After my previous post, I had a few rounds of bradycardia in the 30s again and one run of SVT taking the hr to 185 at rest. The cardiologist , on seeing the ECGs now is thinking of Sick Sinus Syndrome as a probably cause. The strips show sinus brady and sinus tachy.
Has anyone been given this diagnosis? How have you handled it conservatively? I can't think of a pacemaker now, at 34 , with 2 young girls to raise..
Would love to know what worked for you..
I am sorry that there have been no answers here!
You might try looking at the British Heart Foundation forum or alternatively the AFA. I searched for Sick Sinus Syndrome and there were some answers of the latter, but most, I fear were mentioning a pacemaker.
e.g.
Sick sinus syndrome is not always symptomatic. However if you develop significant dizzy spells or fainting episodes, the very fact that you have young children would surely make a pacemaker essential. Driving in that situation without a pacemaker would be a criminal offence and you would have no insurance. I am not aware there is any conservative management of SSS other than stopping contributory medication like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers.
Why do you think having a pacemaker, if it came to that, would significantly impact you raising your children?
Oyster [ usually to be found on the Atrial Fibrillation Association forum on HealthUnlocked, along with 15,000 other members, not a few of whom have written about their pacemakers. Some of these have SSS]
Thank you for the reply Oyster. Thankfully I do not drive and try not being alone for long periods of time. The idea of artificially pacing the heart just seems scary.. I really want to try everything else before that.
I was diagnosed with sinus node bradycardia and fitted with a pacemaker last September. I’d suffered several blackouts, two of which led to head injuries, one serious. I haven’t blacked out since being fitted with the PM. I am comfortable with the device now. I have recently been cycling again and I have felt just fine. When I look back at the time when I was fainting and the doctors were investigating the cause, I only wish I’d wrapped myself in cotton wool a bit better for my own safety. I’m glad that the doctors took the decision to implant a PM. I live a normal life today.
I may be wrong but I think you are ok to not have a pacemaker so long as you’re not blacking out or fainting? But you won’t be able to take any meds to control the high heart rates so if that’s driving you nuts then it’s going to be hard to find a solution.
I was diagnosed with inappropriate sinus tachycardia and my resting rate is low, 50s, and I’ve had rates in upper 30s (very occasionally). There are two types apparently. One type that has resting rate always over 90 and one type that leaps up inappropriately for every type of stimulus.
I will say that I’m not entirely convinced that I don’t have some sort of dysautonomia. Doctors really don’t have great knowledge in those areas yet from what I understand and I don’t want to drive 10 hours to a specialist.
So, I hope they are able to give you some good advice in for your situation. And I think if it’s truly tachy Brady you’re dealing with, you will require at pacer at some point but I know loads of people have to get them at your age for various reasons but I know it must be a scary thought. Best of luck!
Fair question mindful of KRG13’s symptoms, which on the bradycardia side I understand to be HR dropping into the 30s but no faints. I guess the question to pose to the doctors if it hasn’t been asked already is, is there a risk of a pause in my heartbeat which may lead to a blackout? A PM may then become a preventative consideration.
Hi, I have a diagnosis if SSS - pauses and sinus bradycardia along with AF, flutter and atrial tachycardia. I had regular pauses if 6 seconds which were starting to last 10 seconds over time. I have never full fainted from it but have been very close and quite incapacitated and ‘woozy’ with it. I had a pacemaker fitted in 2017 (age 44) and whilst I have had reservations there is no doubt that it has made me feel a lot better. I think if your EP or cardiologist recommends a pacemaker it will be for good reason and would offer you significant benefit. The procedure is very straight forward and I was home a couple of hours after implementation. I can appreciate your apprehension but quite a few younger people have pacemakers now.
What to expect re recovery after pacemaker
Innapropirate Sinus Tachycardia
Palpitations no real diagnosis 
This has me scared!!!!
