Sick sinus syndrome and chronotropic incompetence

Im having a PM placed for SSS and chronotropic incompetence. 

With SSS does your heart rate always stay low? Or are there times it might be at a regular resting rate? I’ve noticed the last few days mine sits in the 50’s and 60’s but that’s regardless of what I do. 

I have to wait a month and my problem is, I can’t do anything without being so short of breath, dizzy,chest pain and sometimes near syncope. Anyone with this ever find away to increase their heart rate? A month is a long time to go feeling like this. 

3 Comments

SSS

by Tracey_E - 2018-07-17 09:18:52

SSS is when the heart gets lazy and the rate drops off. CI is when it doesn't go up on exertion. Everyone is different. It can do it all the time or just sometimes. Some people find that getting up and moving around sort of wakes the heart up and gets it beating more normally, for others it just makes it worse. 

Can you get your date moved up? Make it clear just how bad you feel. Sometimes a trip to the ER for chest pain is in order if they don't take you seriously. Otherwise, best advice is just lay low as much as you can. Don't overexert, stay hydrated, stay out of the heat. Have you tried caffeine? It's a very short term fix but worth a try. 

Good luck!

Appointment

by LemonPledge - 2018-07-17 15:26:13

 

Thanks for your response and ideas  

I have an appointment with my pulmonologist tomorrow. He will definitely see how bad my symptoms are. I will let him know my EP is planing to implant a pacemaker. I also have pulmonary hypertension and my breathing isn’t great with the SSS it’s even worse  I’ve been doing the caffeine and have kept my rate in the 70’s but I still get sob doing activities  

Im on a waiting list but I don’t see anyone canceling this soon before a procedure. 

 

SSS

by AgentX86 - 2018-07-17 21:53:06

As Tracy said, SSS can be a sometimes thing or consistent and it's often combined with other problems.  On top of SSS, I had tachy-brady, Aflutter/Afib, and longish (3-8 sec) pauses but it was the pauses that got me the PM. 

I've waited a month for an ablation but it seems like a pretty long wait for a pacemaker.  I feel your pain.

You know you're wired when...

You read consumer reports before upgrading to a new model.

Member Quotes

I have a well tuned pacer. I hardly know I have it. I am 76 year old, hike and camp alone in the desert. I have more energy than I have had in a long time. The only problem is my wife wants to have a knob installed so she can turn the pacer down.