New Pacer

Hello Everyone- I have been reading the messages for a few weeks now and have just joined the club after having my pm put in on 11-13-13. So far so good! Breathing is better, a little muscle pain in the shoulder neck area but not bad. I have a type 2 Atrioventricular Block. My doctor said I am a little young (43) to have that, but it happens. I asked if there is anything I did or eat, etc that caused it and he said not really some people just develop it. Has anyone ever had any other reasons given?
Dan

7 Comments

No reasons known

by SaraTB - 2013-11-15 03:11:12

Some people are born with it, and I'm sure some will comment on here in due course. I'm pretty sure 2nf degree heart block can develop at any age, including infancy.

My total block however was caused by accidental ablating during an ablation to resolve tachycardia, so I ended up needing a PM the next day. I was 42. It does feel a shock to learn that there's an electrical issue with our hearts at our age, but you'll soon get accustomed to the fact that it just happens, and your PM is dealing with it! There are lots of people here who have had PMs at a young age.

It's important to bear in mind - especially when other people ask you questions - that this is a problem with your heart's electrical system, NOT the PLUMBING, which IS more related to diet and general lifestyle. Electrical faults are not connected with anything that you did or didn't do (if there are particular kinds that are, I hope someone will point out my error). It can be frustrating, wondering how this happened, but equally, I hope it's reassuring to know that it wasn't anything you did or didn't do.

Welcome to the club - please feel free to ask any of the many questions that must be milling around your head right now: we've all been in the position of adapting to our new electrical support system, most of us very successfully. We're a friendly and understanding crowd

block

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-15 04:11:04

I was born with av block. It's a fluke, not genetic, so I didn't get it from my parents and I can't give it to my kids. I was born without the electrical connection between SA and AV nodes. In your case it was there but broke down. It can sometimes happen after surgery, as in Sara's case, sometimes from infection or from certain medications, but more often than not it just happens and we don't know why. It's similar to when the newer tv fizzles out on us one day but the old one works great for years.

Echoing Sara's comment, it's an electrical problem, not plumbing, and therefore unrelated to anything we did. Eating well and exercising prevent plumbing problems. The good news is they're also the easiest problems to fix, the pm simply wires around the short circuit and gives us a normal heart beat. I'm 47 and have been paced since 1994. I'm healthy and active, the pm has no impact on my day to day life other than allowing me to feel good.

Glad you found us! If you have more questions, please don't be shy.

Hi

by katz - 2013-11-16 08:11:59

Hi Dan im 44 and had my pacemaker 5 days ago, its a mystery why this has happened to me they say it could be due to medication etc, but i wasn't given an answer as they just diddent know i just suddenlly became ill and had very low heart rate and told i had heart block. Good luck and by all means keep in touch. Katrina.

Idiopathy...

by Grateful Heart - 2013-11-17 04:11:09

That's what one of my Doctors told me. He said "That means we're idiots....we don't know what caused it". We had a good, hard laugh....much needed on my part at the time.

In my case, they think it may have been a virus that attacked my heart but no.....it's nothing that we did or could have prevented.

Welcome to the club.

Grateful Heart

New Pacer

by Dan1969 - 2013-11-17 04:11:38

Thank you for the encouragement! It makes breathing so much easier!!
Do any of you feel like you have to retrain yourself to breath ? Sometimes I catch myself holding back it only happened a couple times.
Dan

Welcome

by rnff2 - 2013-11-17 10:11:33

Yes, with some people it just happens. They tell me mine was caused by a myectomy I had, due to my hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and sub aortic stenosis, that I had about 4 years ago. Like the others said its a wiring problem and they are easy to fix with a pacemaker. I have both the plumbing and wiring problems. What I wouldn't give to just have the wiring problems, because the plumbing problems are way less "fun". I'm looking at a mitral valve replacement in my future, it will be my 3rd open heart surgery.

I work in the ER and every once in a while we hook some one up to an EKG and they are in heart block...in a weird kind of ER nurse way I get excited..."good" cardiac patients are my favorite patients to care for. I know, I know...but remember I'm an ER junkie. ;)

I asked my Dr

by KAG - 2013-11-17 12:11:39

what caused my sudden total AV block and he said "sometimes we never know and it's just bad luck".

The good news is that of all the things that can happen to your heart and plumbing, electrical is probably the easiest to fix.

You know you're wired when...

Muggers want your ICD, not your wallet.

Member Quotes

I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.