Pacemaker for heart block following catheter ablation

[georgianna62]

I am in heart block following catheter ablation for SVT.  My heart rate is 48 and I am facing the likelihood of getting a pacemaker though my physicians are encouraging me to be patient and hope that my normal pathway was not permanently damaged.  (I was fine for for the first 24 hours post-ablation.) My question involves options for pacemakers.  I am a very fit 46 year old woman and my chest area is very "bony".  I have breast implants (under the pectoral muscle) and I am wondering if there are other options for mounting the device other than my upper chest area which will certainly be visible and possibly uncomfortable.  I am also wondering about any new pacemaker technology that I might want to look into.  Any information into my condition and options would be greatly appreciated.

[ladytsutaz]

Hey,

Did you get the pacemaker, or did your heart recover?  I am hoping you had a good outcome, because I too am faced with the same problem.  It has been 8 days since my ablation and my heart sits at 50-52 bpm and won't go any higher than 65 bpm (with exercise).  My heart also recovered while I was in the hospital, but about 24 hours later it was blocked.  My doctor wants me to give it 3-5 weeks to see if it improves after the swelling has completely gone down.  I am very discouraged and depressed, because I too am a very active, athletic person.  I appreciate any response you can give me, good or bad.

[Wisconsin2007]

I read the same threads it appears you did (linked just above the "Post Comment" box), and it looks like the answer from a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic indicated that waiting for a few weeks would be warranted.  I can only imagine what you must be feeling after having had the procedure to fix the SVT.

I know that many of the people that have posted here after having an ablation have mentioned that their hearts continue to heal over the span of the few weeks following the procedure, and that causes undesirable effects that fade in time.

I do hope your heart heals in a way that restores it's usual function.  Please keep us updated as to your progress.

There are other far more experienced people here that will likely give you more information than I can - they'll likely add to your post over the next day or two.

[georgianna62]

Thanks for your reply.  I feel like I am in a bad dream and looking for some hope!  My normal resting heart rate was in the 70's.  My problem is that regardless of activity, my heart rate does not go above 48.  I cannot climb stairs without becoming completely exhausted.  I also have AV dissociation with both chambers firing out of sync.  I am looking for others who may have had a similar outcome with improvement over time.  I have been in this state now for 10 days.  If there is some hope that things will get better, I can wait.  If not, I am ready to proceed with pacing and try and get back to a normal life.

[Wisconsin2007]

Hi Georgianna62, I'm sorry to hear that things may not have gone as well as hoped with your ablation.

One thing I'm wondering is that you mentioned you are very fit, and that you have a heart rate (I assume it's a resting heart rate) of 48.  Is that what the doctors are using as cause for an ICD, the bradycardia, or is there some other reason?

The reason for my question is my father, at around your age, was also very fit (ran the occasional marathon), and had a resting heart rate in the mid to low 40's.  He was perfectly healthy and not taking any medications for that heart rate - it was just a matter of having a well-trained heart.

Just wondering if yours is also well-trained, or if that low rate is more pervasive than just at rest.