Heart Problem

Hi All,

Im new to this, im a 29 yr old male and I live in the uk. ive had heart problems on and off since i was 15 but with my heart racing fast when i did sport just thought it was normal and id get the odd bout of palpitations. 6 years ago whilst playing football without warning my heart would beat really fast worst then anything else ive ever had, these would last between 1min and 1 hr and were spreadic maybe 6 or 7 times a year. However last year i got out of bed in the morning and without warning my heart started beating really fast and all out of sync, went to hospital because it didnt go back to normal after 1 hr and they gave me drugs to bring it back to sinus rhythm. Since then i get a lot of palpitations and attacks of tachycardia with bad palpitations (AF). The doctor said i am going to need ablation and a pacemaker fitted, i am so scared and have never been so upset i have a 2yr old daughter and another 1 on the way. I am currently trying every drug they have to avoid this procedure and have heard that there is only a 70% survival rate and i dont wanna die but there is a chance i will die if i dont have it done. I wonder if anyone else has had these problems and has had a pacemaker fitted because of this? Also can i still drink, can i play football again? what will my life expectancy be if i get the b*lls to have it done? The specialist i see isnt really forthcoming with answers and seems to just want to get rid of me when i ask him questions for his next patient.

Im sorry to ramble on but i would really appreciate any feedback from someone in a similar situation or who has been there,

Many Thanks

Paul

6 Comments

You've come to the right place

by SaraTB - 2010-06-24 10:06:58

Hi Paul - I'm a Brit too, but now living in the US. Firstly, don't feel you're alone: it's not uncommon for younger people to end up with pacemakers: some ever since they were babies. There are lots on this site.
I got mine at 42, and it was after two years of tachycardia, which couldn't be controlled by drugs. I'm not sure where the 70% survival figure comes from: it's certainly not what I was told!. My ablation was carried out to try and end the tachycardia, but my sinus node got damaged and the next day had to have a pacemaker: unplanned and unexpected, so it was a terrible shock, so I do sympathise with your feelings. Is it possible they meant a 70% success rate (i.e. of curing the arrhythmia without ending up with a pacemaker)? I was told there was a very small chance of getting a pacemaker, but alas, here I am! Remember a few years back when Tony Blair had to have a "heart procedure" for arrhythmia? It was an ablation. If it was that risky, they'd never have let him stay on as PM.

Have you been given the specific name of your diagnosis? For example, the type of arrhythmia (mine was SVT). This will help the others on the board to give you more specific information.

What I can say, right now, is that many, many of us have had ablations and are living healthy lives with pacemakers. In answer to your specific questions, I drink with no problems, I no longer have to take any drugs, and basically live a completely normal life. You should be able to play football after recovery: you're advised to avoid contact sports, like rugby, but football ought to be OK. Many people here do all sorts of sports after their pacemaker implant, even marathon running.

Congratulations on No. 2 baby: your two children will give you every incentive to get healthy.
Being scared is entirely natural: it's a shock to go from being a fully healthy person to being one with "a heart condition". Now that I've had my ablation and PM, I consider myself as a fully healthy person again.

I know many others here will post replies, and you shouldn't feel awkward about asking any follow-up questions, and as many as you like. The people here (from all over the world - lots in the UK) are really understanding, having all been in your shoes too.

So, hang in there, and keep asking the questions. I hope this reply helps a little.

Welcome

by Genie - 2010-06-25 04:06:25

Am also in the UK (London), so thought I'd say hello. I'm 31, had my pacemaker fitted in March for heart block. I completely know how you feel. It is completely normal to feel scared.

But everything will be ok. When you read this site, you'll see lots of people talking about problems. But that's because it's what the site is here for! In reality, most people have these procedures without any problems, and after their procedure feel so much better. For someone of your age and health, the risks of complications from having a PM (not survival, just problems) is less than 1%. And most of those complications are not life threatening! The idea of the treatment is to give you your life back, not take it away!

You can drink, football will be fine if you avoid heavy tackles (and there are even special guards available if you are really worried).

It's not this treatment that will affect your life expectancy, but the problem you have now. An untreated arrhythmia is more dangerous than any treatment.

But I know it doesn't feel that way when you're facing the treatment. I know you say the consulant seems hurried, and this is my experience of the NHS too. Make sure you are at a hospital you feel comfortable doing the procedures: do an internet search on the consultant. If you're not happy, ask your GP to refer you somewhere else. If you need to talk to the consultant again, just call the clinic and tell them, or ask your GP. I've found being polite (even though I'm usually really shy) s
doesn't get you very far!

