Bradycardia diagnosis

wow

by Tracey_E - 2017-11-14 18:02:26

I can't believe how many times they wrote it off and didn't investigate! Fruit doesn't make your heart beat faster, jeez. Did they say what causes the brady? Brady is just a slow heart rate, a number of things can cause it. A holter is a great tool to see exactly what your heart is doing. 

Don't let the diagnosis scare you. In fact, it should be just the opposite- you know what's going on now, you have a doctor who will follow through, and the fix is relatively easy.  

My heart block is congenital and my rate was low 40's.  I got my first pacer at 27 when I was a newlywed. How to freak out your new husband lolol. Honestly, it was harder on him than me. I was worried at first but I felt so darned GOOD after that it was an easy adjustment. It hasn't held me back a bit since then. I had two babies while paced, perfectly normal pregnancies and deliveries. My kids are in college now. I hike, ski, kayak, love ropes courses, do Crossfit every morning. No one looks at me and sees a heart patient. When our heart rate is so low, it's hard on the body, and as we age it gets harder and we feel it more. This is just a bump in the road, your future isn't going to change a bit. 

Thx

by Batman28 - 2017-11-14 18:14:35

Thanks for the positivity I needed it. It is good to see others going through similar things and being able to continue living a normal life. I just see the words cardiac arrest and death in the posts I've read and it freaked me out. So true finally having a dr who sees the issue and cares.

be careful what you read

by Tracey_E - 2017-11-14 21:59:46

It's good to do your homework and be informed, but keep in mind that for every person who has a rare complication and comes to a place looking for answers, there are hundreds or even thousands out there who healed quickly and easily and got on with their lives. All complications are less than 3-4%, and most of those are very minor.

Your hr would have to be a whole lot slower than yours is to bring on cardiac arrest.  We do not die from a heart rate in the 40's or even the 30's. You need to take it seriously, yes, but it's not fatal. The biggest risk is passing out and being hurt. Your symptoms are typical, tired and dizzy. 

Any time you need a pep talk, give me a holler :o) 

Bradycardia

by PatCan - 2017-11-14 23:46:31

Hi---  I too had suffered from bradycardia most of my life and didn't know what was going on...Just weird episodes from time to time of feeling out of kilter until finally a couple of years ago it got so bad I almost passed out several times...My primary care doc kept telling me that I didn't have bradycardia...well, I did...I'm 73 now and have had my pacemaker for 2 years and I don't even think about it anymore...Get it done and get on with your life...and don't look back...God bless...

Bradycardia

by tammyjk1021 - 2017-11-16 08:20:44

I too had a difficult time getting diagnosed.  It finally got worse and had the fainting spells and so on.  By the time you get to the ER youre normal again, get a pat on the head and sent home.  In the middle of all of that they told me I needed my gallbladder out and I was probably passing out from pain.  Like I wouldnt know I was in that much pain?  I was finally diagnosed when I had a holter on and had 4 12 second pauses.  PM the next day.  Oh and my wedding was a month off!  Yes, hubby was more worried than I was.  

I don't know about you but I was so relieved that someone finally told me what was going on.  I was actually looking forward to it.  Life has had some ups and downs getting used to my PM but....it's better than the alternative!  And I do feel good again.