Anyone had 3rd degree compete heart block?

[Redcollector]

I had a couple of dizzy spells which turned out to be heart block but up to that point had no indication of heart issues

[Olliemonty58]

For 5years I have been suffering from dizziness. Drs put it down to labrinthits. Turns out now is my heart as I was having af. Having the dye put through on the 31st October see what's going on. Good luck x

[Redcollector in reply to Olliemonty58]

Hi, good luck, I had hoped mine was going to be labyhinitis but ecg pack worn for 24 hours showed heart pauses which led to immediate hospitalisation. Have pacemaker now but concern is what the route cause is.

[Dickydon in reply to Olliemonty58]

Wearing a Holter monitor for 48hrs is a good shout. I had one fitted about seven weeks ago because of increasing number of low HR issues. I induced one of my low heart rate episodes by doing some physical exertion and brought on a 36bpm episode along with a few others during the 48hrs wearing it, cables everywhere though and no showering or bath. They reviewed the results almost immediately when I took the Holter monitor back to the hospital and the same day the cardio nurse called me and said I needed to go to A&E ASAP. The data showed I had a complete heart block, and the next day I had a two lead Pacemaker fitted. Gone are the low heart rate issues but I do get breathless when I do anything physical. Which I’ll need to raise tomorrow at first follow up appointment.

Good luck

[Redcollector in reply to Dickydon]

Hi, thanks for your input, will be very interested in your feedback. Whist my consultant said it was an age related thing that caused the issue, the surgeon just before the operation said I may need an mri I 3 months in case it was something else. He then went into say I may need a different pacemaker. How much physical activity are you doing before you get breathless? And did you notice this before you had your block? Looking back I did think I was getting breathless afte a short run but put it down to being 64.

My concern now is that I may have an underlying condition. How old are you if you don’t mind me asking?

Like you my pacemaker has fixed the issues but I am very anxious and am very sensitive to any new slight aches I get.

Al

[Dickydon in reply to Redcollector]

Hi Al, your welcome. I’m 57 a Type 1 insulin diabetic also, that I’ve had for 43yrs. I also suffer with Peripheral Neuropathy in hands and lower legs, complication of long term diabetes. Hearing difficulties and now my heart. I’m a TV Sports Cameraman, so I have a very physically demanding job as well as needing to be creative and technical as well and ontop of that I roughly do around 25k-30k miles up and down UK per year.

I initially had a mild heart attack back in July 18 whilst out working at a racing circuit was admitted to hospital via the on-site ambulance had an angiogram and was given the all clear after four days in hospital. So I was off work for around five weeks but have been off again four over six weeks with the PM fit ‘n’ recovery time and I may try and go back to work in the coming weeks just to see if I can do it or I’d need to give up. Doing a desk job would be easy enough but a Cameraman complete opposite.

Then mid-August I started having these low heart rate issues just walking a few yards or bending down or climbing some steps, that would give me complete heart block and it often took a few hours to come around. Feeling faint, breathless, etc... totally unpleasant. My HR was ranging between 32bpm - 55bpm and the lower the bpm the dangerously worst I felt.

I was already attending the Cardio Rehab sessions at my hospital and they were noting these episodes down as well. I was also making detailed records myself, as I have my own A&D blood Pressure monitor, which helped my GP and hospital to move and act so much quicker with all the data I was able to provide them with. As mentioned, a Holter monitor was fitted within days and the issues were being recorded on the monitor and my accurate notes they were able to correspond them together. The lower HR readings in thecearly 30’s showed them I was having complete heart block.

The PM seems to have corrected the main issues of low HR’s but the breathlessness is still there with whatever physicality's I do, like doing my boot laces up, bending over, walking more than a 100yrds or so. I’m getting little tingles and odd sensations too in the area of heart and PM site which I will raise with Hospital tomorrow 8 Oct.

Cheers, Chris

[Redcollector in reply to Dickydon]

Wow, thanks Chris for such a comprehensive reply, you sound like you have a number of issues to deal with. I am certainly not getting breathless in the way you are. The site of the pacemaker has healed but still a little sore. I do feel I get less feeling in my fingertips and toes which I have convinced myself is my heart not pumping the blood that far but nothing I have read supports that theory. Let me know how it goes tomorrow , I will keep my fingers crossed that all is well.

You sound like you have an interesting job what sort of sports events do you cover?

