I am new here. Just diagnosed with LBBB, went thru all of the important test, all test are normal. Finding out about this was shocking to say the least. Been stressing out!! Am an avid walker, 2 miles a day & never felt any differant. Anyone else here with same diagnosis for some positive feedback?
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Patrisia66
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I was diagnosed with it a couple of years ago. When I mentioned it to people they either had it, or knew someone with it. I had no particular symptoms, and am coping OK. When I had an echogram done it showed my EF was 20% rather than the 55% + that it should be. I still had a walking holiday in the mountains a few weeks later. Now with meds and a pacemaker fitted, my EF is up to 60%. I try to get regular exercise and eat a healthy diet.Although it is always worrying to find you have something wrong, it is quite possible to lead a normal life in my experience.
EF is ejection fraction. It's a measure of the efficiency of the heart. I did not have any other problem that I know about. It was found by accident when I got a chest infection.
I was told in July last year I had a LBBB, it was first identified in November 2010 when I had an Echocardiogram after fitting following the delivery of my son. I didn’t get hold of the results of that test for almost 11 years! Life carried on as normal… I was non the wiser. I told my mum and dad after finding out about my LBBB to be told she has one too! She’s 79 later this year and has suffered from high blood pressure since I was young but having had three per ops on the last 10 years for knee and hip replacements she’s been told her heart is good. On the other hand my father has no LBBB but does have severe heart failure with an EF below 20 and would probably not be here but for his pacemaker. He’s 82 later this month and was only diagnosed in 2010… the same year my boy was born!
A heart nurse explained LBBB to me it’s a bit like taking the ‘A’ road or scenic route instead of the motorway to a destination… the blood still gets there!
My GP told me, it’s seldom an issue having a LBBB, it’s why you have it that might be of interest or an issue but as most of us don’t know whether they arose from a heart event or through genetics at birth……. They are what they are!
You mention that you’ve had all important tests, so if nothing out of the ordinary has been found, thank your lucky stars! Stop stressing it’s not heathy!
EF is an ejection fraction - expressed as a %. It refers to the efficiency that oxygenated blood is pumped out of the left ventricle around the body. It’s never 100%! An EF of 55 to 70 is classed as normal. As the EF rate drops below this it’s effectively saying your heart is failing to provide your body with what it requires to function.
There are many other people more knowledgeable than me on this site… I’m still new to all this…. As a result of my hospital visit last July and subsequent tests and getting more info from the echo I had in 2010 I’ve recently found I had an EF of 53 then and now it’s only 40… I’m still trying to get to see a cardiologist and try to identify what or why I have a problem and what I can do to improve it. I don’t drink, don’t smoke, I walk every day, I’m overweight but the doctors I’ve seen say not by much, I don’t have high blood pressure so the only real thing I have in my life is a reasonable amount of stress! I’m 52 and would like to see my 11 year old grow up! I seriously wish I’d only been told I have a LBBB!
My EF is 71%, I have been walking 2 to 3 miles daily for over 5 years now.
No other issues at all.
I did have a minor finger surgery last Wednesday & was diagnosed the next day with LBbb. And all week have odd little feelings. Tingling in hands. Neck ache. Could be stress
Same. Cardiologist says I have had this for a while.
I of course started stressing. I'm 66 years old & looking forward to retirement.
If your EF% is 71, you are doing really well! You have LBBB but are not in heart failure, and if all the other tests are clear, no need to worry. It is good that it has been diagnosed as then if in the future you do start to have shortness of breath or other problems then they have a starting point to go on. If it comes to it, and your health changes heart-wise, they may just give you a pacemaker to counteract the LBBB and you will be ok to live as normal. You may have had LBBB for 66 years, and if you hadn't have had a minor surgery you would be none the wiser! So carry on as you have been and try not to think/worry about it (otherwise you will put every twinge and niggle down to it and stress more!) 😊 (Your neck ache etc may be because you are unconsciously holding yourself/sleeping differently because of your finger?)
I think I have been stressing about the lbbb diagnosis & put my body into stress mode. Your right. This is all new to me.
Hopefully nothing will change for the worse.
Feel pretty healthy!
Thanks Again!
Take care!
Patrisia
Dear Patrisia66
Hello to you and a very warm welcome to the forum, I hope that it will help you in the way it did me.
What a shock for you being diagnosed with your problem, my heart goes out to you { not that you would want it at the moment as its a bit under par } and your loved ones.
So to answer your question, and please remember that I am not medically trained so can only offer you support.
I was very like you and had no idea that my heart had the problems that it did, same sort of level of fitness etc.
I have had a triple bypass as I had blockages here and there {something that you don't have thank god} and LBBB, Left Branch Bundle Block with an EF, ejection fraction of only 22.
So you seem to be in a good place at the moment and I hope that you remain so for the rest of your life.
Good luck with everything and please let us know how we can help
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