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I am so very excited to have found this page! I had a pacemaker implant in June of 2004 at the age of 19, im 22 now. I had fainting spells my whole life and doctors always said it was stress related or puberty related, they told me to take salt tablets and drink gatorade. I finally went to a cardiologist that said that she would do a tilt table test just for a "peice of mind" well with 2 minutes left on the table i passed out and my heart stopped for 40 seconds. As soon as i woke up they said "you need a permanent pacemaker implant" and i went to emerency surgery to have one put in. I am so thrilled to have found a group of people that are as young as me and have gone through similar experiences. I honestly was starting to think i was the only person my age who had one. I also hope that by my being so young maybe i can halp other people that havnt has theirs for so long.

6 Comments

Welcome

by bini - 2008-11-07 07:11:22

hi Welcome to the club! this is such a wonderful place for info and to help others in need of advice.

I got a PM in June 07 for fainting. I like you was tossed around from doctor to doctor being told it was just stress. I finally saw a specialist and he diagnosed me with a condition called POTS.

Anyway, I just wanted to say welcome and if you ever need to talk please feel free to private message me anytime!

Christine

Welcome

by booknbrdcrzy - 2008-11-08 03:11:50

I am fairly new. My PM was put in November 13th.
You are young and you are an inspiration. I'm glad you're here.
:)

thank you

by enigma - 2008-11-08 07:11:33

Thank you so much for both of your comments. I have never been called an inspiration before, that put a big smile on my face. I really do appriciate that comment more than you know.

Also it is nice to know that im not the only person that was tossed around in the medical world. I know it happens alot, but it was, and still is exteremely frustrating that for 19 years i could have literally died because of medical lazyness.

New too

by KN123 - 2008-11-10 07:11:19

You sound so confident. How do you get to that point?How do you tell people about your pacemaker? Better yet how do you explain it to someone you are dating? And what kind of reactions do you get.

Welcome to the Club

by jenfilipoberio - 2008-11-10 10:11:11

I had a similar situation. My entire life the doctors had told me that my passing out and fainting spells were from stress or dehydration. When I was 26 it started to happen VERY frequently and I finally saw a new doctor who sent me to an EPS to have some tests done and to "Rule Out" a cardiac problem. My heart stopped for 18 seconds during my first tilt table so they attempted to put me on propanolol for a couple of weeks first to see if that would control my symptoms. My heart stopped for 26 seconds during my second tilt table and I was implanted with my pacemaker 2 weeks later. That was four years ago. I still take 2 salt tablets everyday and I am careful to drink PLENTY of water so that I don't get dehydrated. My pacemaker has only been used a handful of times, but 2 of those times were while I was pregnant with my daughter. And her smile makes everything worth it.
The pacemaker wasn't implanted for "fainting" that's actually just a symptom of the larger syndrome. Do some research.... what you have is probably called Malignant Neurocardiogenic Syncope or Malignant VasoVagal Syncope. Good luck!

New member

by slovell - 2009-01-14 06:01:49

Hi! I turned 30 in September and received a single lead pacemaker two months later due to Sinus Node Dysfunction. I had two cardiac ablations five years ago to treat Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia - one ablation was on my AV node, the other on my sinus node. At 23, I was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and it was believed that the Sinus Tach was aggravating my already weakened heart. The ablations were successful but years later, my sinus node eventually couldn't keep up so my heart rate dropped to average of 40 bpm - slowing to 30 bpm while I slept.

It's nice to find this site and find other young people dealing with the emotion of having a pacemaker at such a young age. I feel great and I feel blessed!

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Member Quotes

My pacemaker has ultimately saved mine and my unborn child’s life for which I am thankful.