Confused

I am 39 yr old and had a sudden onset of heart ache since July. This followed with loss of sleep and bunch of other symptoms.

After 4 days of no sleep and feeling weak I went to ER where they diagnosed me with sinus bradycardia. I did 24 hour holter followed by a 1 week heart monitor. My resting heart rate is 49 bpm and when sleeping goes to 37. I am no athlete, regular body frame, weight of 162 lbs.

Its been 3 months and my symptoms haven't gone anywhere. additionally I feel constant pressure around my nose and sides of my head.

Its a mixture of symptoms and wonder if I need a pacemaker. I am following up with the cardiologist again tomorrow. Wondering if anyone has seen such symptoms in connection to their heart issues.

At the moment I am at a loss of diagnosis for any of these issues.

4 Comments

Sinus Bradycardia

by AgentX86 - 2021-10-12 15:11:27

Sinus Bradycardia is really Sinus dysfunction. 49bpm isn't something to be particularly worried about. For a non-athete it generally means that something's wrong any worthy of monitoring regularly. Your Holter monitor is part of this. Yes, 37bpm is a problem. Whether it requires a pacemaker at this point is a call that your EP should make.

Pressure around your nose and face is unlikely to be related. If I had to, I'd guess that it's a Sinus infection.

At wake, you heart rate is low but not dangerously, assuming that you're otherwise healthy. ...but anything can happen and we're all built differently.

Confused / Bradicardia

by Adagietto - 2021-10-13 02:00:23

I just said in another post that I wished I could be helpful.  You said you were wondering if anyon had had such symptoms in connection to their heart issues.  

If you meant your slow heart rate, then I have.  Your bpm numbers are much like mine. I've had a rather slow heart rate for a long time, but after a serious heart attack with major damage six years ago, it became slower.  It was recommended that i have an ICD implanted even if it was an S-ICD (which cannot provide any pacing).  So basically the doctors have been more worried about a possible sudden cardiac arrest rather than the fact that when my heart is beating, it beats slowly.  

The presence or absence of symptoms connected to a slow heart rate would also be factors your doctor would factor in.  

Is it known what has caused your "heart ache?"

The heart is complicated; the body is complicated.

If the only thing the doctors know about your heart is that you have a slow heart rate, that in itself may not be terribly serious.  Do follow with your doctor of course.  But I can attest to the fact that I do quite well with numbers like yours and I'm almost 80.  I'm not always very active, but my cardiologist was quite impressed by how much swimming I was able to do this summer.   It often seems like I have more energy than my ten-yers-younger friends.  

I hope you feel better soon.

unrelated?

by Tracey_E - 2021-10-13 08:19:39

I'm no doctor but the sinus/head issues sound like more like allergies than cardiac. That's coming from someone with both a heart condition and allergies ;o)  Two different issues, separate treatments. 

Under 60 is cosidered bradycardia, under 50 is when they start to pay attention and consider treatment. 37 is definitely something to keep an eye on, probably borderline whether they recommend pacing now or monitoring. Symptomatic or not, a rate that low is hard on the body. Symptoms  of a low heart rate are usually tiredness, dizziness, eventually passing out. Being symptomatic would tip the scales on deciding when to pace. 

3 days without sleep ?

by Tulp - 2021-10-14 06:44:50

Wauw you must be sooo tired.

3 days without sleep...

I hope you will get your answers and feel better soon.

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As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.