Survival and Emergency Preparedness

...Is a new heartbeat.

Since I had a heart valve replacement 11 years ago, my heart rate has been slowing down. It's gotten to the point where I get dizzy occasionally. I haven't passed out or anything but it's concerning. My cardiologist has also detected an irregular occasional HB and has changed my heart meds which has stopped the slow down but recently sent me in for a CT scan with contrast to make sure there are no blockages or anything else. Good news is that my insides look fine. No blockages, cancer or anything.

So my Doc sent me to an Electrophysiology Cardiologist who sent me for a MUGA scan. That where they inject a radioisotope into your blood stream and then zoom in on your heart to make sure it's functioning normal. Results came back normal except for a very slow heartbeat and an occasional random heartbeat.

Next step...a pacemaker. This is an outpatient procedure that fastens two wires to the heart and then the battery/thingy is implanted under the skin. Scheduled for Christmas eve so I'll have a new heartbeat for Christmas.

Just an FYI. The average resting heart rate for most people is 60-100 beats per minute. Mine has always been in the upper 50s and falling in the mid to upper 40s now. The pacemaker will boost it back up to the 60s.

Also, my mom had a valve replacement in her early 80s. She had AFIB afterward and had a pacemaker for 15 years. She died at 97 this past September. She would have been 98 on Dec 16.

I hope all goes well for you. Merry Christmas!

The doc submitted the paperwork to the insurance for approval but it was rejected because not enough documentation that I actually needed a pacemaker. So it's back at the doctor to come up with more reasons while I should have one. Not really a big deal for me but I hate to have it hanging over my head.