Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
I've had a few minor arrhythmias over the past decade: the occasional little flutter in the chest, a good several minutes of PVCs (google) which drinking a glass of water stopped. A few other minor things. Saw a cardiologist, got a full workup, found to have a partial left bundle blockage. Then I had the PVCs, fairly recently, saw another cardiologist who said I had a right bundle blockage instead, but . . .
Yesterday I was riding my rollers out in the shop, just doing an hour of steady-state below VT1, HR about 115, when suddenly I felt a discomfort in my heart, followed about a second later by light-headedness, followed a couple seconds later by passing out and coming to on the floor with my wife standing over me. My Garmin showed no HR for 11 seconds, maybe true, maybe not. Turned out I have both right and left bundle blocks, which left only one operational. When that one fails, heart fails. Syncope. My doc says maybe I did my own cardioversion when I hit the floor. Owing to my almost infallible luck, I was not out on the road on the tandem with my wife. My face and neck aren't so good, but no permanent damage. Good thing I was passed out and limp when I went down.
Went to the hospital, got a full workup. Going to see a better cardiologist who'll put one of those recording patches on me for a couple of weeks, then install a pacemaker. My doc says I should be safe to do whatever then. Nothing seems to be wrong with my heart other than the electrics and everything else still works. Maybe I'll still be riding at 80 after all.
that’s a frightening one! my main fear in cycling is syncope due to VT, but i’ve lived with various arrhythmia for so many years that the signs are immediately recognizable. my theory is that i’d be able to stop and get off the bike.
make sure you see a good electrophysiologist. my (long) experience is that traditional cardiologists are not strong on the electrical side.