pacemaker

[Villador]

hi everyone,

I’ve been in constant AF for about a year. Scary stuff sometimes.Edpecially when my heart is thundering for about two hours each night from about 2am. It’s hard to contain the anxiety. I also know when it’s going to get worse as I feel that I have to find a really deep breath, which makes the anxiety worse . I have been taking 100 mg of Flecainide

I morning and night. My best news to date is that my cardiologist has put me forward for a pacemaker . Wish me luck !

[Hidden]

hello and welcome to the forum, good luck with the PM, lots of members have successfully gone down that route so I’m sure you will get lots of encouragement 👍

[Villador in reply to Hidden]

thank you, will keep you posted !

[Rosie1066]

I had a pacemaker fitted in June and, so far so good, and no AF. A pacemaker does not actually stop AF but it does regulate the heart rate which should make AF a lot better.

[Villador in reply to Rosie1066]

Thank you Rosie, your post is very reassuring!

[JaneFinn]

Hi Villador, and welcome Sorry, I don’t have a pacemaker myself, but just wanted to say hi. I really sympathise with what sounds like very symptomatic AF 😕 Really hope the Pacemaker helps you - I’m sure I’ve read lots of people sounding very happy with the outcome on here. Good luck! Keep us posted, and do ask anything Jx

[Villador in reply to JaneFinn]

Bit daunted by my decision to go the Pacemaker way but my cardiologist, who has been a star the way he’s tried to help, thinks it’s my way forward to feel like myself again, not this, lightheaded, heart thumping, anxious person I’ve become.

May I also take this opportunity to thank all those who have taken the time to write their honest descriptions of how they feel and what has been helpful and what has not . This forum has helped me to not feel so alone and frightened . Bless you all😘

[theonethatgotaway1]

Does a pacemaker do what a cardioversion does?

Do they help with heart failure patients?

[Villador in reply to theonethatgotaway1]

You would have to ask a cardiologist this question, but I believe so

[Buzby62 in reply to Villador]

Pacemaker patient information booklet link

api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

AFA website Pacemaker resources link

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

Hope these help

[CDreamer in reply to theonethatgotaway1]

No a pacemaker is nothing like a cardioversion and they don’t stop AF.

2 or 3 wires are placed into the heart and connected to a small box which sends an electrical impulse which then helps to keep your heart beating at an even pace. Some PMs are just for people with slow heart beat whilst others such as the RST are for keeping the different chambers of the heart synchronised.

Yes, if you have heart failure a pacemaker may be an option but there are many different types and for HF - RST or resynchronisation pacing is normally recommended.

I had one fitted back in 2018 which improved my QOL remarkedly, I was headed toward HF but my EP had the attitude - why wait until you are there. Recently my AF has become more frequent so the next step could be AV node ablation - which would then mean that the pacemaker would take over the natural pacing of the heart meaning no matter what, my HR would be steady. Even though this improves QOL it won’t stop AF - but it should help improve the symptoms.

[2learn in reply to theonethatgotaway1]

Hi, my understanding is a pacemker is to stop your pulse going too low, it does not put you back in sinus rhythm or control AF. If it did everyone with AF could have one and be cured.

[Rainfern]

Good luck Villador. This forum has helped me feel very hopeful that even if my persistent AF becomes unmanageable in the future then I may be offered the option of a pacemaker. I hope it will make the same positive difference to your quality of life as it has many others here.

[opal11uk]

My Pacemaker was a life changer for me and up until recently I had not had an 'attack' for 8 years as a consequence so good luck with yours.

[President2012]

I had a pacemaker fitted at the beginning of March last for sick sinus and pauses. Since then I have had two shortish episodes of A Fib . I was having them every 10 days or so. Good luck

[Golfer60UK]

Good morning Villador, I too have a pacemaker fitted with AV node ablation, so dependant now to keep heart within 70 - 120 beats per min. This occured in 2021 and my quality of life has been fine since, no further attacks of AF.

Prior to this I was on medication which worked, but felt pretty awful most of the time. Left with Apixaban for blood thinning to avoid strokes

Best of luck

Dave

[Desanthony]

Good Luck

[Villador]

many thanks for all your words of encouragement! Will keep you posted on this next part of ridding myself from AF

[baba]

Are you having AV node ablation, Pace and Ablate?

[Villador]

no, just a pacemaker

[baba in reply to Villador]

Then read CDreamers reply again