Pace makers???

[Yaps]

I have seen that many mitral valve recipients eventually have to get a pacemaker , likley due to the arrithmias, or artrial fibrulation..have many here had to do this?My doc is concerned with my a-fibbing.. ,he claims many mitrals have had to do this, is this true? I dont want another apparutus in me.. nope..sure dont... love the pup

 

[Nancy]

Joe had to get one because he had bradycardia (very slow heartbeats) from time to time which made him pass out. He also has afib, although not so much anymore.

The theory behind pacemakers, bradycardia and afib, is that they hope they can control the afib with beta blockers or something like that, which slows the heart rate, and then implant a pacemaker which will keep the heart rate from bottoming out.

In Joe's caes, he was never able to tolerate the beta blockers. But after getting his pulmonary hypertension under control and keeping his CHF in fairly stable condition, the afib is not such a problem. He's in normal sinus rhythm most of the time now.

 

[Emma]

us to

us to

We've been told that the one thing we need to watch Chloe for, is her to say she can feel 'fluttering', as apparently with her anatomy, following complete AVSD and mitral valve problems it's quite common. So I know that one day - a pacemaker may well be on the cards for her too. She has a right bundle branch block(?) at present and was in first stage heart block at one time too so she has a slightly erratic rhythm anyway but it seems ok for now (touching lots of wood as usual!)

Emma
xxx

 

[Nan]

Hi Yaps. I don't blame you for not wanting anything else, but a pacemaker was not a big deal, at least for me. I got one for the reasons Nancy cited for Joe, bottoming out on beta blockers in order to control a-fib. I had an AVR not an MVR....don't know if one is more likely to cause a-fib and need a pacemaker due to the meds or not.

But if you do need one, it truly was not a major issue. It is just annoying to have it checked all the time which in my case is done by phone (ah, modern technology) along with some checks in the docs office. They don't want the battery to run down, it also keeps a record of any a-fib events etc. which they can then monitor.

Good luck.

 

[Bionic Valve Tim]

I'll echo Nan's comments. In some ways, my Pacemaker was more taumatic than my AVR because it was unexpected and sudden. I also think that I felt a little stigmatized, being 31 years old and having a pacing device.

I've gotten over the anguish and I agree that the pacer is a non-issue. Slightly frustrating at the airport security checks, but other than that it's been no big deal.

That said, I'd still be thrilled to have it removed when the battery is due, as my cardiologist thinks is a possibility (I'm no longer on the beta blockers).

Tim

 

[Yaps]

So then many do end up on a pacemaker? Grief, I was hoping everyone would say,;shucks naw Yaps ; oh well I can hope doc wil change his mind, but am glad to hear theyre low maintenance.Love the pup

 

[Kathleen]

Avr/Mvr

Avr/Mvr

I have had my St Judes valves for 20 years and had a Medtronic InSync pacemaker implanted in October 2004. The years and years of Afibs and trying the entire specturm of medications was tiring. I named her Ruby and have enjoyed her company. We will be trying to ablate the AV node for the fourth time in June then Ruby should operate well. I will not take any more meds for the afibs, to many side effects.
If I knew then what I know now........
Kathy

 

[medtronic of borg]

pacers

pacers

Are no big deal these days!!!!!! I had my first one implanted at the age of 11 after suffering 3 cardiac arrests way up in the mountains. Took them 22 hrs to get me down off the side of the mountain to a hospital. Compaired to that experience nothing seems to bad. But, really it is very simple to put one in in, and they are so small today. I am due to have this one replaced soon. My next one will be my tenth. I am so gladd they have gotten beyond the experimental stages!

Medtronic of Borg

 

[Bionic Valve Tim]

Even though you got a couple quick replies (and there seem to be a handful of recent pacemaker threads), I think that's misleading. My impression is that the vast majority of VR patients do not need a pacing device. Don't know the numbers, that's just my impression...

Tim

 

[Emma]

I would have no idea about whether people with valve replacements end up with pace makers quite often - wouldnt like to try and guess.
Does it not go on the individual and how their anatomy is laid out - and what bits of the heart are affected by their conditon etc.
Chloe is only likely to need one due to her original condition of CAVSD, not her replacement. Her original condition meant bits were missing all over the heart and its electrical bits had to be played around with when it was all repaired, leaving her rhythm a bit dodgy (d'ya like my technical terminology there?! LOL).
Don't worry though - from what I've been told by many other people with them, is they are no big deal - just another thing to be checked up on every so often.
Love Emma
xxx

 

[Barry]

I had a mechanical mitral put in a few years ago. Found I had chronic atrial fib, and episodic tachycardia (the two go together, I think. Anyway, halter monitor showed my heart rate when asleep approaching 200 beats per minute!). They put me on beta blockers, but with beta blockers I would occasionally go into bradycardia (very slow heart rate). So they put in a pacemaker to establish a minimum rate for my heart.

 

[geebee]

I have had a mechanical MV since 1980 (on my second one - a St. Jude). I had occasional problems with a-fib which were controlled with meds until about 1 year ago when I went into constant a-fib. My cardio and I have given up on medication control and rely on an increased INR level to prevent clots.

I usually can't even tell I am in a-fib. The only time it is an issue is with heavy exercise and I have had to cut down a bit on that end. We have not discussed a pacer (are those even used for a-fib?) and may consider a cather ablation if it gets any worse.

I think there are quite a few valve recipients without pacers.

 

[Barry]

...I usually can't even tell I am in a-fib. The only time it is an issue is with heavy exercise and I have had to cut down a bit on that end. We have not discussed a pacer (are those even used for a-fib?) ...

I've only been aware of a-fib once, when I was in the hospital post-op after valve replacement. It was truly creepy. Yet I'm in a-fib more often than I am not. My pacer isn't for the a-fib, but is to keep my heart from beating too slowly from the beta blockers I'm on. I've still got a-fib with a pacer in, so I don't think a pacer does diddly-squat for a-fib.