Still getting pre-syncope feeling

I'm 39 and since having my dual chamber pm implanted on July 27th after 5 fainting episodes starting from May I'm still having the same odd pre-syncope feelings that I got every time I fainted prior to the op. They occur in a similar time frame to my fainting episodes, roughly 4-weekly, so I'm assuming that whatever was happening to me is still happening but the pm is stopping me from fainting. I've seen a couple of posts on here from people who have had a very similar experience but the outcome of any subsequent tests or investigations aren't posted. I am particularly worried that my problem is not actually caused by my heart and is in fact linked to epileptic seizures. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

4 Comments

pre-syncope feeling

by busby - 2018-10-25 00:51:37

Sounds like you have a vasovagal reaction, which will give you that feeling. It means that not only is your heart trying to stop (and the pacemaker is preventing this) but your blood pressure is also dropping. I had this also. I have had a pacemaker for more than 15 yrs now. Eventually after a few years rate drop response was set on the pacemaker. This detects a fast HR drop, and the pacemaker will kick in for 2 mins at a rate of 75 bpm. Since then I still occasionally get that feeling, but not as often or as severe. Hope this helps

Robin

 

similar thing happened to me

by JLou - 2018-10-25 15:59:49

Hi, I've experienced a very similar thing to you and we are a similar age - I had monthly episodes of fainting and vomiting starting in May 2018, and had a pacemaker implanted in July, due to these "cardio-inhibitory vasovagal syncopes". The doctors thought the vomiting was caused by the drop in heart rate, but I wondered if they were related to hormones, as the episodes happened 1-7 days before my period every month since May. After the pacemaker was fitted I experienced the same symptoms a month later, with vomiting (again a week before I was due), however this time the pacemaker stopped my heart rate from dropping so low again so I didn't pass out, but I still had the same symptoms. I asked my doctor if I could try the mini-pill to see if it might be hormone related, and since then (touch wood) it's not happened again. 

Regarding your comment about it possibly being connected to epilepsy, I'm sure I remember reading a case study when it seemed as though patients had epilepsy when they were actually experiencing cardio-inhibitory vasovagal syncopes, but don't quote me on this - I'll see if I can find the study. Apparently when I had these faints my eyes would roll back and my body would appear to be in spasm. The paramedics also said that sometimes when this happens, people can be momentarily incontinent, so perhaps the symptoms are quite similar to seizures?

I don't know whether this is of any help at all...you might not even be female! Certainly none of the doctors I have spoken to thought hormones could be involved, but it's odd that it stopped as soon as I went on the pill. 

Wishing you all the best, and if you find out anything more, do let me know! x

Article

by JLou - 2018-10-27 16:45:49

This is the article:

https://www.jle.com/en/revues/epd/e-docs/severe_cardioinhibitory_vasovagal_syncope_in_sleep_and_supine_posture_301214/article.phtml?tab=texte

And so it continues

by seahorsejockey - 2018-12-08 11:04:22

I still get this every few weeks. Two episodes recently happened just a week apart, but the second time I was extremely hungover/still drunk so maybe that was partly to blame. I recently bought a smart watch which has a heart rate monitor. I was hoping I would be able to spot any low heart rates but by the time it measures it the weird feeling has passed. I have another pacemaker check up next week so I shall see what they say. I do wonder if it is blood pressure related as you say busby. My pacemaker is set to kick in at 60 BPM, perhaps it needs to be increased. I'm male by the way JLou. 

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