Hi - I'm new to this site. Received my ICD 4 weeks ago. Complications were pericarditis - inflammation in the sac surrounding the heart. Treated with anti-inflamatories - Yesterday, at the hairdresser's the ICD went off - Yikes - I jumped right out of the chair. I felt fine right afterwards, but called the DR. just in case. I was concerned about driving home, however, I did. No zaps since then. I'm new to this so my nerves are a little frazzled. Any advice? Thanks..

 

 

i had my icd,since jan 2007,zaped once,relax,go day day,the doctors office should call you any ,because they new you got shocked.you can drive if you feel fine

 

Advice....ONE: if you have a home heart monitor, do a self check and send it in, then if you really got the "ZAP", the EP's office will call you and tell you to come in to have your device checked and the settings checked or you may need to be reprogrammed ( like me, mine was set to ZAP at too sensitive of a setting)

My Defib. zapped me twice in less than a minute last September, my dual chamber pacemaker could not correct the rythmn for over 15 minutes, So I got a Zap that stopped my heart completely, then another zap to restart it. ( I was on the roof, when it happened fixing a roof leak.)

See, I told everyone the zap only lasts a millisecond, but the memeory of it remains...its been 8 months since my zapping and I remember it like it just happened......I know how it felt, I was wide awake for both of those zaps, and even though it was so quick, I'd rather it not happen again......

Look on the bright side, atleast you know it works, and the pain does not last....hope you don't need it again......good luck....