My husband is scheduled for a catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia. His ICD has gone off approximately 5 times in the last three months. Has anyone had this procedure done and if so, what were the results. There will be three EP's in attandance as well as a representative from the mapping company. I am worried sick and would appreciate hearing from anyone who can provide some insight into the procedure. Thank you very much.

 

For the responses. My husband has an appointment tomorrow with his EP. He's not had any more events since last Wednesday...knock wood. I wonder if maybe the surgery of having the old ICD replaced didn't aggrevate his heart. And the virtuoso is a much more advanced ICD. I don't know just guessing here, hopefully things will calm down and go back to where we were pre ICD replacement....Cissie

 

Hi everyone,

I've had my biventricular pacemaker (a 3rd wire was added to my ICD) for four days. I'd love to hear success stories. Tell me about why you're happy with yours and how wonderfully your life has changed. Thanks!

Tulip

 

Hi.... occsionally i hear a tapping noise made by my ICD. does anyone tseem to have any ideas as to whats this could be as a result off.

 

I do not have a ICD but my husband does and I hope it is still appropriate for me to post on his behalf. He had a medtronics ICD placed in 2003, in all that time he had 7 shocks. Last month that ICD was replaced with the new and improved medtronics virtuoso, he has had 2 shocks and 1 pace with this ICD in less then a month. Both shocks put him unconscious and scared me beyond words. He feels them coming on and gets to the floor as fast as he can. Now the only thing that has changed is the ICD, but yet the doctors are telling him to take more coreg and amiodarone. I have asked them could it be the ICD or the settings and they are telling us that the ICD is doing its job. Well his life has changed dramatically with this new ICD. Why and how...

 

hi everyone! my name is michelle and i think i'm going to have to have my battery replaced soon in my icd. i'm kinda stressing out about it a lot..i read that it's not really that big of a deal and it seems like a pretty easy surgery but the thing is i was shocked 8 times back in 2005 (they all were "unnecessary" whatever that means) when i first got this thing in me & i still have not gotten over it so i'm kinda freaking out about getting my battery replaced because i fear this is going to happen again. my question is has anyone had a "complication" after having their battery replaced? like getting shocked? this is probably a stupid question but they have to reset everything once they put in the new battery or whatever right?

 

Hello-
I've been meaning to post about my checkup but boy have things been crazy!!
The Dr and tech think that the thumps I have been feeling are PVC's due to the ICD/lead. They can't see them on my readout because I only have one lead. I guess 2 leads are required to get a reading on a PVC. Everything else checked out ok and there were no abnormal rhythms on record. The general opinion was that once more scar tissue built up that the PVC's would go away. He wasn't too happy that my bpm was 113 when I went in but that was just after being chased by a bull- Farm girl- long story. I did find out that my ICD is set to go off at 205 bpm's.
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions!! You are all wonderful!
Candi

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Hi,

In 12/07 I got a pacemaker after passing out two times due to really low heart rates. After a very long recovery with a lot of problems, I finally was able to return to work on 5/29/08. Everything seemed fine for three weeks then I started to feel like I was going to pass out again all the time. Pacemaker interrogation showed that I had several episodes of v-tach five days in a row.

Electrophysiologist did an EP study on Thursday. She said she didn't expect to find anything; thought that the v-tach would turn out to be benign. Well, that wasn't the case and within two hours of the EP study being finished, I was in surgery to have the pacemaker removed and get a Medtronic ICD. I didn't have a lot of time to think...

 

I had my first "kick" this week. I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow. How can I tell if it was a cardioversion or a true defib? I'm pretty darn sure it was the defib but am now questioning myself. I went down in a faint fast,which I have never done,had a kick which was dreamlike,,then another kick. Afterwards,weak and wobbly with a prickly feeling across the top of my chest. Anyone have anything like this before?

 

Well- I received my ICD on June 2nd so I guess I am now 3 wks post implant (seems much longer). Ever since then I have these "thump" feelings in my left/middle chest behind my sternum. Like someone tapped me with one of those rubber reflex hammers- not painful but very noticable. There are usually 2 or 3 right in a row. I don't have them every day but sometimes it is several days in a row. I had them Sat, then Monday & Tues this week.

I never had any documented arrythmia and they implanted the ICD as a preventive measure due to my LVNC. They did think it was possible that I had arrythmia in the past though when I described many sleepless nights in which my heart felt as if it was "racing" but nothing was ever documented.

