Anyone have a pacemaker?

Short version....
42 years old and was told I need a pacemaker today.

Longer version...
Almost exactly 1 year ago when Hurrircane Ian hit, work got crazy, eating like shit, living away from home, etc and after 3 months of that I decide to go in for my normal blood work. Going in I know the results aren't going to be great, so I explain everything to the doc. Sure enough, blood work is all jacked up, so we make a plan to get back on track.

Fast forward another 3 or so months and I'm finally back in the gym, eating normal, etc, but still not feeling normal. Tired, cardio sucks when running or biking, but I chalk it up to my time off routine. Few months later, more blood work which turns up another issue, high probnp. So, doctors start chasing that concern thinking it's probably because of the insane work/life schedule over the last 11 months at this point.

Finally get to a cardiologist last week and he immediately starts all types of testing due to my family history, etc. Do a stress test last Friday and my heart rate is dropping when I start on the treadmill. Go in today and he tells me I have a 3rd degree heart block, which means the top and bottom of my heart are basically not communicating at all and just doing their own thing.

Definitely caught me off guard! Here I am thinking I was just out of shape or needed to cut back on cholesterol intake to help the heart get healthy again.

If anyone has any insight on what to expect, etc I'd appreciate it.

 

Didn’t read all the details of your situation but get a hold of Jay @RoadRacerX
He was in the pacemaker world for years.
If you know madbrad, dude is a library of that stuff.

 

My 92 year old mom just received a replacement pacemaker a few weeks ago, as the battery in the original was running out.

1. Arrived at hospital at 0630 hrs.
2. Surgery started at about 0900. Out within an hour.
3. Discharged before noon and sent home.

You'll have a follow up check in a week with your cardilogist.

The pacemaker is checked remotely every three months or so. The old device my mom used was a palm sized thing held up to the pacemaker, and the base unit communicated back to the doc via cellular connection. The new unit she will receive will connect to the pacemaker via bluetooth, and perform checks in the middle of the night - no user intervention needed.

If my 92 year old mom can handle it, so can you. I wish you the best of luck, but doubt you'll need any of it.

 

So you're saying I'm as healthy as a 92 year old woman, huh. That makes me feel a lot better

 

She was only 82 when she got the first one. ;--)

 

Yup. Bradycardia, slow heartbeat. This set my minimum at 60 bpm. And it speeds up readily now too when exercising. Got it on Tuesday. Flew across the country on Friday.

 

I have no insight Shawn, but good luck and glad you’re getting it fixed up early.

I’ve got ten years on you and have never been to a doctor ever unless I had broken bones, lots of those but never an illness.

 

Was wired up about a year ago . I honestly forget I have one sometimes. For me I'm pretty lucky it has been mostly uneventful. The procedure was a non event .Was at the hospital at 11am was back at home by 6pm same night.
The biggest problem was getting the settings right. When I first got wired the settings I left the hospital with were not right for me. I would get winded walking up the steps and my heart rate would go to 90 just riding in a car. Called the cardiologist the medtronic tech adjusted the settings and I was good to go. There are different pacemakers so I would talk to your cardiologist and get the best one for you.(different ones if you are athletic etc etc )






You can checkout https://www.pacemakerclub.com/

 

Some cardiac muscles are specialized for electrical conduction (Native pacemaker, AV node, bundle of His, Purkinje fibers etc). The fibers with a native faster rate is dominant (pacemaker). Sometimes there is malfunction due to degeneration of the fibers (genetic / age / diabetes / amyloidosis etc.), Injury from hypoxia (mild heart attack) etc. If the result is a slow heart beat, they often fall into sinus bradycardia, 1st degree AV block , Wenckebach (Mobitz type 1), Mobitz type 2, and 3rd degree AV block. Heart rate is necessary for cardiac output (CO = stroke volume x heart rate). If there is inadequate Cardiac output, people pass out (which could be catastrophic)

Mobitz type 2 ; 3rd degree AV block need a Permanent pacemaker because the slow rate can’t sustain normal function (even at baseline, let alone with exertion). Heart blocks are identified on an EKG, Holter monitor (24hrs), or Event Monitors (longer). Pretty black and white. Implanted pacemaker monitors your heart rate - quiet when the native HR is above the set threshold, but kicks in when the rate drops.

Should get labs to rule out Electrolyte, renal /thyroid issues etc. Sometimes medication toxicity can cause electrical malfunction in the heart too (I’ll hazard a guess that you’ve never been on anti-arrhythmic meds before). Stress test to rule out underlying Coronary artery disease - if positive, Cardiac Cath (to confirm / stent if necessary). Echo to check the structural condition of the heart (Ejection fraction / wall motion abnormalities / valves etc.). That’s about all I know - Further eval is best left to your cardiologist. Good luck.

Make sure you get a Pacemaker that is “MRI compatible.”

 

I had an mri done last Thursday .The medtronic tech had to be there when I was getting the mri. She put the pacer into safe mode.

 

Pff. Probably copied all that from Web MD or watched a House marathon.

Heart disease is a scam perpetrated by the Illuminati controlled Medical establishment and Big Pharma. I for one embrace the future when the government can tell people when to die. Like in Logan's Run.

 

Was told 18 years ago a pacemaker might be in my future. So, far I haven’t needed one. I have an injection fraction issue. Normal is 50-70%, and mine was 39% when tested back then. Its at 42% now, so while still low, I’m good.

Another story about pacemakers. Had a friend get one at 28, heart issues in the family, his Dad dead at 55 from heart problems. Anyway, he gets it, and doesn’t do follow ups or anything. At 42, the battery is long dead, and he’s having problems. To the cardiologist, who tells him that pacemaker will need to be replaced. Goes in for the surgery, Dr pulls a lead from his heart and he flat lines. The lead going into his heart had calcified, and when trying to remove it, it pulled hole in his heart. Had to crack his chest to restart his heart but it was too late. He was brain dead for lack of oxygen for too long. If, anyone has to ever get one, do the Dr maintenance…please.

 

Had one for about 6 years now.HR was at 27 the day they put it in, Minimum set at 55 now.Left side of my pump was toast do to a virus infection.Figure it keeps letting me see the ceiling when I wake up in the morning.Even have a remote monitor in the bedroom keeping an eye on it.

 

3rd-degree heart block is serious, so I’m glad they found it. Pacemakers are no big deal, you’ll instantly have more energy and feel better. Here at Duke for the initial placement we keep them overnight and they go home the next morning. As stated earlier, they are interrogated over the phone about every 90 days or so. You’ll be fine. Get it done soon.

 

@StanTheMan
What is the best way to research a physician? Trying to learn about the guy I am scheduled to see Friday. He was referred to me by the general cardiologist that I have been seeing. Apparently his specialty is Electrophysiology. Also wanting to look for another doc to get their opinion.

 

Don't know if this is true and it'll get the conspiracy guys triggered but a study was done as to why certain regions of the US had higher quantity of pacemaker operations.
They normalised for age, incomes, life style, etc and the only solid correlation they could find is the number of cardiologists in a given area.

Urban legend?...

 

There are also probably more people that die or die early from heart related problems because of a lack of cardiologists near them too.

I mean if you’re trying to insinuate there’s a money making effect going on for the Doctors.

There are more Electricians that live in Vegas too.

 

How about gamblers?

 

Electricians don’t gamble.

 

Did you do the COVID shots?