I have CRT-D, 100% dependent, AV Node Ablation and 15% Ejection Fraction. How does one cope with the such dire circumstances?

 

I will be starting Outpatient Cardiac Rehab 3 times a week. My Cardiologist thinks this will help my heart muscle. I was just wondering if anyone did this and if it helped. I am hoping that it will get my energy level back up and help my heart muscle. I have Severe Cardiomyopathy, I have had my CRT-D for over a year now. I am also feeling very bloated and my tummy is very tender to touch. I would appreciate any comments. Thanks..

 

I had my ICD implanted in 2006, in Oct I will have first replacement. They tell me the leads are fine, but I what I understood would be "day surgery" has become a 3/4 day stay. I am to be admitted to hospital one day, procedure done the next day and then was told to prepare for 2 day stay after that. Anyone else have to stay in hospital?

 

Hi

I am looking at the possibility to take a job in the US. I am a Canadian & US citizen. Is there any insurance companies I can get US coverage from? I want to retain my Canadian coverage but want to also explore what options are available to me in the US. Now that there is medical coverage for those with a pre existing condition has that helped people with ICD's get coverage?

Thanks

 

How much time do I have to wait after I have my ICD unit replaced before I can travel and insurance will cover me again. Normally for a pre-existing condition it is 90 days after a change...is that the correct lead time?

 

Having mine put in Sept 12th, my stomach is in knots, the reason is my heart had a viral/baterial infection , left side only working at low 20 des , right side high 80 des, being told the blood is not getting pumped properly out of the left side of my heart , having shortness of breath issues and low energy , my heat rate generally into the high 90 des, becuase of the infection , slow the PM will slow it down and turn up the pumping rate on the left side,

Read alot of low heart beat patience , how about any high heart rate patience with PM ,

All comments are welcome , The surgury date is getting closer and my stomach is telling me that

Thanks for listening

Roy

 

Hi

I've used a lawn mower many times since I got my ICD. Never had a problem.

Snow season is coming soon and I'm considering getting a self-propelled 2 stage snow blower. Has anyone with an ICD had trouble using a snow-blower?

I know we aren't supposed to lean over car engines beacuse of possible interference. My lawnmower hasn't been a problem but I'm thinking a snow-blower engine is a little bigger and just a little bit closer to the device.

Thanks for any input.

 

Hey everyone,

I'm 22 years old and I have a preexisting heart condition but I developed VT in April 2010. I had an ablation in July 2010 and my doctors implanted my ICD in August 2010. I have received shocks on two separate occasions. The first was in November 2010 when I was out drinking with my friends, where I received one shock. The doctors concluded that my VT was being caused by alcohol, so I stopped drinking and didn't have any problems. The second time was a little over a week ago where I received 36 shocks in the span of 23 minutes. The shocks did not bring my heart rate down for more than about 15-30 seconds. The ER doctor gave me an anesthetic and they tried shocking me with their defibrillator but that did not bring ...

 

Just wanted to know if anyone else has an LVAD implant along with their PM/ICD?  Friday morning I just rolled over in bed and was getting shocked every 2 seconds for a total of 8 events.
Wife called EMS and also the transplant nurse, I was taken to a local ER and was shocked again to restore a correct rhythm, 30 minutes later I was life flighted out .

 

Has anyone with a CRT ever had an AV Optimization and if so what was the result? This procedure to fine tune your device settings can go by different names. Boston Scientific can call it Quick Opt while I believe St Jude may call it Smart AV. Medtronic may pursue it via "echo optimization."

 

Hi fellows: So I received 2 more shocks from my device for VT and VF, we are doing some changes to medications increasing some and changing some others, we tried to push fluid but had to back off as It started to back up in the lungs. Here is my question to you as I forgot to ask the doc and it will be a few weeks until I see him personally even though I will be having weekly follow ups in clinic. When you have these repeated episodes does anyone know what long term effects it has on your EF?

 

Hello all. In fear of sounding 100% stupid.....I had my ICD installed 2 weeks ago, and for the past 4 days I have had a terrible eye tic (you know, when your eyelid quivers constantly but no-one else can see it!). It is relentless and has never happened to this extent before. Maybe 10 minutes max in the past, which I reckon everyone gets from time to time. I feel dumb asking...but could it be related to my ICD? Karen x

 

How can you tell if you receive a shock when you are sleeping? I have awakened twice gasping for breath, wide awake and heart beating fast, and sore the next day, bad dreams or?

 

Hello all - can I start by saying how lucky I feel to have found this site and how lucky we all are to have the technology that enables us to 'chat' like this.
I had my first ICD implanted 2 weeks ago. I live in Tasmania, the island state that sits at the bottom of Australia. I was diagnosed with Non Compaction Cardiomyopathy 6 months ago and have a recent family history of Sudden Cardiac Death, hence my need for an ICD. The reason it is so great to have all of you to connect with is that heart disease is very isolating. As is this thing that is so new to me - my ICD.
Reading your stories makes me feel less alone. Tasmania feels a long way from anywhere sometimes. I am recovering well from the ICD implantation - the procedure, ...

 

I am 25 y/o female who had a icd installed in March 2011. I really haven't had to many problems maybe the ocassional itch or ant bite sensation. Since Friday I have had what i thought was just going to be the ant bite sensation, but it is like sharp stabs of pain around my icd. Some aren't as bad as others but a few are off the scale for pain. They come on suddenly and go away just as fast as they came on. I called my DR yesterday and he said he didn't think it was anything serious but to go to the ER. So after my husband had to hog tie me into going i did. I told them what was going on and all. They did an x-ray drew some blood and did an ekg and gave me some morphine. The DR said all was ok and she thought it was the device causi...

 

I just had my ICD replaced and went to go back to my swimming asap. I know I need to wait for the incision to heal, my doctor said at least a month. Is this about right?

 

I thought that CRT's and ICD's were two different devices, now I have learned that they can be, but they can also be together as one device. Can someone explain this to me a little better? Thank you.

 

any one know of a protective vest i can wear to protect my internal icd against magnetic fields

 

I have posted several times on this site and got back very good responses. My cardiologist called me on my vacation and his also on a Saturday and told me that my pulmonary stress test nunumbs was low and he wanted to try a few things. #1 He wanted to start me on Cardio Exercises at hospital, make changes with my CRT-D, change my meds completely and see if I qualify for a International Cardiac Study. I am 44 with an EF of around 25%. he says I am one of the few that the device is not helping, but yet he hasn't done an echo in 6 months. My EF has went up a little each time. I have had people tell me it could take a while for the heart muscle to get stronger. Any advice or similarities? He also says I have a spot on my lung,but nothing to w...

 

I would like to buy a heart rate monitor, not for exercise purposes, but to determine when my heart rate is speeding up to an unacceptable level. Is there a suitable model that will work without interfering with my defibrillator and that I can program to signal an alarm when my heart rate reaches a certain range?
would appreciate any feedback on this topic

Kerryman