NCS Tachycardia Pacemakers

Hi everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with neurocardiogenic syncope with the main issue being the heart rate not so much the blood pressure. I was diagnosed with NCS and the main culprit being that my heart rate will tach up into the 160s+ and suddenly drop junctional into the 30s,40s, etc go accelerated junctional then back into sinus. They're currently trying medications which really aren't being too effective and I've been told that if they don't start working, they might have to consider sending me to an ep to see if a pacemaker might be necessary to stop the cycle of high then sudden low. Anyone have anything else like this go on? I'm 23 and the thought of possibly needing a pacemaker is terrifying...I don't know what to think or turn to...thanks for any input.

[BionicBabe]

I don't know anything about NCS, but I also have experienced syncope and have been diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia. I can relate to the feeling of being young and scared. I am 34, so not quite as young as you, but I feel too young for the serious heart problems I have. Since being diagnosed I've met lots of people who are young and have all kinds of serious heart problems. I've sinced learn that sometimes even children are implanted with pacemakers or defibrillators (ICDs).  I personally, have an ICD, which is like a pacemaker but it's main function is to defibrillate my heart if I go into a dangerous deadly rhythm. These devices don't really change your lifestyle at all. You can do all (well there are some limitations, but for most people nothing very relevent) the things young people do. The hardest part is coming to terms with it psychologically. Try not to worry until you actually see an EP and see what he/she says. He/she may have a totally different take on it and tell you a pacemaker is unnecessary. If you do end up with one, it sounds like in your case, it could vastly improve your quality of life because it would most likely prevent you from fainting. Good luck and try to relax and give the meds a chance to work! I don't know if you are on beta blockers, but they can take a while to work effectively.

[BLM_56]

I don't know anything about NCS but having a pacemaker is not the worst thing in the world.  It ***** that we have a problem that makes it necessary for our hearts to be regulated by a microcomputer but it beats the alternative - doesn't it?  At this time my heart is completely disconnected electrically from my body.  But my heart is beating strongly and regularly and I feel better than I did during the 6 months of a-fib and irregularly irregular (tachy to brady and back with no rhyme or reason and no pattern) rhythm.

Is it optimum to have a device making our heart beat properly - hell no!  Is it pleasant?  Not a bit.  Do I LIKE having a hunk of metal, plastic and silicon under the skin of my chest?  Not on your life!  I am 4 months post implantation and I still get twinges - probably will for the forseeable.  But I am more alive than I was before the implantation.  At least I am around to complain.  Before the device was implanted I would often spend the day sleeping and had little or no energy.  

There’s an old saying that goes like this: “I once complained that I had no shoes, but then I met a man who had no feet.”  My personal philosophy is "Every day I wake up on the green side of the sod is a good one."  If having a device implanted under the skin of your upper left chest and connected by one or more wires to your heart can improve your quality of life why not go for it?  Besides there is an upside.  You get to skip being wanded at airports (and other places with metal detectors at the entrance) because it could make your implant go wonky.  Just think of the fun you can have pulling out that little "get out of being wanded free" card? ;-)

Good luck.  Keep us posted.

Bionic Bill
Cyborg at Large