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ih all when my icd goes off it realy hurts i assume that this is the norm

 

i am 3 years with my icd i have pulled wires been shocked had phantom shocks had the thing repaired gained weight lost weight delt with metal detectors 440 3 phase motors i have tried living that normal life but i hate to say it folks but the device just buggs the crap out of me over time my left side my arm and shoulder hurts it gets worse at times dealing with unemployment disability shocks numbness doctor visits been told it will get better hey let me rant ok it is great to be alive but it is not pain free going from being a very active man to being passive knowing i could always take care of myself and others but a hint of weakness to be helpless at times kills me hey its fathers day and i hurt i saw a new md before he could glance at ...

 

In searching for the adverse report event for my episode in the FDA Data Base I happened on to a very interesting adverse event posting by a manufacturers rep. He states that the low impedence of the lead "inapproiatly" induced the vf episode that eventuallly ended with the death of the patient. Its a very good explaination and "food for thought" for all of us. Just go to the FDA home site [http://www.fda.gov/search.html] and in the search box type in 687423. This is the report number. Its worth a read to anyone having vf episodes that has an ICD. I've had over 530 vf episodes in the last six months so I'm actively researching it. Anyone with any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Yes these things have saved lives in many cases, nut that...

 

is there anyone going thru the lawsuit with guidant right now. if so has anyone gotten any up dates when they wiil start sending moneies to the clients . i heard not until later this year. please some one let me know. thankyou debraloncar

 

I'm just barely nine months post ICD-CR implant - and Friday night I got zapped for the first time. - Yikes! Just sitting down to have dinner with my family - when I felt very strange for a few seconds - and then before I could even articulate what I was feeling - I was being lifted out of my chair by what felt like lightening going through my chest. A spilled drink, a yelp, and a few seconds later - it was all over with. I have a message in to my doc to let her know what transpired - but beyond that - nothing seems much different. Except I find myself waiting for it to happen again. and I feel a bit more down and vulnerable than I had allowed myself to notice before. I would appreciate any input from others who've been zapped - Tha...

 

Hi everybody,

I'm in week 3 with my new ICD. I think I felt some pacing for the first time today. I was in the car with my Mom, and suddenly felt my heart skip a little, and then a warm pulse of energy in the middle of my chest. My Mom asked what it felt like, and the first thing I could think to say was "warm". It was odd, but not in a bad way.

Of course I won't know if it actually WAS pacing me until I go and get it interrogated.

Hope everybody is having a great day!
Helen

 

It all started back in december of 07.My employer gives a wellness screening test once a year. I figured what the heck its free so im in.All went well except blood pressure was 160/100.The lady that checked me suggested i go see my family doctor
A few days later here I am in dr office.Shes listens to my heart and says shes going to run a ekg to be safe .She says not to worry.Too late already am. I just came for some blood pressure pills doc.So i had the ekg and went back in docs office to wait for results.She comes in 5 minutes later and said Ive had an old heart attack.Dont remember having one. Now im really worried. Doc sends me to have stress test and echo. I thought i passed but these docs didnt like what they saw so I was sent...

 

i have been fortunate
with my icd, just wondered how others
are doing ?

 

I am new to this group. I got a pacemaker/defribillator last year. I recently began to have chest pain in the middle of my chest, pressure in my back and then the pain moved to where the pacemaker is and I also have constant shoulder pain and I've also had heat in where the pacemaker is. I'm concerned about the symptoms also because I have one of the Medtronic Sprint Fedilus leads. My doctor doesn't seem to know what to do for it since he hasn't had anybody with these symptoms. Has anybody else know of or have had these symptoms at all?

 

My question is about the icd and temporary exertion, cold water “shock” and adrenaline rush.

I just had an icd implanted. I am an outdoor adventure guide leading canoe and walking trips based in Vermont. We live in rural Nicaragua for 6 months where we are 3 hours away from the nearest basic hospital, 12/15 hours from a professional city hospital. We understand and accept that risk and actually that was the factor that tipped in favor of getting the icd.

We did not explore this question fully before getting the implant. Although I have not had a shock yet, I think I will be OK with that...but my concern is how debilitating is it? For example, I am guiding/running a whitewater river, and am thrown into cold water...ho...