Heart block advice/support please... - Heart Disorders Message Board

Robocop2815 · 01-16-2009, 11:17 PM

First of all, I'm new here.

To cut a long story short one minute I'm at work (I'm a police officer) then a couple of hours later I'm being told that I have complete block and then had a pacemaker fitted.......***?!?! I'm only 31!!!

I've always had a slow pulse, runs in the family, and have always got dizzy getting up too quick, never really known any different. Over the past week or so they've been getting worse to the extent that I'm almost having blackouts just sitting or lying down. I approached the medical centre at work who gave me an ECG after noticing I had missed a beat whilst counting my pulse, surely enough she catches it on ECG. I go into hospital thinking I'll be out with some tablets and I'd be back in work, maybe even take a day off, but I'd be fine.....not so. Turns out I had an average resting bpm of 47 and was blocking regularly up to 8 seconds.

I'm 31 and fit and healthy, I don't normally get ill but now this. I'm speaking to my occupational health dept. at work on Monday morning and am signed off work until further notice. Its only because work forced me to go the hospital that I actually went, so I suppose I'm lucky they did.

I'm doing well physically, in fact never felt better considering the hole in my shoulder. The thing is I'm struggling to adjust mentally. I've always hated the sight of blood and knowing I've got this thing inside me is freaking me out to the point I can't cough or move for fear of displacing the leads. My wife and friends are being fantastic - its been a bigger shock for them than for me - but even talking to them I'm getting the jitters just thinking of it. I know I'll get used to it, and I did well to not feint when they were putting the thing in

but as its something I'd never even thought about [or knew about for that matter] the more I read about it the more serious I realise it is.

I just don't know where to turn. I'm seeing my doctor on Monday to go over some things but otherwise where the hell do I go, what do I do??????

My whole life is changing in a direction I'd never known and I have so many questions

I'm a happy person and my mental state at the moment is great, I can make a joke out of it and have a laugh but I'm getting more and more overwhelmed by the whole thing, its only a matter of time until I fall apart as underneath it all I'm really scared.

What do I want off this board? Simple answer is I really don't know, perhaps just typing this is helping, perhaps knowing others out there have been through the same and can offer some advice, perhaps somebody knows who I can talk to for more advice, I really don't know.

Anyway, thats me, and in the words of the almighty GLC "Half man, half machine, what does it mean?"

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

**edit** I'm in the UK.

sam78 · 01-17-2009, 10:32 PM

Well just think of it this way... You didnt die having it before.... you ought to feel a lot better now that you have a pacemaker in. In my 10 years of working with cardiac patients, I have never once seen a displaced lead on a pacemaker. Occasionally you will see a broken lead but you got two of them!! I just recently went through struggling with heart block, scared the living daylights out of me!!! But at least now you have a pacemaker, and you have a safeguard against any arrhythmia that could kill ya !! Once you get used to having the pacemaker, you will forget about it and carry on with life like it doesnt even exist. Other than a few precautions, your life should be no different than it was before, like I said, it ought to be a bit better without spells!!

Fizzickle · 01-18-2009, 11:42 AM

Welcome to the boards, Robocop. You must have quite a sense of humor adopting that board name.

Having a pacemaker is undoubtedly a shock at age 31. But relax a little. You will tend to forget you have the thing after your chest heals and the incision quits hurting. And you reach the point where you trust this electrical device.

A lot of people have left or right bundle branch blocks. Evidently you have both.

I have an two lead ICD which also acts as a pacemaker when needed. This thing senses arrythmias (such as atrial or ventricular fibrillation) and after trying to pace me out of the arrythmia, will take more drastic action to shock my heart back into sinus rhythm. Never been zapped, but I will occasionally feel it pacing my heart. I've had it for six months and tend to forget it's there. The truth is that after having a severe bout of atrial fibrillation, I'm very glad to have the device there to catch me.

Writing this stuff down helps, as you note. You will find a lot of sympathetic ears and pacemakers on this board.

Bill

kitslady · 01-19-2009, 11:36 AM

Boy do I know how you feel! I was working as a disability adjudicator! I was sitting at my desk (I had just volunteered to work overtime) and I didn't feel very good so I decided I'd go for a walk. I got about a half block and knew if I went any further I wouldn't make it back to my building. My workplace happened to be just four blocks from the best heart hosp. in Louisville. I believe this situation saved my life, because if I'd been home I probably would have lay down to try to 'rest' it away and may have not gotten to the hosp in time. I've led a very healthy lifestyle and still wonder "Why me?" I have a three-lead pacemaker and have been defibrillated once. I didn't get mine placed until 5 months after my hospitalization--a left bundle branch block caused by myocarditis. (cgranulomatis says I should'nt say 'heart attack')

Although my condition is different, I'm glad I found this msg board because it's the only website that has given me support and information. I've had a rough time getting around incompetent medical assistants with both my cardiologists. (makes me say again, "why me?") I've had many ups and downs, good days and bad. There are some very educated people here--some are doctors, I'll bet. So, you're not alone and welcome to this msg board.

Robocop2815 · 01-21-2009, 06:54 AM

Thank you everyone.

Its amazing what a few days makes. Whereas before I didn't know my a*se form elbow I feel in a much better place emotionallly. I can laugh and joke about my condition which is helping my family and friends as much as it is helping me. 7 weeks off work is also a blessing, shame I don't live near a sunny beach.

I'm slowly getting used to my pacemaker and the thought of the wires into my heart doesn't make me feel sick anymore. In fact part of me quite likes the idea I have something that none of my mates have and will prove quite a talking point at work.

I must say I'm enjoying life more, suppose it takes a shock to make you realise what is really important.

Anyway, thank you again, and for anyone else in a similar situation just try to remember there are people out there who are in a much worse state of physical health.

Take it easy.