heart block

this is all new it all came about unexpected in june and i collapsed out of no where ended up 8 days in the hospital with the diagnosis of av heart block with no know cause and a pacemaker at 37 ! It's taking some time coping with is all,anyone out there with anything similar?

9 Comments

similar

by markjbaker - 2008-11-23 09:11:31

I passed out with a cardiac arrest. I was at the wheel of my car with my kids in the car. 3 weeks in hospital, 12 weeks (& counting) off work. I now have an ICD and no diagnosis (yet) All a bit of a headjob, so I know what you mean. I'm 45. Hang in there, your titanium wonder is looking after you.

Early 40s for me

by heckboy - 2008-11-23 09:11:38

I almost passed out a couple of times, but never did. After a year of working out and wondering why I still couldn't run for more than a couple of minutes led me to a heart block diagnosis. I've been pacing for 4-5 years and it's OK for the most part. I still run, go to the gym and forget I have a PM most of the time

yes

by Tracey_E - 2008-11-23 09:11:46

There are many of here with av blocks! I was born with mine and got my first pm at 27, that was 15 yrs ago and I'm on my third one now. Are you feeling better now that you have it?

Takes time

by Cherthom - 2008-11-24 06:11:32

I'm like Magster. I do fine until my heart does it's little thing and then I get all upset. I am learning to just get up and get busy and soon I forget it all. I had a 3rd degree block out of nowhere and it really threw me for a loop! Thanks to all the good advice I've gotten here, I'm doing loads better. I make it a point to log on here everyday and it helps me so much. Thanks to TracyE, I called my doctor when I was having symptoms and they did some adjustments here and there and I'm feeling a lot better. Now I have to get the head thing on right and I'll be fine!
Cher
HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!

CHB

by uvagershwin - 2008-11-24 08:11:21

I have congenital hart block, and recieved my first pm at 15 hours old. I am 14 now and still haven't wraped my brain around the fact!! It does take time, support, and LOTS of TLC. Hope you get the hang of it soon! Sydney

AV Block

by ElectricFrank - 2008-11-24 11:11:28

Hmm, maybe AV block is almost as bad. Could it stand for Audio Visual Block? Am I going blind and deaf (g)

frank

No symptoms!

by ADC - 2008-11-24 11:11:56

I don't know which would be weirder - a sudden event like yours or having no symptoms and waiting around a couple of weeks for my surgery date to hit. Most of my coping problems (I think and hope) were dealt with during that waiting time. Now that I have it (got on Friday) nothing seems as bad as I was worried it would be. Though granted it is strange to have a foreign body in my chest!

I too have complete av block - probably since birth, just no symptoms (unless being tired alot was one - still waiting to see what my energy levels are going to be like now). I'm thankful to have the pm. Now I don't have to worry about that very unlikely scenario of sudden death or even fainting and crashing me and my two kids (2 and 4) into a tree. Oh yeah, I'm 35. Apparently we are "oldies" around here...
AC

Very Common

by ElectricFrank - 2008-11-24 12:11:09

First off I suggest using the term Heart Block. It gives an ominous sound to the problem and is a poor description. My feeling is that is deliberately used because it brings up images of blocked arteries in the heart. It is actually an electrical defect in the AV (atrial-ventricular) conduction channel in the heart. What it means is that your natural pacemaker is pacing the atrium properly, but the message isn't getting to ventricles to follow. The pacemaker simply senses the atrial contraction, waits a few milliseconds, and then sends a very small voltage to the ventricles to cause them to contract.

If you have to have a pacemaker, this is one of the better reasons. Once the device is properly programmed your heat beat will seem perfectly normal. It will speed up with activity and slow down when you relax.

I am 78 yrs, have AV Block and have had a pacemaker for nearly 5 years. Today I spent 9 hours out in the desert driving in some very challenging terrain plus hiking up hillsides to old mines without a problem.

It may take you a short time to recover from an event that challenges your self confidence, but it is worth it. We are lucky to live in a time when these things are available. 20 years ago the same experience would mean disability and early death.

By the way at your next check up request a copy of the pre and post programming report. This can be very helpful if you have any questions or problems. Several of us here can help interpret the readings.

good luck

frank

YES AV BLOCKED

by pete - 2008-11-24 12:11:19

Mine was blocked deliberately with an AV node ablation.
Im doing just fine wth my pacemaker. I bet you wish you knew what caused it, but unfortunately the doctors dont know for sure in many cases. Happy ticking. Cheers pete

You know you're wired when...

You run like the bionic woman.

Member Quotes

99% of the time, I totally forget I even have this device.