I'm a med surg nurse and have known the one who told me to hold off as long as possible very well. He says I will have to have it eventually but put it off as long as possible. I've never had any kind of surgery and wasn't excited about that. The girl I talked to last year was pregnant.

not me, but was in the same situation

by Tracey_E - 2008-08-16 11:08:49

I have CHB also and got my first pacer when I was 27.
My hr was in the mid 40's and never went up at all. Boards like this weren't around then (1993) and I didn't know anyone else in my situation. There was no one to ask but my doctor and I was terrified of getting the pm. I finally got it when I dropped down to 29 one day and ended up in emergency surgery. I couldn't believe how much more energy I had after getting it and the surgery was a lot easier than I expected. No more chronic fatigue or dizzy spells. If I had it to do all over again, I would have done it sooner. A lot sooner!

To Tracy

by Lady One - 2008-08-16 12:08:45

Did this pacemaker change your life style in anyway. I am new to it all. 2 wks post op. Still sore but worried that my life will change and I will feel like I am 89. I am 55. Hope to be able to do it all still.

You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

Member Quotes

Hi, I am 47 and have had a pacemaker for 7 months and I’m doing great with it.