I posted a message yesterday, and I appreciate your responses.

I'm the guy who has a rare heart condition, low ejection/fraction rate (15%-20%), and scheduled for a Biventricular Pacemaker.

Can I ask you guys who received the ICD if you were on medications before you got it? Right now, I'm maxed out on Coreg and Lotensin, along with Lasix and Aldactone. Even so, my ejection/fraction has not improved from 15%-20% area.

Did you continue on your medications? Does the ICD replace them? If so, which ones are you still on? Above all, how are you doing?

Thanks---
James

 

 

Hi James, I think you can plan on staying on the meds. My Bi vetricular was placed 7-10-07 and I remained on coreg, lanoxin,and diovan. My ej stayed 20% for two years and I am finally at 30-35%. Try not to think about the numbers and concentrate on how you feel. the process is slow

One thing my EP did recommend was the over the counter heart vitamin. Coenzyme Q10 100 mgm.My ej started up after that.I am unsure if that helped but I do take every day

Good luck

 

Hello James,

It is most unlikely that the pacemaker will replace all of your medicines. Coreg is a beta blocker and Lotensin is an ACE inhibitor. Both of these are to make the heart able to pump more blood at lower heart rates. The Lasix and Aldactone are both diuretics to keep fluid build up to a minimum as excess fluid is very detrimental to the hearts ability to pump blood.

It may seem to you that since the Coreg and Lotensin do essentially the same thing they may be duplications. These meds accomplish their goal differently. The same goes or the Lasix and Aldactone. It will truly be wait and see to know if you can stop any/or all of these medicines after you get a pacemaker.

I have taken all of these medicines at one time or another, before and after I got my first pacemaker 10 years ago. Right now the only one of them I take is Lasix, but I do have to take others.

I saw our first post and have read the comments you got. I agree with them and my guess it that while the bivent pacemaker will increase your EF, again will be wait and see how much. With an EF of 15% to 20%, I would expect any increase will give you a welcome improvement in the way you feel and an increase in the amount of activity you can tolerate.

My answer to your last question is: I got my first pacemaker in 2000 at age 71. While there have been good and bad days with my heart since then, the pacemaker has done its job continuously. In fact I seriously doubt that I would be here today with out the little jewel.

Best of luck to you,

Smitty

 

I have had my unit since 2005, I take tikosyn, accupril,coreg lasix and warfaren, tikosyn is a heart rythum drug, coreg is a beta blocker, accuprill is an ace inhibator, lasix is a diuretic, and warfaren is a blood thinner.My EF has improved some in 5 years but not much. They tell me it probable never will, of course I am 78. I can still walk a mile each morning, but not a lot of pep to do anything much. I do a litttle yard work, go to the coffee shop every morning to solve the worlds problems. sit here at the computer with scottrade trying to make a few bucks. We did go to Texas this summer (from Arkansas) to a school reunion, took a cruise from New Orleans in March, so I do get around some. No longer fly because high altitude bothers me and aircraft presurize to about 6000 ft, so am afraid to try it.
Thomas

 

James: I too am on my 2nd BIV ICD. I am considered one of the younger ones to have one placed. Originally I did have a slight increase in EF, and was told that I could be off medications. Since that time though my EF has remained at about 25% and I am on tykosin, lasix, coreg, and aldactone.