new Pacemaker
Im 29 and since sept. 26 have been fighting NOT to get a pacemaker implanted. I have a loop recorder in (put in Oct.1st) i had a negative tilt table test, a sound EP study, and i just recieved my results that i dont have sleep apnea. So all my tests are good, but for whatever reason my heart pauses for up to 4-5 secs while im sleewping, several times a night. My heart rate drops to the 30's. So thats why my Doc wants to put in a pace maker. I just keep fighting him on the issue because i thought if i could figure out whats causing this problem with my heart i could fix it and not have a pace maker put in. Hes said hes run all the tests they could and i need one. Is there any other tests that i havent mentioned, or any other causes of AV node block? Im scared and don't want a pacemaker because im worried aboput all the stuff i cant do, and if i die because of surgey. I know that sounds extreme, but they are thoughts running through my head.
8 Comments
why take chances?
by Tracey_E - 2008-11-06 03:11:44
A second opinion is a great idea. I think it will give you piece of mind that it's the right thing to do.
Whatever the cause, there aren't really any other ways to efficiently raise your heart rate or prevent pauses. A pacemaker will keep your heart beating if it pauses and keep you from arresting if it pauses too long, and it will keep your rate up higher so you have a lot more energy and feel better. You don't want to be one of those people who die in their sleep and all the friends and family were left scratching their heads because she was so young and healthy.
I'm sorry if that sounds harsh! I waited too long. My hr dropped into the 20's the day I was rushed to emergency surgery and I didn't realize until after how close I was to arresting. Once I got the pm and felt better, I was kicking myself for waiting so long.
I got my first pm at 27 for a very low heart rate due to an av block I was born with. I'm 42 now. I can do things now I never would have had the energy for before. I have children and lead an active, healthy life. Most people who meet me, and many people who've known me for years, have no idea that I have a chunk of titanium that keeps my heart beating.
The surgery is very minor! It's either done outpatient or at most an overnight stay. You will likely be awake for it. Recovery isn't bad at all, either.
As Angelie said, the list of things we can't do is not that long. We can't have an MRI or arc weld. It takes a bit longer to get through the airport. I get my battery checked every 3-4 months and replacement is every 5-7 years (outpatient, much easier than the initial implant). The inconvenience is small. It takes some time to get used to it, but I truly rarely give it a thought now.
There are a lot of us out here who've been there. It may seem like they're just for retirees but there are a lot of us younger folks who have them. It's really not that big a deal once you wrap your head around it, and it's a small price to pay to know your heart won't stop. If you have any questions about the surgery, recovery or living with a pm, please ask!
Consider
by pioxen - 2008-11-06 03:11:45
Destiny,
Pauses in your heart rhythm during sleep may be contributable to other issues; I.e Neurological blockage from areas of the brain or spinal cord controlling the involuntary control imputs to breathing, heartrate, etc.
If it is your heart alone and this is a signal of potential bradicardyia issues, then the pacemaker can be implanted to monitor and intervene only when needed. If or as the conition progresses, the pacemaker can/will adapt.
Many folks like me started out with just basic symptoms and had a pacemaker implanted. As the heart rhythm degrades, the pacemaker adusted with very little noticeable symptoms.
If you notice skipped beats during the day, make note of them and address it with your doctor. It could provide crucial information about frequency, depth of the problem, and justify the implantation of the pacer. Hope this helped...
GO FOR IT
by pete - 2008-11-06 09:11:57
The biggest problem is getting one when you need one. If the doctors are telling you you need one then you should not hesitate. I would be begging them to do it immediately. You will soon learn to live with it and soon wonder what you were worrying about. I suspect you only need a fairly basic device which is no big deal. You are putting your life and whole future at risk by sitting on the fence. Cheers peter
I knew a guy...
by dward - 2008-11-06 09:11:58
Well, actually MY DENTIST knows a guy, a patient - who had a similar problem to yours (so do I).
This guy didn't want to get a PM because he was afraid it would interfere with his golf game...!
