Worried
Hello all,
So glad I found this site. I am in the first steps on possibly getting a PM. I am 63 and recently started experiencing shortness of breath. I have been a runner for the last 30 years until last August when I suffered major knee issues. Since then I have taken up swimming and biking. I am retired and very active. 8 years ago I was referred to a cardiologist due to a pulse of 35 on an EKG. I was diagnosed with bradycaradia I was referred for a stress test and echo with diagnosis- Borderline mitral valve prolapse mild to moderate mitral regurgitation mild tricuspid regurgitation aortic sclerosis mild aortic regurgitation. At that time I had no sypmtoms. They concluded it was due to running. That cardiologist told me I may be looking at surgery in the future but did not have a crystal ball. Last week I started to have difficulty taking a deep breath. It is not constant. I also have a dull ache under my left breast. I still bike and swim daily and that has not been affected. At rest my pulse has always been a constant 52. When I am having breathing issues it is around 45. I see my primary today and will likely be referred for more tests. In everything I have read a pacemaker seems to be the answer. I'm not looking forward to the process. Anybody have these on and off again breathing issues?
2 Comments
really good answer
by dwelch - 2018-08-28 00:58:59
Wow thats a really good answer from Gotrythm
Dont fear having a pacer, fear not having a pacer. The pacer wont fix your knee obviously but will allow you to remain active at least from a heart/rythm perspective. There is a period of getting used to it but in the long run is really easy to live with. Like wearing shoes when you go outside, you dont really think about them being there, but without them you would. You to some extent forget you have a pacer until you bump it.
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99% of the time, I totally forget I even have this device.
Really, needing a pacemaker is not bad news
by Gotrhythm - 2018-08-21 14:36:40
Being short of breath (SOB) is a common symptom of heart issues, but within the heart it can have many causes. Certainly if the heart is not beating fast enough to support the body's oxygen needs, the result is a feeling of being SOB.
Nobody wants a pacemaker, but a heart problem that a pacemaker can fix is the very best kind to have. The surgery rarely requires more than overnight at the hospital and some people go home the same day. For most people, such pain as there is can be controlled with Tylenol.
When yo've lived with a slow heartrate for years it can be hard to imagine the difference a pacemaker can make, but once you get one, you'll probably find you feel better than you have felt in a long time. Once you're healed you will be able live a completely normal life and return to running, biking and swimming. To the extent that the SOB issues are being caused by a too slow heartrate, they will be taken care of.
I understand shrinking from the thought of a pacemaker. I did. It was only after I had had one for a week or two, and saw how much better it felt that I realized how much I needed it. In fact I know now I probably would have benefitted from one for years before I got mine.