New MRI safe pacemakers are available in the UK (traditional ones prevent you having an MRI scan). Given your age, there is a good chance you might need an MRI scan in the future, so ask the consultant about this too.

Genie

Heart Problem - Thankyou

by paul (uk) - 2010-06-26 05:06:57

Hi Genie and Sara,

Thankyou for replying you have put some of my demons to bed. I have another question, when the pacemaker is in, ive been reading up on them and it says that when you get an attack of tachycardia if the pacemaker trys to controll it, if it cant it sends a shock to your heart! does this hurt and also can it knock you unconscious? at first they said it was SVT, more recently they say its AF and im currently on bisoprolol but am going to have to try a stronger drug. If that doesnt work then then im going to have to have a pacemaker. Whilst i was keen to try every drug before the procedure the specialist mentioned surgery to me 3 times in the space of about 3 mins, which says he thinks the treatment wont work or he just wants me off his list so to speak (at least thats how it feels).

I really appreciate your help and wouldnt mind if you or indeed anyone could answer these questions for me,

I look forward to reading the reply's

Kind Regards,

Paul

My experience

by Linky - 2010-06-26 07:06:14

Hi Paul

I went in for abalations twice, once got me back to sinus rhythm & the next time to bring it back down to a more normal resting rate after suffering SVT arythmias for years. I only ended up with my PM for my 30th birthday because my hearts own PM got nicked in the second lot of ablations & decided it wanted to stop and not always restart. I have now had my PM for 7 yrs, my heart does like to play & try to kick back into the SVT, the PM kicks in, nope my doesn't hurt, I can feel the PM doing its job and it shows up on my yearly download report. I'm not 100% paced, mine just kicks in when my heart decides it wants to do it's own rhythm or go too slow or if it wants to go really fast but in a nice sinus mode. Getting the PM was life changing for me, I have never had to take any more heart medication again so far, my quality of life improved out of sight as I had spent a good 10 yrs or more being absolutely exhausted from my heart going beserk pretty much for most of every day of my life. Listen to your Dr, ask questions & do your research so that you understand what exactly is your heart problem & the outcomes of any treatment taken. I have found this site a God send.
Hope it all works out for you.
Cheers

Hey

by jonstone - 2010-06-27 05:06:07

I completely understand your concerns. I've had my pacemaker for 3 months now, it was fitted when i was 27, and i thought my life was over. I live in Nottingham and it sounds like my hospital is different to yours......i was diagnosed with a heart block and was told that it usually meant a pacemaker, but because of my age they didn't want to fit one! After months of arguing, and mainly because my heart kept stopping at night, they fitted one. And i feel amazing!
my symptoms have all but gone.....i get the start of a palpitation but then the PM kicks in and its sorted, and it doesn't hurt. I'm back playing football, albeit in goal, and i'm doing more fitness work than ever!
Even better than that is that i've returned to work as a police officer, out on the streets, so having a PM is not as bad as it seems.
I remember ffeling exactly the same as you before ,y procedure and wish i had found this site a long time ago!

Jon

Hi ....

by Eni - 2012-11-21 05:11:07

Hi to everyone

Few days ago i took an heart exame because i felt my heart beat different from usual I was told that I have a heart block 2to1 , second degre i guess, I'm not sure,
and that I was born like this......
My heart beat goes from 33 min to 50 max , the blood presure is 8 to 14, my heart structure is ok for the moment as I'm told
I am 29 years old, I never get ill , I never have head ache or a problem at all . i feel great for the moment....
I've lived a life full of hardwork, i have done heavy jobs, i have traveled 2 hours at day for 9 years with my bycicle
school home - home school, i never had any problem , ..... but now i'm told i should place to my body a PEACEMAKER

My doctror told me that I should stay few mothns like i am , cause i have no problem at all for the moment
than i should have another control to the cardiologist for my heart function , if they get worse i should implace the peacemaker,
I am ok with this But:

Now that i am presented to my fear things have changed completely , I don't know if i should have a peacemaker now , or I should wait to see how will things keep going ? I live in Albania - Europe, here doctors are good but they are after the money, they don't care so much about people , and I don't trust them at all, I would be glad if you can give me some advice what should I do and how much does it cost to put a peacemaker ( Cause i don't have enough money to do it right now ) ,????

You know you're wired when...

A thirty-day guarantee is not good enough.

Member Quotes

I just had this miracle implanted two weeks ago and I’m feeling better.