Well, the guy ended up passing out while painting his house outside - and broke his jaw!!!
This is why I listened to my docs. As you, I also wondered why I really need a PM as I had absolutely NO symptoms while awake.
My family MD said that it would only take ONE incident where I become light-headed, or worse yet, pass out - while climbinh a ladder, holding a baby, or DRIVING MY TRUCK (which may be the ONLY incident I ever have)could easily be devistating.
As you have read in the preceeding posts, a PM is not THAT big of deal when compared to MANY other things. Even a broken jaw takes much longer to heal than my PM implant did.
Good luck...
D. Ward
Agree
by Gellia2 - 2008-11-07 08:11:58
I have to agree with everyone else. I got my pacemaker when I was 26. That was 33 years ago and last time I checked, I really don't think I missed out on a thing!
Mine was a heart block also and I had a cardiac arrest and stroke that happened out of the blue. So everything was a big emergency. I had to be stablized because of the stroke (no "clot busters" back then) before I could get the pacemaker and had three more arrests after the first. My surgery then became far more involved than it would have been had it been elective.
Pacers today are no big deal. There are thousands of us out there.
Don't wait until your problem becomes bigger. Except for the stroke, I have done everything in life that a "normal" person would do and no one would know I have a pacemaker if I didn't tell them.
Good luck and we'll all be here supporting you in your
future.
Gellia
If You Have a Choice
by bobad - 2008-11-07 11:11:09
Just say no to a pacemaker. In my experience, it's something you don't want.
However, it's usually not a matter of choice. If you really need one, you get it and learn to live with it.
Luckily, most people have no problems with them. In my experience, the surgery and healing process is not bad at all. The sedation is mild, not at all like the stuff they use for "major" surgery.
Post surgery, there can be complications, something on the order of 10%, but that means that 90% of patients have no complications.
Best of luck on your decision. Make that "non decision", because there is no decision to make.
I need to just get over it
by Destny - 2008-11-10 02:11:18
Thank you all for your comments, and your right i just need to get over it and get it done. It makes me feel better to hear it coming from people who have pacemakers :) again thank you for your responses. Im just a big baby when it comes to medical stuff. When i had the EP study i had to be completed sedated, LOL. I've tats n piercings etc. but cry like a baby when i get an IV. In response to Anglie, yes i do have symptons during the day. I get dizzy n lightheaded and have passed out for a second at least once. I was siting down brushing my daughters hair on the couch and *bloop* fell over to my side, but it was only a second. In response to the second opioion, I've already had 3. My pcp, a cardiologist and an arrythmiast? (i cant spell) I go back the day before thanksgiving. Im going to tell him i'll do it. He'll probly set the surgery pretty soon seeing as he wanted to do it last sept. I need to just get over it, you guys are right, dying in my sleep or wrecking my car (especially if my kids are in it) (or hiting someone else) would be far worse that a "piece of titanium" :)
You know you're wired when...
Titanium is your favorite metal.
Member Quotes
I am 100% pacemaker dependant and have been all my life. I try not to think about how a little metal box keeps me alive - it would drive me crazy. So I lead a very active life.
Get the pacemaker
by Angelie - 2008-11-06 03:11:37
You can do TONS of stuff with a pacemaker. Your pulse is getting really low while you sleep, but is it causing you any symptoms while your awake?
Pacemakers are not that bad, and you can do A LOT of things with them. After a while you might even forget that you have one. You know what might help you is getting a second opinion from another doctor that doesn't know your history at all, and see what they say. I'm 33. My EP doc absolutely REFUSED to put a pacemaker in until I got a second opinion from a doctor that didn't know me from Adam. Turns out that the doctor I saw said that I was indeed running out of options, so my EP and I agreed that it was time for the pacemaker.
Hope this helps a little. I think it would really be a great peace of mind for you to know what another doctor thought.
Keep us informed. You've found the right place to ask questions. I got on this website and asked people TONS a month or so before my pacemaker implant. Welcome.