Hi! I am new to all this. I went to the doctor in June complaining of fatigue thinking I needed vitamins. I have a strange heart defect That I didn't know I had. My heart rate averages 47. I have done every test known to man. My doctor has been trying to find a reason not to put in a PM, because I am only 39. I find out on the 16th for sure. But I think that is where I am headed. I just want to feel better and have energy.

 

 

One of my biggest pet peeves is drs who hold off giving the pm due to our age! Yes, it might be young to get a pm, but it's WAY too young to be tired all the time and act old. I got my first one at 27, should have had it several years before that but my doc thought I was too young. So, I slept for two years when I could have been feeling good. I'm 43 now and still feel great.

That said, it's good that he's being thorough and not jumping in to a pm unnecessarily. 47 is low, but not dangerously low, just inconvenient as you've discovered because it leaves us tired. Unfortunately, the list of fixes for a slow heart rate is pretty short. Occasionally it's caused by thyroid, if that's the case treating the thyroid can bring the rate back up. Other than that, a pm is usually the answer. Drugs can slow down a fast heart, only a pm can speed up a slow heart.

Did he say why it's beating slowly? There are a lot of causes. If you have any questions about your diagnosis, the surgery or living with a pm, or if you just want to vent, let us know! We've all been there.

 

Hello,

Welcome to the Pacemaker Club.

My opinion is age should never be a consideration when trying to decide if a person should have a pacemaker. If all tests show no cause for a low heart rate and the person feels bad, then a pacemaker it should be. Sure you will probably have it for the rest of our life and I have read there are some thoughts being given to the possibility that a pacemaker may be detrimental to the heart over the long haul. But based on what you say, without a pacemaker the long haul for you may be a lot shorter without a pacemaker than with one.

It will probably have virtually no impact on your life style. You will need to avoid activity that could cause a direct lick on the pacemaker. Such lick is very unlikely to hurt the pacemaker, but it will hurt you. Also pacemaker leads are delicate and an impact on the pacemaker could damage them.

As we look back at the advances made in pacemakers in the last twenty years even, by the time you need your second replacement replacing the pacemaker because of a low battery level may be a thing of the past. Almost all replacements today are because the battery ran down (usually 5 to 10 years), but work is being done a battery that can be charged from an external source.

I do admire your doctor for being sure that a pacemaker is the last resort to help you feel better. But if it must be a pacemaker, so be it. Just be glad they are available so that you don't have to go through life feeling about half as well you should be feeling.

One more word, if you do get a pacemaker remember it is just a helper for your heart. It will have a low set point and will keep your heart beating at least that fast. However if you get to doing something that is physical or just exciting and your heart rates increases on its on, the pacemaker just sits there and does nothing. Even if that pacemaker totally quit working, your heart would revert back to doing what it was doing before you got the pacemaker. I think getting a pacemaker when one is needed is a win, win situation.

Good luck to you,

Smitty

 

u know what . im just like u but im 20. wired last year for unknown reason. my pulse is about 47-49. the doc could'nt find the cause but he continued to get me wired. guess what? i don't feel any difference after being wired. i think i have made a mistake. i think it;s better for u to find the cause first.

 

I have a heart defect. Basically I am wired wrong. I like that my Dr. is trying to find out exactly what is wrong. I didn't know I had a heart defect. I just want to play with my children without having to take a 3 hr. hap after wards.