Complete Heart block

Does anyone here have a pacemaker due to complete heart block? I do and want to know what the circumstances of others are.


9 Comments

???????

by donr - 2018-06-24 11:25:17

Your question makes no sense.  What do you mean by "...circumstances of other..."?

Donr

Circumstances

by Gotrhythm - 2018-06-24 16:12:13

I think KATT means "circumstances of others are"

The answer to the first part of the question is yes. Many of our members got a pacemaker because of heart block.

A diagnosis of heart block can be very shocking, because it can seem to come on out of the blue when all the time you thougt your heart was perfectly healthy. Heart block might be discovered only after you have been hospitalized after fainting. But in other cases the symptoms come on gradually and you have time to realize something is wrong. The heart block might be discovered only after a long period of testing.

What were the circumstances when you were told you had heart block? 

3rd degree av block here

by Nydrifter88 - 2018-06-24 18:39:44

I got a dual chambered Boston scientific accolade pacemaker in April. For a 3rd degree or complete heart block. I was fainting but had no other symptoms. Had a 30 day event monitor and bout 14 days got a call to go to the ER asap. Got a ride to a local ER and was sent promptly to a larger hospital in the city. They check from lyme disease and any other issues that could be resolved without a pacemaker. Well I got one and was told my heart's electrical system is messed up and I needed it and did not need any meds.

Sure, many of us

by AgentX86 - 2018-06-24 23:28:29

In my case, the complete heart block was intentional.  I had an AV ablation to separate, electrically, the artia from the ventricles (a complete heart block) and a biventricular (VVIR mode) pacemaker implanted to keep the ventricles beating.  My atria are completely dyssynchronous so don't do anything anymore.

Sorry for confusing you Donr

by Katt - 2018-06-25 00:54:30

It was a typo.  LOL

Thanks everyone!

by Katt - 2018-06-25 00:56:52

It is very intersting to hear your stories.  I personally know I need it but I hate being tied to the doctors.  I do not take any medication so that is a plus!

CHB here too

by LondonAndy - 2018-06-25 04:14:31

Reason for mine was surgical complication when they inserted a replacement Aortic valve.  So I had no time to worry about it before I needed a pacemaker, and the much more substantial issue of recovering from open heart surgery to be concerned about once discharged from hospital.  The net result was that I didn't even think about the pacemaker for 4 months, by which time of course it was no big deal.  Just an annual checkup for maintenance so far - only had mine about 4 years.

from birth

by dwelch - 2018-06-25 15:01:11

I know I am not the only one here.  I have complete congenital heart block...from birth...before they started treating it that early...Was found in my pre-teen years, we watched it for a number of years, was told to take it easy but was instead very active, outside doing all kinds of sports and activities all the time.  I shouldnt be here.  At 19 the doc said thats it your heart is too big the muscle is too thick it is time.  That was over 30 years ago pacer number 1.  I got pacer number 5 last year.  I am now on a bi-ventrical or three lead basically which is a result of a side effect of a lifetime of pacers, its okay they know what they are doing,  My ejection fraction recovered within 6 months as desired/hoped.   I have had medtronic, st jude, and now boston scientific devices, I have four leads, one is broken and capped, medtrinic, guidant, and I assume boston scientific.  

Unlike a lot of folks here I had years to prepare mentally before it happened, which could be better or worse.  Pacers were only starting to become common, today they stick them in infants and kids with my condition.  Honestly I had a cousin die a couple of years before in a car accident and saw what happened as a result to her family as well as the rest of us.  I was off to college and not sure about if I would have my own health insurance, didnt know anything about those things at the time, was at that 19 and I know everything but really know nothing.  So I felt I couldnt put my folks through something happening to me with the added I dont know how I would pay for one myself so I didnt put up even a remote fight, lets go and do this...

The journey has been normal, this makes us normal esp with heart block, something pacers are very good at, pretty easy to fix sense on one side sync the other.  if that is all you have then a pacer is a no brainer, even if you have more than just heart block a pacer is still a no brainer for the heart block part of it...

Have always been the or one of the youngest patients in the office, even at 50 years old.  

A lot of folks as you have already seen in the replies the heart block was not from birth like mine, but from other reasons, a lot of time from a heart attack later in life.  

I have had mostly good docs, when I moved to where I live now was not happy with that one and switched and am very happy, but the stupid two provider in a town thing in the USA is causing a riff between them and my doc is on the other side of that battle so I fear I may lose her for a while.  I went through this in another town and had to hop docs for a short period, ended up with another good one which made it a tough choice to go back or stay, he made it pretty easy as he took a job out of town and there you go I went back to the prior one, and she did pacer number three just before I moved here....

Most of my experience was pre-interenet pre forums like this, was completely on my own as far as information.  Am very happy that there are now resources like this site available.  There is a wealth of knowledge here, take advantage of it.  Remember we are mostly I assume just patients so take what we say with a grain of salt, at the end of the day its between you and the doctor, get one you trust, then trust them and go with what they say.

Response to Robin1 Welcome to the group

by Katt - 2018-06-25 16:05:36

Robin1 do you have a pacemaker?  You see them every 9 months? I am schedules every 6 months. I like your approach.  I have started with  an accupunturist as well. 

You know you're wired when...

You run like the bionic man.

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