RE Introduction

Welcome to Our Club, Eggshell!

by NiceNiecey - 2018-10-13 20:17:04

Hang in there.  This new world of electronically stimulating the heart to beat will be old stuff to you in no time.

The answer to your question is: No, there isn’t necessarily anything else going on in your heart that would explain why you developed 2nd Degree Heart Block.  I was surprised to read that they plan to give you an MRI. Did the doctors say what they’re looking for?

And about that “age” thing . . . Heart block doesn’t discriminate by age.  I was about your age when I got diagnosed.  But babies are sometimes born with this condition and we have members that were initiated in their teens and twenties.  What we have isn’t why most people get a pacemaker (PM) - at least I don’t think so! (I’m not an authority!) But I think most people get a PM when they’re a bit older (avg. age is around 78 I’m told) for Bradycardia, the big word for a heart rate that is a bit too low.

It sounds like you’ll do great.  After hip replacement, this will be a walk in the park!

Niecey

A second welcome to the PM Club

by IAN MC - 2018-10-14 09:23:37

Hi Eggshell       I, too am in the UK.    Wish I was somewhere drier today though !

I agree with Niecey , I'd far rather have a pacemaker op than a hip replacement,   The first thing to get your head round is that there are 2 totally different , and totally unrelated types of heart problem :-

i)  plumbing problems involving blocked arteries, dodgy heart valves and anything which affects a smooth blood movement from the heart around the body

ii)  Electrical problems where your heart doesn't beat at the speed or regularity that it should because there is some sort of short circuit or blockage in the electrical pathway.

You have an electrical problem preventing a message getting through between the top and bottom chamber  which is good news in a way because there's an easy fix..  i.e.  having a pacemaker.

I can only assume that you are having a cardiac MRI scan to rule out that there is nothing else going on ; particularly plumbing / valve / enlarged heart problems. It is all about arriving at a full  diagnosis but there is NO WAY that they will find something sinister has been causing your AV block

Let us know how you get on , and best of luck

Ian

MRI

by DLynn - 2018-10-14 13:54:33

I am 59 and had my pacemaker inserted about 7 wks. ago, after being diagnoss with Complete Rt. Bundle Branch Block, with Bradycardia.  Before having the procedure, my Dr. ordered an MRI to rule out any underlying progressive cardiac problem.  My MRI was negative, so breathe easy often there is no underlying concerns. 

isolated

by Tracey_E - 2018-10-15 15:02:17

Unless you've had some sort of infection, surgery, medication that can affect the heart, it's likely the av block is random. It most often happens in hearts that are perfectly normal structurally, they just have an electrical short circuit. It's good to rule out anything else going on, but most of us have just the av block with no known cause. It's a simple fix with the pacer. Mine is congenital and I've been paced for it since 1994. I'm a few years older than you, healthy and active. Good luck! If you have questions, don't be shy. 

insurance

by cecmjensen@gmail.com - 2018-10-19 14:17:05

I also worried about whether I should get a pacer or not and what could have caused such a thing to happen to me - I am healthy.

While I struggled to make my decision, a friend said "Think of it like you do car or home insurance, it will be there if you need it." 

Decision made!! We've figured out some possible Whys, and believe me I've asked questions - some repeatedly until I understand what I can. Keep asking and taking responsibility for your health. Remember though that it is called "practicing medicine" for a reason. Nobody can know all or why our body does what it does. I am just grateful the technology was available to me and is there for you. Be well.