Pacemaker may have saved my life

I am brand new to this forum, though I have been an avid reader. I decided to join because of what happened to me very recently. 

I received a pacemaker after I went to the emergency room with erratic heart beats. Three weeks prior, I had a crash on my bicycle that included me blacking out. At the hospital, a cardiologist monitored me for 4 days and together we decided a pacemaker was what was needed. 

Problem was, it wasn’t. 

I went through all the anxiety I’ve read so often on this very site. Metoprolol has its way with me like it seemed to have with everyone. Nonetheless, I pressed on. After six weeks of recovery, I decided to begin short bike rides again. And, again, I experienced the same limitations expressed by so many of your brave members who have done the same. This was my new reality. I pressed on. 

It happened again. 

On a short, non strenuous ride, I passed out. 

The pacemaker didn’t help!

Metoprolol didn’t help!  

I picked myself up, dusted off and peddled back home. Not sure what to do. Two days later I went to my cardiologists and had them read the data from that day and hour.  Sure enough. I had experienced VT that lasted Two minutes.  The technician jumped into action and made sure I received priority. He told me a pacemaker is not what I needed to stop VT.  

The point of my story is this. While I may not have needed a pacemaker, we put one in. And many would think we acted to hastily.  But if I didn’t have the PM to capture the information, I wouldn’t know how critical my situation is.

Today my Electrophysiologist and I came up with a plan that will include an ablation and ICD. 

I asked if the PM information helped. He said it was critical. Otherwise, he would be at square one in trying to diagnose. 

Mistake or not, my PM saved my life

 

2 Comments

pacer

by The real Patch - 2018-05-16 19:14:07

the whole time I was reading your thread I was wondering why on earth they didn't implant an ICD. A pacemaker doesn't treat the condition you described. PACEMAKERS DO NOT STOP OR TREAT VT (Ventricular Tachycardia) !!!!

so I suppose it's better to stay positive and think of it as your pacemaker saved your life rather than your EP almost killed you...

Go ahead be offended by my comments but you might want to consider a new Electrophysiologist

My pacemaker saved my life.

by Keithwhelpley - 2018-05-16 23:50:28

The Real Patch, I probably didn’t tell my story clearly enough. But VT was not even a consideration. Though I had passed out once, the information was never captured. The only body of evidence came from five days of observation in which I recorded slow and missed beats — never a VT. In fact as far as I knew, I had never had a racing heart, though that likely was what happened the first pass-out event. But I had no data. 

So when my cardiologist diagnosed sss, it seemed plausible and I trusted him. After all, he piloted me through a very successful Aortic valve replacement and a pacemaker is what is used. 

My bigger point is that even though I needed an ICD for VT, there was nothing to show and without that, insurance companies wouldn’t approve an ICD. But with the data available, they would approve a PM. Had I gone off without a pacemaker (because it ultimately wasn’t what I needed) I never would have had the data for a FAR MORE SERIOUS condition. Since I now do, doctors are wasting no time to fix my problem. I wouldn’t have that data had I not had the pacemaker. I have passed out only twice in my life. One time i don’t know why. The second time I know it was VT. And I assume the firs time was as well. 

I see my pacemaker as a Godsend — not a mistake. In a couple of weeks it will be removed from my body, nearly new, to make room for its big brother ICD.  Things happen for a reason. After my heart valve replacement I no longer fear heart surgeons or cardiac interventionists. There likely is no organ in the human body more studied than heart. Be proactive. 

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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.