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Effects of Long Term Undiscovered Bradycardia

I'm male, 59. Recently diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) with  tachy-brady-block components. Had a pacemaker implanted, doing fair. The short brady episodes would suddenly drop my hr into the low 30's, the tachy component 90-ish.

For all I know, I may have had SSS for many years. I have worn a Holter monitor on occasion for PVC's, but my family doc never told me until recently that my heart rate was dropping into the 30's for short periods back 10 years ago. Who knows what my hr may have dropped to on occasion when not wearing the Holter?

My question is, what might be the long term effects of occasional bradycardia episodes, over say 20 years? I passed out once during the day while sitting, and have awoke in a cold sweat at night several times with heart pounding. I have had mysterious and painful symptoms for the past 20 years, including tingling face, arms, and legs, fatigue, sleeplessness, headache and more. Wonder if the SSS/brady could have slipped under the radar all those years, and be the root cause of many of those symptoms?

Has anyone had long term, undetected brady that caused mysterious symptoms, and what were they? Is it possible we have stumbled upon the cause of my undiagnosed nightmare illness of 20 years, or is that highly unlikely?

Many thanks, and best of health,,,
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Avatar universal
My husband age 43 now was diagonsed with SSS 2 years ago while having a pacemaker installed to deal with symptoms he had been having in some shape or form all his life, but had got alot worse a year before. Despite all the monitors no one could come up with a reason for his symptoms it was the cardiologist who picked up the SSS during the pacer installation. According to all the experts bradycardia by itself isn't fatal, its what happens to you while you are not physically capable of being able to react ie:passing out while driving.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the reply jimgreg. My pacemaker is set to kick in below 50 bpm. No more waking up in a cold sweat.

The monitor did catch the 30 something bpm. My family doctor said it wasn't real unusual, but it made me faint once while sitting in a chair. It also made me wake up in cold sweats at night. I'm just wondering if that could have been going on for years and giving me all sorts of weird symptoms that mystified the docs.

Thanks again, and best of health,,,


Bob A.
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Avatar universal
im 45 yr old male..bp  problems up and down..ive got a thyroid test tommrow..when i was in my 20,s my dockter told me toi run in place.. i never asked why..so i been having bracarda for awile noe not sure how long..my b.p. runs with the meds 130-150// 70-85 not bad there.at night it runs 110/55 p 48 laying down  sitting up runs 130/58 p 52-54..i dont notcie any symtoms though....urs in the low 30,s yes thats not good..i would really think that the monitor would have caught that  for sure...so does the pacemaker keep ur pulse up or what???  thanks  mail me   james
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21064 tn?1309308733
I am not a doctor, but I am not under the impression that bradycardia can cause long-term health effects.  I think the main concern is the danger of having your HR drop so low that you pass out.  I remember when my Dad was having bradycardic episodes.  The main thing was to get him a pacemaker so he would not pass out.

It seems that a Holter would have picked up SSS, but I supposed there is some chance you never had the symptoms while wearing the monitor.  

I hope others who have experienced long-term bradycardia will chime in.

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