I recently posted a message about my heart trying to beat on its own again. I'll try to be more clear this time. In May of 2001, I was fitted for a pacemaker because of complete heart block. I had recently had an ablation done to try to correct dangerous arrythmias which was successful but my heart decided it didn't want to beat no more than 23 bpm after the procedure, so I was then fitted for a pacemaker. After all those years and 2 pacemakers later, my heart had gotten worse and wasn't beating at all in the ventricles. Now I went in for yet another interrogation last week and found out that my heart is trying to heal itself and beat on its own. When I first went in (last week) I was 100% dependent on my pacemaker as my heart wasn't doing anything at all for itself. But when she found that it was trying to beat on its own, she adjusted it to only pace me after giving my heart a few milliseconds to try to beat on its own and if it doesn't then it paces. Well, she asked me how I felt after the adjustment and I could feel a lump in my throat like my heart was sitting there and I needed to swallow, my legs were weak and I could feel it pacing in my chest (didn't like that feeling at all). She didn't want to keep me that way so she put it back the way it was in the beginning. I told her that I could feel the difference real quick. I felt sooo much better the way it was when I came in. So she made me an appointment to see my cardiologist in August so he could see what was going on and try to figure out what to do about it, if anything. But what is concerning us too is that my pacemaker recorded that I am experiencing 200 bpm at times for up to 2 minutes at a time and she wants to see if I need to be on any medication to try and slow these down. I can't understand all of this at all. Can it get to where I won't need my pacemaker any more? It's amazing to me that I went from having no heartbeat at all to almost not using the pacemaker any more. She said that my heart was beating around 4 to 5 beats on its own before the pacemaker kicked in to help it. I know I should be excited and I am to some extent but I am more confused than anything. Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks...


Pacie

 

 

Hello, glad to hear you're on the mend! Sorry, I don't know how to help you, but when I'm a cardiologist, call me! :) I also have heart block, so I know how you feel. Hope you get some answers soon!!!

Stay quite delectable, Sydney

 

Pacie,

I am not a cardiologist, but I am a 6 year medic,and also a ICD patient. The thing that I would be considering in your shoes is another opinion from a different EP. Remember that the EP is the Electrician, and should be able to figure out (if possible) whats going on. My Cardiologist told me ablation couldn't help me....well the Doctor in Boston proved him wrong. (Dr.Reddy)
The reason why your heart is now "back", well the heart is composed of pacemaker cells so it is possible that a new path way could have emerged, however a EP study with mapping might be the only real way to find out.
This is my opinion again from my limited knowledge. Hope it helps. God Bless you!

Ryan

 

Hey P

I have heard by both my primary and a cardio. that there is a study out there thatis pretty drastic but they use a heart pump just like when they do open heart surgery. Only it is real small. The stopy goes this lady was on a transplant list. Well there was not a hear to be found before she would die becaus her heart was so inlarged and tired. So what the deal is is that they stoped her heart and inplanted tubes to keep her blood moveing like a heart. Well like any muscle that does not get used it gets smaller. The test study lasted 2 years but when they went back in to restart her heart it was strong smaller and she was off the machine. I know I am leaveing out tons of info but that is the short of it, I got my PM 5 July 2008 and am hopeing for a long and indistructable life Do some looking around, check out as much info as you can. I bet some day soon You and your cardio. will find an answer.

Thunder