Heart block worry

[Bluboubobtail]

Felt something was wrong within my body for a few years as if I was fighting a recurring virus or getting burn out. Every 3 months or so. Had a few blips with high blood pressure spikes, hospital check , However medication and adjusting lifestyle and retiring from work seemed to help. Although anxiety and stress still play a huge part.

I was ill in April with heat exhaustion, dehydration and swollen legs which I thought was cellulitis after a tour . Plus generally feeling fatigued, dizzy and nauseous.

Since then Ive had blood tests, liver all ok,

weight etc my cholesterol slightly raised 5.8 although my triglycerides were very low so I'm not too phased . Im on bp meds as high bp usually

My BP was high then very low , 100/56 my pulse was dropping to 35 , 40 then up to 60/80 very worrying.. ECG was performed in GP surgery straight away and the doctor said it was heart block . He has since spoke to the cardiologist at the hospital suggested stopping all tablets , supplements, BP tablets reduced to min dosage. Blood tests for thyroid next week.

I go to the gym 3 times a week do kettles and walk , hike ...look after g kids and elderly parents . So I'm still busy , now I have to limit exercising and slow down.

I'm so worried .. I'm shocked as the oximeter I have bleeps when it's low pulse and it's causing anxiety. I feel I'm living on a knife edge .

[Scotsman53]

Hi, I have heart block and got a pacemaker, the procedure is relatively minor (nothing compared to my knee replacement) and now I feel absolutely fine. Stop worrying! Just take things as they come, I'm sure you'll be fine too.

[DWizza]

I’d be grateful that it’s been identified and your in the system 👍🏻. I went to my GP as I spent months feeling fatigued , kept falling asleep in the afternoons. I’d do some farm work in our small holding , come back in , write my weight lifting program out and fall asleep and not make it to training regularly. I just felt so tired. It took months for me to make an appointment to ask for my testosterone to be checked (that’s what I thought might the cause). A locum did blood tests for thyroid , B12, diabetes , testosterone etc after I explained the fatigue I was feeling , shuffling, heavy legged , no vavavoom. I got a text saying all was normal.. about 6-8 weeks later I had Nstemi heart attack, blocked arteries and had quadruple bypass… all the medics that dealt with me said the fatigue was a significant indicator of a coronary issue … not sure what process I’d have been entered into if it was picked up prior to heart attack. I didn’t look a cardiac risk apparently.

[Jedi14]

I can identify with much of what you say! My cardiologist started me on Bisoprolol on low dose 1,25mg/night. He said it would up my HR as it was 50 or lower. It had the oppossite effect and went down to 40s!Until very recently when it shot up 20 points to 60+. My systolic went down to 100 and lower. Back to GP, reduced one of the meds now back to normal. So now on steady 120s/60s with good HR at 60s.

Remember if your BP goes down to low you'll feel nausea and fainting, not a good feeling for us carers, so I keep a check on my BP. There are still moments when I will feel the BP is getting too low, so keep a packet of salt flavour crisps near by.

By the way I am also targetting my weight, so far, with great difficulty- down by half kg. But difficult to maintain.

[EMBoy]

I too have heart block and like Scotsman53, I have a pacemaker.

Depending on the grade of heart block you have, they may or may not give you a pacemaker, but if you do need one, it will give you a whole new lease of life. I've had mine for nearly 5 years now, and it has really changed my life for the better.

All the best.