Al

[Dickydon in reply to Redcollector]

Hi Al, attended first appointment since PM fit. They were happy with everything. They put a handheld paddle type thing over the PM to get data from it and whatever else, plus run a few tests etc... I can return to work albeit ease back into it but as a cameraman the camera weighs around 10.5kgs and sits on my right shoulder PM fitted on the left, but my left hand needs to come up above my shoulder to work the lens so I’ll have to see how it goes. My breathlessness wasn’t really associated to the PM’s role as that is doing its job, thanfully. So I’ll have to discuss that with my GP and hopefully get that all investigated. Forgot to mention before I had the

PM, I too had a Cardiac MRI scan which showed a nearly healthy heart apparently, cery little furring of the arteries despite my full fat diet etc... no cardiomyopathy, but they could see I have a leaky heart valve, so that’s now being followed up.

The sport events as per you question that I cover are All the England football games, Champions League, Premiership, Rugby, Darts, British Superbikes and the Touring Cars, plus other bits n bobs in-between. I don’t fly anymore due to one thing and another, as the job has taken me relentlessly to every corner of the globe including areas of conflict in my earlier years.

Good luck with your concerns and hopefully get sorted.

Chris

[Redcollector in reply to Dickydon]

Hi Chris, glad all went well.

What other tests did they do after they downloaded the pm data? I have my appointment for that 3 weeks today.

Best of luck for the future.

Alan

[Dickydon in reply to Redcollector]

Nothing else really, they weren’t doctors, the two guys more like PM medical technician types. Whilst the hand paddle thing was resting on my shoulder it was giving them feedback as the PM has a sort of memory and if an event occured it would get recorded and in my case there was nothing recorded; so apart from the odd tingles and twitches etc... they were happy with things. They can control all the settings of the PM and adjust anything that needs to be from their computer via the handheld paddle resting on my left shoulder. They had my MRI scan going on on the computer and he could also see the leaky heart valve. I did mention about my breathlessness from light activity they said heart attacks do reduce the heart’s prime objectives and the the PM wouldn’t have any influence over the out if breath stuff I’m still getting, so back to my GP re that then cardiologist for further investigation.

I did get a credit card size plastic ID card, that’s your name, dob, hosp no’s & info, PM name and model no’s, etc... I laminated mine so the ink doesn't rub off easily. Good luck with your appointment.

Chris

[Redcollector in reply to Dickydon]

Thanks.

It’s been good to talk to someone who has had the same thing.

It’s unfortunate that whist I appear to have overcome the dizzy spells which I would think means the pm is working fine. I worried myself sick that I had an underlying cause of the heart block which was why I posted my question. Added to that I am getting pain in my lower chest which I am assured is not my heart and now getting back pain. Even I don’t think my heart is at fault causing this type of pains especially as they appear to be ew different symptoms. So I am now fixated on having a secondary health issue lurking.

Clearly this is outside our heart block discussion.

Just have to hope I am wrong.

All the best Alan

[Dickydon in reply to Redcollector]

Alan, just keep notes and records like I did: dates & times issue/s occurred; what happened; how you felt; BP readings; HR readings, if you have your own blood pressure monitor - this record keeping helped the medics in my case and things were dealt with much quicker than they would have, if they had to do all the tests, and record keeping etc... they, (Dr’s, nurses) were gobsmacked when I gave them pages of A4 with all my printed out notes that explained all my symptoms and problems, readings, timings, etc...

Good luck.

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bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

My impression is that a lot of the time the cause is degeneration of the atrioventricular node as we get older. I'm 70 with incomplete heart block and heading for a pacemaker. How are you getting on with your PM?

[Redcollector in reply to Hidden]

Hi, the pacemaker is fine, have only had it a few weeks but nothing much to report very straight forward procedure. I am hoping against hope that it is only the AV node is the issue I fear reading all the available data that I may have underlying heart disease. I am 64.

Upto the point of getting the pacemaker and better my dizzy hadn’t even realised I was not healthy. Good luck.

[falah12345]

Hi Redcollector

Yes I had at one point last year but it turned out it was due to the medication I was given for my first AFib attack

But the ECG reading improved after the medication stopped!

and the Dr said my heart stopped for few seconds ,they were talking about pace maker as well but thankfully I didnt need to have p maker

Good luck

[Redcollector in reply to falah12345]

Hi, I had read that was possible from drugs, you were lucky I guess.