anyone heard of this??

Hey guys, I just went back to my doc for a check up b/c I been feeling my HR jump around (beat slow and fast and back to slow for 1-3 beats and fast for 10-12 beats) and he checked out the PM, etc, and apparently I'm only pacing 40% of the time. I was pacing 96%+ every other check up. He did an EKG and somehow figured out that my sinus node has not regenerated (from the ablations), but another area of my heart is acting like my sinus node and trying to beat my heart - but then "gets tired" and "goes to sleep" and that is when the PM kicks in.

Anyone know what kind of a rhythm I may have been in on the EKG, b/c apparently it wasn't normal (the nurse taking it ran out of room to get my doc before taking leads off and they sat there and watched...)

6 Comments

av-node, junctional rhythm...

by golden_snitch - 2010-05-07 04:05:05

Hey,

could be your AV-node or a junctional rhythm. I had my sinus node ablated, too, and have ever since had different rhythms that take over from time to time but get "tired" after a while. Nothing to worry about. If it bothers you too much, one could either change your minimum heart rate setting so that the pacer always comes first (is faster than the other rhythm) or try a low dosage of betablockers etc. to slow that other rhythm down.

Best wishes
Inga

thanks!

by mego13 - 2010-05-07 04:05:12

I just leave the doctor's office and think of all these things to ask. 3 weeks ago, I was PM dependent - so that is why I was concerned when he told me that another area of my heart is trying to make up for my sinus node and beat even though I have the PM. I may have to have ablations on that area if it keeps bothering me (which is what he said), but I just don't want to go that route! :) Well, for now, my PM will just get a little break it sounds like! :) Thanks again!

Mego

Yes, In The Distant Past

by SMITTY - 2010-05-07 04:05:33


Hi Mego,

The following from Medline Plus and sounds like what you are describing. Of course your doctor is the proper source for information on what is bothering you.

"Ectopic heartbeat is an irregularity of the heart rate and heart rhythm involving extra or skipped heartbeats.

Ectopic heartbeats are small variations in an otherwise normal heartbeat that causes an irregular pulse. They may occur without an obvious cause and are usually harmless.

Sometimes they are associated with chemical (electrolyte) problems in the blood, which need treatment. They can also happen with ischemia caused by a decrease in blood supply to the heart.

Ectopic beats may be caused or made worse by caffeine, certain medications such as stimulants, excessive smoking, alcohol consumption,and some illicit drugs.

In adults, ectopic beats are common. Their causes should be investigated even if it turns out that no treatment is needed."

Good luck,

Smitty

add

by golden_snitch - 2010-05-07 04:05:47

I don't know any patient who has had the sinus node ablated, and that was the end of the story. All the patients I know developed more arrhythmia and had more ablations. I had three more ablation procedures after sinus node ablation because my doctors and I thought that we could "beat" the arrhythmia. But we couldn't, still have some. And today I can't have any more ablations because the scar tissue from my sinus node ablations caused superior vena cava syndrome. Sorry, that probably sounds very discouraging but I just wanted to tell you what my experience is.

Best wishes
Inga

discouraging, yes, but not really

by mego13 - 2010-05-07 05:05:33

you know, i can totally handle this. yes, it may be completely annoying to have arrhythmias, but i feel like a totally different person b/c of the pm and my sinus node not acting up. man, i was tired all the time, felt like crap, and my heart rate was completely insane before the pacemaker, so if it's a few arrhythmias that i have to deal with, so be it, lol! :)

anyway, well, i'll try to hold out and wait and see what happens before having more ablations - we havent tried anymore meds b/c i was on so many different beta blockers before my ablations/pm and they just made my BP drop to an unsafe number. thanks - and maybe if i have questions, i will contact you inga, since you seem to be a pro! :) - but seriously, hope that's ok!

meg

totally agree

by golden_snitch - 2010-05-08 06:05:42

Hi Meg,

I totally agree with you: anything is better than permanent sinus tachycardia! I felt like crap, too, and I was soooooo very tired. I have never regret the decision to have my sinus node ablated because at that time there really wasn't an alternative; betablockers didn't help, ivabradine was not available. However, I paid a very high price for getting rid of that tachycardia. I needed open-heart surgery with two hours of cardio-pulmonary bypass because of the scar tissue from the sinus node ablations. I'm on Coumadin because of that. Plus when I needed an upgrade to a dual-chamber pacer, there was no vein to do another transvenous lead because of the superior vena cava reconstruction so I had to have the much more invasive epicardial lead placement.

I don't tolerate betablockers that well either but Nebivolol is ok. What might work for you is for example Flecainide or Propafenone, that's what is usually given to treat things like ectopic atrial tachycardia. I have been on Flecainide several times, and am on Propafenone right now - I'm tolerating both very well.

Yes, sure, just go ahead and ask if you have any other questions.

Best wishes
Inga

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