I'm worried!!!

[acole46]

Hi. I fairly new to this forum. I'm 50 and have had a pacemaker inserted 10 years ago for 2nd degree heart block. I also get svt..abit of atrial tachycardia . 10 years ago I had a pacemaker check and was told Id had a VT for 8 seconds..various tests were done but everything was fine. I have had some other funny heart episodes I think its bundle branch block or Q something..but my cardiologist assures me it's not dangerous. Yesterday I had my yearly pace check and was told I had had another VT at 220bpm for 6 secs. I am not symptomatic of these. The tech nurse didn't say she would tell my cardiologist all she said was don't worry about it and that another app for pace check would be in a years time..but I'm left wondering am.I going to run into trouble with this..I take only 40mg of propranalol every day as my heart goes fairly low to 49bmp and I have mild asthma..propranalol seems fine tho..any thoughts please? x

[BobD Volunteer]

If you are worried you must speak to your doctor. We really can't advise as we are not medically trained.

Sorry

Bob

[acole46 in reply to BobD]

I know know you aren't medically trained I was just posting as this is a heart forum to see if anyone else has similar experiences to me and we're they worried ..that's all.

I've read alot of posts on here and alot of people have been comforted because others have had similar probs and had been advised to speak to their gp...I am going to see my gp but just wanted some support from people in the same boat?

[Buffafly in reply to acole46]

No experience but I would want to know why you don't need to worry! My cardiologist said something to me in passing and I didn't take him up on it and now I have discovered it could be serious so I'm worrying, understand how you feel. I think you have a right to ask your GP to find out.

[acole46 in reply to Buffafly]

I don't think.I should have titledone my heading as "I'm Worried"..I am wondering if people can have episodes of VT's as I thought it was rare and that people only have a one off which I know can be dangerous if the VT goes over 30 secs?

I put this on here to see if others get this problem..that's all really..

Hope ypu are OK tho

[acole46 in reply to Buffafly]

sorry forgot to say...I've been looking at the pacemaker club forum and that seems to be a good site..lots on there so will have a look and see if others have had more than one short episode of VT..by best wishes to you and thank you for replying x

[meadfoot]

Ask you GP to look into this for you you deserve answers. Take care. Best wishes.

[farmerwalt]

Hi acole46,

I have a CRT pacemaker,(dual ventricular pacing), fitted because of af plus heart block and some heart failure. Prior to the pm I had one short burst of vt that was picked up on ecg. Since having the pm fitted, 2 years ago, I have apparently had three more short bursts that the pm check reported. I was totally unaware of if happening. My pm is designed to increase my heart rate if it detects vt and then bring it back to my normal 70 bpm. So I would say it's been doing it's job. My pm also has the defibrillator so if the vt correction doesn't work it will shock my heart to restore normal rhythm. So far that, thankfully, hasn't happened. If it did shock me it needs to be reported to DVLA and I would prohibited from driving for at least six months.

I now have a bedside monitor for the pm, that sends reports back to the hospital if it detects any vt, as well as my routine checks. Saves me travelling about 30 miles for my six monthly checks.

I would say, from reading your post, that your pm is doing its job.

However, as others have said, best to check it out with your gp or ep.

Walter

[acole46]

Thank you for your reply. My pacemaker isn't for VT though. It's for wenkebach heart block..it also records any abnormal beats but doesn't treat. From what info I've read on other sites related heart conditions VT are common and as long as they only last under 30 secs then no threat so I suppose I will just have to see if this shows up again on my next pacemaker check and go from there...best wishes to you