I am having second thoughts
- by tcole1939
- 2008-08-03 07:08:08
- General Posting
- 2394 views
- 10 comments
I am 69 and have what has been diagnosed as tachy-brady syndrome. They want to put a pacemaker in to control the slow heart rate and they are putting me on a medication for the fast heart rate or as they call it a-fib. Other than getting a little dizzy and tired i haven't had to many problems. I am afraid if I get a pacemaker that I will not be the same as far as energy and doing the things I do now. Thanks for any help you can give me
tcole1939
10 Comments
Fear of change
by ted - 2008-08-03 08:08:32
I'm glad to hear that you haven't had too many problems. When I said that to my doctor, he said "You haven't had too many problems, YET"
Why wait till something happens that might be unpleasant. I never liked change, even for the better. You say that you just get a "little dizzy and tired". A pacemaker will not make you any dizzier or more tired. I doubt that a pacemaker can control a-fib, You need medication for that unless you want to start with ablations which really don't work for a-fib. Good luck
My Goodness!
by pacergirl - 2008-08-03 09:08:59
Hello tcole1939,
You are only 69... You can have many more years of good living. I had the same decisions to make in 2005, when I was barely 50.
I was feeling dizzy and really tired. I was suffering from bradycardia (sp?) and heart block. When I asked what would happen if i waited to get the PM my Dr. told me that very soon I would simply go to sleep and when my husband arrived home from working all night, he would find me dead....! My husband looked at me and gasped! I was hospitalized at once!
I feel pretty good most of the time. I developed tackycardia after the PM implant... not all that uncommon from I have learned. I still get tired some, but I sleep soundly at night and I don't worry about not waking up when my hubby gets home in the morning. I have my life... and it is good.
Good wishes for good health!
Pacergirl
Hello
by Loopy Lou - 2008-08-04 04:08:20
Hi!
I did not know I was ill until 4 weeks ago when a routine check showed my pulse rate was 35! Since then it got up to late 40's. I didnt feel too bad, I suffered with tiredness (which I put down to being a busy 43year old mum) I got out of breath sometimes - which I put down to my mild asthma... so imagine my shock when I was told I would have to have a pacemaker!!
So on 24th July I had 'Gerry' fitted.... I am still in shock about it but 3 doctors said my heart would have suffered without my pacemaker.... I didn't have long to decide - in fact I felt that I had no decision to make... I simply had to have it....
So..... after chatting with people in here I am starting to feel a bit better about having a small battery helping out my heart!!
Good luck and would love to hear how you get on!
Take care and hope to chat again soon!
Louise xx
Just another comment
by TKS - 2008-08-04 05:08:40
I too was diagnosed with tachy-brady snyndrome and have Afib. I had my pacer inmplanted in 2006 at age 46 and had an ablation as the meds did not control the Afib. By the time I had my pacer implanted, just trying to vaccum the floor tired me out. I had little to no energy to speak of. Two years down the road I feel good, have lots of energy and am living life as usual, only better! It took a while to get adjusted to the meds (Toprol and Lasix) and they did tire me out at first, but now I'm ok with them.
In the end it's up to you what you do, but I know I would have hated to have my heart rate dip so low I passed out at work or home and scare everyone.
Now...if only the darn little ticker could do something for my hot flashes!!!!! LOL
Take care!
Theresa (tks)
Decision
by ElectricFrank - 2008-08-04 12:08:04
You didn't say how slow your HR is when you are experiencing bradycardia. What is the cause of the slow HR.? Is it an AV block, sinus arrhythmia, or a result of the afib med? Also how much of the time you have afib. My suggestion would be to look at each of these independently.
A pacemaker will almost certainly be a major help for the slow HR, and likely would deal with your fatigue. It is just a matter of getting adjusted properly.
The only way a pacemaker is likely to affect the afib is if you had an ablation and you don't want that unless absolutely necessary. The question then is how much is the afib affecting you? For some it is very uncomfortable and unnerving. For others just a nuisance. Of course the docs will tell you that if the afib is allowed to continue it could lead to a blood clot and stroke. This is by no means universally accepted. The meds for afib are often reported to have undesireable side effects. The blood thinners have their own problems.
If it were me I would discuss going ahead with a pacemaker, but skip the afib meds for awhile to see how you feel. You can always add them later if needed.
By the way I am 78 and got my pacer 3 1/2 years ago. It solved my AV block and I am back to activities as usual.
frank
No A Fib now
by Suze - 2008-08-04 12:08:25
I've been A Fib free for the past two years with my pacemaker. (I also take meds for it). I also had bradycardia. with HR in the low 30's.
I feel much better now! And you probably will, too..I never think about my pacer anymore. It just quietly does its thing.
Hope this helps,
Suze
another comment
by ibehurtin - 2008-09-29 05:09:47
hi, iwas also diagnosed with tachy-brady syndrome had a pacemaker in it was a cake walk i felt great lots more energy but alas that didnt stop it had to go to a major hosp to take it out and put icd in it was very painful operation they said it was because the pacemaker site hadn"t healed 2 weeks out, doing okay but wondering what a schock feels like an ouchie or an oh my god? i know youll do ok its mostly fear of the unknown. take care and keep in touch, we care! ibehurtin
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Yesterday I moved to a new place in my mind and realized how bad I felt 'before' and the difference my pacemaker has made.
more, not less!
by Tracey_E - 2008-08-03 08:08:03
The pacemaker should give you more energy and allow you to do more, not less. The tiredness and dizziness should get better, if not go away.
A side effect of the meds for afib can be making you more tired, have you asked if it's possible to control it with the pacemaker instead of medicatin?