Curious

I have a general curiosity about living with the pacemaker.

If mine is to correct intermittent 3rd degree heart block is there any reason that I would assume this condition being corrected by the PM would shorten my lifespan?

Please no sarcastic replies...LOL....can't handle them today. Sorry Zombie....but you are counted out on this one!!!! (wink)

Thanks,
Wenditt

7 Comments

Thank you

by wenditt - 2010-04-26 01:04:17

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those are the exact kind of words I needed to hear right now!

HUGE HUGE HUGS WITH A BIG SQUEEZE~~

Wenditt

Hi Wenditt

by The Fish - 2010-04-26 01:04:17

I was just at my cardiologist last week and asked him that same question about my life expectancy. He said to me, "Unless you get hit by a bus you will have the same life span you would have without Bradycardia and probably longer".
That made me feel better and hope it does you too!
Howard

Hi Wenditt,

by Gellia2 - 2010-04-26 01:04:18

"PM would shorten my lifespan?"

I sure hope not. I've had my PM for 35 years now. Well more than half my life! My first dual chamber PM was in 1982 and I still have and use my original wires.

Have I missed anything? Hmmmm,...I don't think so, unless you consider skydiving which I didn't want to do anyway! LOL I did horseback ride for quite sometime though. My PM was fine even when I fell off more than I rode.

I have 3rd degree heart block since birth. I pace all the time, and have for all those 35 years. The wire is in the right ventricle, too. I have never had a problem with congestive heart failure and my EF is still the same at 55% and EP study is normal. Go figure.

I think the only thing that would have shortened my lifespan would have been the CHB. My PM cured that.
Not to say there haven't been a few problems, but that's life. And, I'm SO glad I've been alive to even have those problems!

I love my PM! It lets me LIVE!

If you have any specific questions from a long time PM recipient, ask away. There are a few of us here that are 15+ years, I believe, and one gentleman that posted earlier had had one for over 40 years.

Best to you,
Gellia

Question About Illness

by SMITTY - 2010-04-26 02:04:52


Hello Wenditt.

I will not try to give an absolute yes or no answer to your question, but I will express an opinion for what that is worth.

You say you have intermittent 3rd degree heart block. To me that says your heart's natural pacemaker is trying to send an electrical impulse to make your heart beat, but for some reason that impulse doesn't make the trip and your heart starts to miss some beats. The number and length of times these beats that fail to make the rip can lead to serious difficulties. The one most frequently noticed are fainting or passing out. Or you could notice them by being tired or having not enough energy to complete the whatever it was you set out to do.

The prescription you got to solve this problem was a pacemaker. This PM sits there monitoring your heart function continuously and when it detects no impulse from the heart's natural pacemaker, it sends a replacement. It may send a replacement one time and wait some more, or it may send impulses many times in a row. Ideally, the pacemaker is so well synchronized with your natural heart function that it can step in to help and step out again and you will never know it has helped.

Of course 3rd degree heart block can shorten a person's life span. It can do this in more ways than one. For example you have an extended episode of impulses not making your heart beat while you are driving; well you get the picture what could happen there I'm sure. Or your you have frequent short episodes that cause you severe fatigue. Fatigue from an irregular heart beat is caused by an insufficient blood flow to keep every thing working as it should. Some parts of the body do not handle low blood flow as well as others and it can have an adverse impact on their ability to do what they are there for. Liver and kidneys come to mind here. The job of these organs is to rid the body of waste products and they require a good blood flow to function properly. Short them on their blood requirements to often and they can start to fail. I have named liver and kidneys, but there are many organs that do not handle a low blood for an extended time very well.

Now for your question "If mine is to correct intermittent 3rd degree heart block is there any reason that I would assume this condition being corrected by the PM would shorten my life span? I think it depends on how often is intermittent? If it happens often, I say it could drastically shorten your life span. If it happens occasionally then it may, but probably not enough to be concerned about.

With that I'll stop.

Good luck to you,

Smitty

Yes

by wenditt - 2010-04-26 10:04:02

Yes, Tracey I was. But you guys pretty much cleared that up!

It helps settle my gut to know that what I have, other people have and live long lives. It's helping my self esteem!

You guys are all the best!
xoxo

crazy old lady

by Tracey_E - 2010-04-26 10:04:46

I have every intention of living long enough for whoever takes over for Willard Scott to put my face on the Smuckers jar one day! My family is full of healthy active people in their 80's, 90's and a few past 100. No reason why I won't be one of them.

Renee, I think she's concerned about long term side effects or having a heart condition in general shortening her life.

100

by bgarza - 2010-04-26 12:04:26

Hi Wendy,
I'll put it to you the way my cardiologist put it to me "don't be silly, aside from the av block your heart is healthy and you will live to be 100!" This was very comforting to know especially since I was in the ER crying my heart out (no pun intended). We have an electrical problem that the pacemaker will take care of until we see our great-grandchildren. Yes, there will be replacements but there is no reason our lives will not be normal. This I say just two days after my one year anniversary. Now one year ago I was a complete mess and thought it was the end of the world. I was scared to hold my new grandson. Well, he's now one and I carry him all the time. It's wonderful to hold him while he sleeps and his head will rest on my pacemaker. So, enjoy life and don't worry about your lifespan, it will be long and beautiful. Take care and God bless. - Blanca

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