Thoughts about a PM

So for the past two years i have had slow heart rate while sleeping, only while sleeping never just sitting around or any other way. I think my BPM was around 25-30 while sleeping according to my Doctor. Note that I am 18 years old, but I was just wondering what would happen if I were to live without a PM. Remember my slow heart rate is only while sleeping I have never had any symptoms of it either. Also I have never had any previous heart problems.

Just curious is all I am as I have never really asked my Doc this question.

9 Comments

I would want one.

by tcrabtree85 - 2009-12-04 10:12:56

I think the risks would be to high to not have a pm. I am young also and know it can be a pain to have a device and can mess witht he way you want to do things right now. Though, you have to look at the plus of having one. At night the heart naturally drops some but not to the 30s. When it is that low the chances of it dropping more is way to high. You know there is some sort of electric problem going on. I would want to know that I would live through a night of sleep. Don't know if I really answered your question or not.

Take care,
Tammy

CHOICE

by pete - 2009-12-05 02:12:24

Your choice is the certainty of living a normal life with one , or a evens chance of dying without one. Given that choice and bearing in mind you have only bradycardia and need only a very simple pacemaker, I know which option I would go for. Cheers Peter

been there

by Tracey_E - 2009-12-05 07:12:39

I was born with complete heart block and had a low hr my whole life. Our bodies compensate when we are young and can get by with the lower rate and less oxygen. As I got into my 20's, I started to have symptoms- I got tired more easily, I had frequent dizzy spells. How high do you get during the day? Does your rate go up and down normally with exercise or stay the same? If you don't get higher than the 40's during the day or do not go up with exercise, you might want to get it sooner rather than later.

Mine did not go up with exercise, it stayed in the 40's during the day. By the time I got my first pm at 27, it had dropped to the 20's during the day. As Frank pointed out, the effect on my brain was so gradual that I never realized how foggy I was until I got the pm and woke up again more alert than I'd been in years. I also noticed a lot of other little problems go away, low hr is hard on our organs and does gradual damage.

It sounds like you need a pm, the question is when. My doctor left it up to me. I procrastinated and waited until it was an emergency and I almost died. I don't recommend doing that ;o) I wish I'd gotten mine as soon as the dizziness started, which was about 2 yrs before. A good argument could be made for doing it now, that even though you don't have symptoms that very low rate while you sleep is robbing your body of oxygen it needs to keep you healthy. Since you're sleeping through the problem times, you don't know what it's doing to your body and you won't know when it drops even lower.

I am 43 now and have had a great time wearing out several batteries. I am active and lead a busy, full life with a business, kids, lots of volunteer work. Most people have no idea that I have a pm or a heart condition, they don't see someone "sick" when they look at me. If you have questions about the surgery or living with a pm, please don't hesitate to ask.

Possible problems

by ElectricFrank - 2009-12-05 12:12:18

Depending on how efficient your heart is at pumping blood on each beat you may not be getting the optimum flow to your brain during sleep. Recent research is showing that there is a lot of processing in our brains during sleep that affects our waking performance. This is a subtle effect and hard to be sure of.

You didn't say whether you have a pacer as yet or are just thinking about it.

I'm at the other end of the age spectrum. I'm 79 now and was 73 when got the pacer. My HR was 26 just before getting the pacer. I chose to be completely awake during the implant and the feeling when they turned it on was amazing. I hadn't realized how dull headed I was getting.

frank

Wearing out batteries

by ElectricFrank - 2009-12-06 01:12:17

Tracy,
Maybe we could develop a small wind charger (like the old propeller caps) that would keep our batteries charged. It won't be long before we are all wearing multiple pacers.

frank

I didnt have a clue id got heart block

by Hot Heart - 2009-12-07 06:12:16

But............when I look back now, perhaps there were signs, often used to go dizzy standing in queues like in the bank, was always cold,lips used to go blue sometimes, never ever wanted to get out of bed in the morning, and no matter how hard i worked at the gym struggled to get my heart rate up to that of an average 90 year old! lol

I was shell shocked when told i needed a pm, but you must remember it's better to have one than not have one if your heart is going too slowly. My dad died age 35, a fit fireman, boxing champion, heart related, such a long time ago that i have no details, but I'm glad ive got my little pm so that I can sleep easy in my bed and not be worried that my heart is slowing.

Good luck

HH

Blue lips

by ElectricFrank - 2009-12-08 02:12:03

When it gets bad enough to have blue lips things are getting serious. The pacer must really feel good.

frank

Frank

by Tracey_E - 2009-12-09 10:12:20

Frank, blue fingernails were the final straw and how I ended up in the ER. I mentioned it to my doctor in passing because I thought it was funny. I was so out of it that it never occurred to me it was a sign of a problem.

They make self-winding Rolex, I don't see why they can't make a self-winding pm. I'd be a good test subject. (I'm sure you're shocked to learn I'm hyper!)

Good luck Jordan! It sounds like sick sinus syndrome? If you are fine during the day and with exercise, you might be able to hold off a little while as long as you regularly check how low it gets at night and keep an eye out for symptoms. When the time comes to do it, don't be afraid of it. I got mine before the age of the internet so I had no way to research it or find others in my situation so I built it up in my head to be way worse than it was. The reality was it was fairly quick and easy, and I felt hugely better.

Thanks everyone

by Jordan101 - 2009-12-09 12:12:36

Thanks for the replies everyone, they're helping think about some things. To answer some questions that people asked, no I do not have a PM yet. My heart rate is perfectly normal during the day and when I exercise.

Sorry about the lack of info in my post but I didn't know what to write

You know you're wired when...

You always have something close to your heart.

Member Quotes

My eight year old son had a pacemaker since he was 6 months old. He does very well, plays soccer, baseball, and rides his bike. I am so glad he is not ashamed of his pacemaker. He will proudly show his "battery" to anyone.