younger female with exercise LBBB-So Scared

[linier]

I am a 37 y/o female who 2 months ago underwent an ablation for very frequent PVC's (sometimes 1000's a day) and at the time an ablation on what they thought was VT(seen on holter and stress).  Upon the EP studies, it was determined that it was a rate induced LBBB, usually brought on with my HR greater that 150 beats a minute.  It stops by itself when the rate goes down (maybe a min or two)  I can feel when I go into the LBBB, I get a strange pressure in my throat and my watch HR monitor goes crazy.  Everything I read says how rare this is, and how it is significantly associated with Cardiac problems and death, or the demise of the conduction system.  Several articles said it could be microblockages in the coronary arteries.  I have had a holter and cardiolyte stress (both showed the LBBB at exerecise), an echo, a cardiac MRI and CT angio which were ok.  I still get PVC's, but nothing like I did.  I'm terrified to exercise because I know I'm in that rhythm. This diagnosis is scaring me.  I have young children and feel that I have a death sentence.  So... #1    What do you think potential problems I might have in the future, or could they be missing something I have now?  #2  Can you comment on the facts I presented and tell me what you think  I should do?  Thanks for your time!

[tsco]

I have the exact problem.  MY LBBB is rate dependent also and even though my EP said I should not even know that the LBBB kicks in I feel a sharp pain sometimes at onset and I feel tightness in my throat and can feel the dis-rhythm.  He claims he has never heard of these symptoms. I researched and found there are rare cases where people feel the LBBB, we must be two of them,  To me, you are lucky mine kicks in at 130-140 but with the meds I'm on to reduce PVCs, PACs and SVT it kicks in at around 105.  I am having a hard time coping because I like to be active.  My understanding is LBBB is very common (most don't know they have it) and as long as your heart is healthy it is not a death sentence.  One trick I have learned is a beta blocker to lower your heart rate will make it harder to induce the LBBB. Write me if you want to talk more about it.  I think maybe we are rare!

[DebbiK]

A related discussion, younger female with exercise LBBB-So Scared Continued was started.

[linier]

Thanks for the response.  I  am really uspet about this.  I can't exercise because I feel it come on, and last time it took over 5 min to get out of it. From everything I've read, it sounds like this is a precursor of heart trouble to come.  The exercise LBBB is so rare that only .5% of people have it.  I'm afraid that my whole conduction system is going down-before the ablation I was have thousands of PVC's every day.  I j ust keep wondering what the heck is going on.  What did your doc say?  have you had this long?  Has it gotten worse?  How old were you when you were diagnosed?  No problem if you're not comfortable answering these-thanks for responding.

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

You don't have a death sentence.  The best advice I have is stop reading the internet.  Most of the time with internet medical searches, people do not know how to look for the answers that truly apply to them.

It is true that left bundle branch blocks are associated with cardiovascular disease.  If you have normal studies, that is a good sign.  It is also possible that rate related bundle branch block is related to the ablation that you had if it was in your left ventricle.

If you have a normal stress test, echo and an ep study, there isn't anything else to do.  It sounds like you are doing well-- try not to worry about problems you don't have.