Fainting during exercise

As always ...

by MartyP - 2018-02-08 10:46:37

Robin is always "dead" on with her advice and comments.  While I'm a lot older (73) it happened to me one morning and 2 mornings later my heart stopped for 31 seconds - I was one of the lucky ones, I was in the hospital, 4 hours later I got "Sparky".

Find a first rate cardiologist, electrophysasist and surgeon who has done the operation a gazillion times.  The surgery is quick and the recovery is easy if you follow instructions.

Keep us informed as you move ahead, BUT Don't hesitate

"When in doubt, there is no doubt"

"WE KNOW A THING OR TWO BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A THING OR TWO" 

Luke

by IAN MC - 2018-02-08 10:59:36

You ask if there is any alternative to you having a pacemaker.   Assuming that the diagnosis of sinus bradycardia is right then regrettably there is no alternative to you having a pacemaker,

There aren't any drugs which will consistently and reliably raise your heartrate , a pacemaker is the ONLY sensible answer .

I know that you would far rather not have to have one but it really isn't such a  big deal. I played golf yesterday, went to the gym this morning and am playing tennis this afternoon.

I know that I won't faint because the pacemaker won't let my heartrate fall below 55 beats per minute.

Best of luck

Ian

Thank you!

by ljtinsley13 - 2018-02-08 11:29:35

So far all you guys commments have been really supportive! 

I'm litrally petrfied to run or even take part in any sport as my I'm afraid of passing out, last episode I had was on the 26th jan, It was really a terrible experience! Will the pacemaker 100% stop me passing out? 

Look forward to getting your life back

by Gotrhythm - 2018-02-08 12:23:29

You repeated several times that you are afraid to do taxing exercises, because you fear passing out. Your fear is well founded. Passing out is very dangerous to you and, if you happen to be driving a car, others.

The biggest argument in favor of a pacemaker is that once you have one, you won't have to be afraid of exercising. Clearly, being athletic means a lot to you. The pacemaker can give you your life back.

There are other causes of passing out but if your problem is bradycadia, yes, a pacemaker will fix that.

Smile. You have a heart problem that can be fixed. You can go on to live an absolutely normal life.

Here's the latest

by Terry - 2018-02-08 13:37:36

Many doctors still do pacing the old-fashioned way. They bypass the cardiac conduction system (Google that) causes the ventricles to remodel. That, according to studies, results in heart failure hospitalization or death in 10% to 16% of ventricular paced patients within a few months. If you go to a Mayo, Cleveland Clinic or perhaps a university hospital near you, they will activate the cardiac conduction system at what is called the His bundle. Google His bundle or see His-pacing.org a patient advocacy nonprofit.

Terry

Look on it as like someone who needs glasses

by LondonAndy - 2018-02-09 06:51:49

It is not any sort of failure on your part, or a sign of declining health.  Just something that your body isn't doing quite right and needs help with.  I think of mine as comparable to someone who needs glasses, and it is just another gadget.  In the UK alone they insert over 40,000 cardiac devices every year - this is completely routine, and affects people of all ages.

PS   If you rub Bio Oil daily (once the surgical wound has healed, ie about 6 weeks) into where they cut, the scar almost completely disappears.  Admittedly you have to do it a long time, for months, but I had a big cut as well (heart surgery) and when I sat next to a guy who had also had heart surgery the same time as me (about 3 years before) my scar was far less noticeable than his.

opinions

by Sabrina - 2018-02-10 10:09:57

I don’t have much to go on considering I’ve only had my pacemaker for 5 days but I can say that I am 20 years old and I was always tired, even after I slept I felt like I’d run a marathon then gone out dancing for 3 nights straight. I never had energy and I passed out a couple of times  and thought it was due to exhaustion. I spent 2 years getting tests done and being closely monitored before my cardiologist decided we couldn’t wait any longer

5 days post surgery and I have so much energy I can’t believe I waited so long but if I’m honest it was mainly because I didn’t want to be an 18 year old with a pacemaker. That was it. That was the bulk of my reason

When I first met my doctor he said there are two reasons to get a pacemaker. 1) if your health leaves no room for argument 2) if your quality of life is diminishing 

By the sounds of it you are definitely going to need a pacemaker eventually. Just know that whether that is today, next week, next year or in 10 years, once you have the pacemaker you will feel 100 times better 

No worries

by athlete735516 - 2018-02-11 02:45:53

You sound a lot like me before I got my pacemaker back in the day (2015) I got mine when I was 17 and like you had a loop recorder implanted for about a month before they decided I needed a pacemaker. My problem, however, was when I was at rest not during exercise so not exactly the same. 

I can say that once you have your pacemaker you will be able to return to all athletic (not immediately) and you will not even notice it!. I got my pacemaker in between football and basketball seasons and played the whole basketball season and baseball and track season after that with no issues. 

The only thing is that you will probably not be able to swing a bat for a month or two after surgery, at least that is what they told me and I had to sit the first half of baseball season.

Long story short, once you get a pacemaker and recover from the surgery there should be nothing left to hold you back from doing anything athletically that you want.

Thanks

by ljtinsley13 - 2018-02-12 17:14:02

Hi guys thanks for comments so far! I recently did an exercise test ( Thursday last week) ! My heart rate went from 210bpm down to 29bpm! Again, as you guessed it I passed out! 

Apprently this is called brady-tachy syndrome! 

I'm waiting for a Pm now, well I think I am anyway!