Hi, first post..any 'on the run' firefighters?
I'm getting a loop recorder fitted to investigate recent faints, all tests so far point to heart rate dropping too low at night and irregular. Language used so far has been...AV node disfunction, grade 2 heart block morbitz 1..
After googling, treatment could mean a pacemaker fitted.. question is about returning to full operational duties. Also any stories (with happy endings!) gratefully received. Thanks, Dan.
Hi Bigdan, welcome. I'm sure someone will be along soon with support. Good luck with everything Sheena
Hi Dan, I’m not a firefighter, and I don’t recognise the heart language in myself, but I’ll try and help. I had a PM fitted almost a year ago to the day. I’d had a Reveal device fitted after a series of faints. I’m cycling and I feel as fit as I did before. If I might draw a parallel between your occupation and physical exercise, there are far, far better athletes than me who appear to cope well with a PM, check out a FB group called Paceline. If you do receive a PM then please be mindful that you will be told not to lift your left arm for six weeks, which will mean desk duties for at least a couple of months and maybe longer. Best wishes, Paul.
Thanks Paul, I'll check it out.
Faints are the reason I'm going through investigations, otherwise I'm generally fine, just not 100%.
I'm hearing PM's improve people's lives on the whole which is comforting and encouraging. Thanks.
You heard right. It’s a miracle of modern science really. I have sinus node bradycardia. It solved my problems just like that. Just take really good care right now, Dan. I wish I’d wrapped myself in cotton wool when I was having my fainting episodes. I blacked out at the top of the stairs, which didn’t end well!
Ouch! My faints seem to come after feeling of sickness and high temps which were put down to gastroenteritis and have been so far apart, I'm trying to stay as active as I can, but.. ECG's have shown low nocturnal heart rate and a feeling of missing beats so somethings going on.
Hi Dan, Greetings from Spain, I am in a situation similar to yours. AV mobitz 2. I still have no fainting, I just feel dizzy. At night, 33 beats. They've put the recorder on me. Good luck.
I'm booked in with cardiologist with the likelihood of a loop recorder being fitted. What's the timescale for having that on?
I was sure my dizzyness was more to do with an inner ear infection but the docs have put the symptoms down to my heart.
The cardiologists have told me that the battery lasts 2 to 3 years. According to them in 3 months they will have information to know if the blockade will go further. If the blockage goes over, they will put the pacemaker on me. I have to be patient. If I am a year without fainting, I will be farther away from the pacemaker. Sorry for my English. I use a translator.
Sorry for mine too but I have no excuse!
That's what I'm worried about more than anything is having to wait for something which might not happen again? As am currently off work as can't drive and the docs didn't want me cycling to work.
Hopefully it'll work out in the end for us both.
Hello BigDan.
Just as the strength of a house is based on the integrity of its foundation, so is human health dependent on its foundation - dietary regimen and exercise.
As a firefighter I'm assuming you exercise daily.
Where most of us go wrong is with our diet, especially in our fast-paced world.
Following a triple bypass along with 2 angioplasties that resulted in 4 stents being inserted in the spring of 2015, my health was a mess and I was put on a cocktail of pills. For the record at that time I was 53 years of age and 45 pounds overweight (I'm a male 5'10" in height).
Upon conducting extensive research on cardiovascular disease and cholesterol, as well as the drugs I was taking, I decided I had to make significant dietary and lifestyle modifications.
I eliminated all processed and fried foods, simple carbohydrate foods, sugar and sugar equivalents, and moved to the Mediterranean Diet mayoclinic.org/healthy-life...
These changes resulted in my weight normalizing which allowed me to gradually wean off of all the meds over a 10-month period from January to October 2016.
I have since maintained my healthy diet and have increased my exercise frequency and intensity. At age 57, I am now in the best shape of my life and have a 31" waist, down from 42".
Will such changes resolve your medical condition? Maybe, maybe not, but it will certainly significantly contribute to improving it. I saw my pre-surgery echo-cardiogram results and compared them to my post-lifestyle and dietary modification, echo-cardiogram - all of the poor functionality of my heart muscle were completely resolved.
Good luck.
Wow, what a turnaround, you've certainly grasped your second chance by the sound of it!
Am reasonably fit, not athletic, but commute an hour each shift and get out in the fells walking/climbing/biking as much as possible.
Diets not the best hence all the exercise!
Thanks for the reply especially as its so optimistic!
My pleasure. By the way, the third big item in health is sleep. Today most people only get 6-6.5 hours of sleep each night. Dr. Matthew Walker, Neuroscientist wrote a book recently on the subject. He maintains that anything less than 8 hours of nightly sleep results not only in sub-optimal performance but also damage to our health.
There is a 3-part podcast if you're interested that you can listen to.
Click here to get to the website, then scroll down to the the first podcast where you can download it and listen at your convenience:
peterattiamd.com/matthewwal...
peterattiamd.com/matthewwal...
peterattiamd.com/matthewwal...
Good luck.
Well its happening before the weekend..my loop showed a 15sec pause so a pacemaker is prescribed.
Trying to research and gather info regarding getting back on the run, any firefighters on here or folks who know of any I'd appreciate knowing. Thanks.
Did you get back to work Dan? I’m currently in a similar situation myself
Yes. Got back on the run around 10 week post op.
My first one had to get taken out due to infection concerns so recovery took longer than I was hoping.
My brigade occ health nurse is ex cardiology nurse so was a great help and the brigade doc was also very positive all the way through.
I got in touch with a FF in the north east who'd been through the same so knew that its atleast possible if recovery goes to plan.
I've just done hot fire training yesterday which was the final test and it was graft but great.
Back to MTBing, climbing and fell walking again now.
What stage are you at with your treatment?
I’m really pleased for you. I was diagnosed with Afib about two months ago and now they’ve discovered my heart stops beating for short periods at night. I’m in with the cardiologist to discuss treatment tomorrow but pacemaker has been mentioned
Ahh. Yeah mine is for the pauses to keep my heart rate above 50 at night and 60 through the day. Its a dual chamber sjm which should last about 10 year.
Do you have a loop recorder fitted now?
Feel free to send direct messages if you want and can do it through here? Having the NE guy really helped settle my mind and was a great reassurance so it'll be a pleasure if I can help you at all.
No I’ve got nothing fitted at the moment. Wore a 24hrs ECG which picked up on it. Thank you for the offer to message, I’ll take you up on that please, once I’ve worked out how to do it. I’ve never had any kind of ill health and I’ve been worried about whether I’ll be able to continue working so it’s enlightening that you and another got back to work
It appears that you went 4 months from start if symptoms til you were diagnosed and got the pacemaker. And you had 15 second pause. That is scary. I have erratic and very slow beats with 5 second pause. Am scheduled for a heart scan in 2 wks and am weaning off beta blocker now. Scared to wait actually but you waited a long time. They say I will most likely need a pm too. Sounds like you are doing really now. I am glad for you
It was a long time looking back but I was unaware anything was wrong. I was thinking I'd prove them wrong!
I'm doing great now thanks, just packing the van to go MTBing with my son.
Hope you get some answers after the scan.
I was scared at 5 second pause. You actually went for 15. Guess I'm ok for a while. Thanks and have a great time with your son
I was asleep when it happened but once diagnosed my partner was super aware and woke up for that one, she said my lips started going blue so it was scary for her. I think anything above 3 seconds qualifies for a PM.
I found it a relief finding this forum to see its something that a lot of folks are dealing with similar experiences.
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