.ICD movement

• by riodog
• 2009-05-29 08:05:06
• Complications
• 1822 views
• 1 comments

Hi,
I'm new however I have lurked a few times. My Medtronic ICD was implanted 3/10/09 after I was diagnosed with CHF. I had a lot of complications from lung puncture and was rushed by ambulance back to the hospital after just two hours at home. I got air under my skin so bad that my cardiologist said I looked like a giant inflated blueberry and my friends told me I had no neck after being zapped 3 times by the ICD. If you touched me I sounded like rice crispies. Needless to say, I was not allowed a mirror nor was I well enough to use one. The air did get absorbed and after 10 days in the hospital and being completely out of it due to drugs I finally got to come home. The ICD was adjusted once to advance my heart rate from 60 to 70 thus eliminating lightheaded and feeling faint. I fell and landed smack on the ICD after being at home 2-3 wks after tripping in the yard. I still have some pain under the ICD near my arm pit. I also now have a problem with angina in the evening or at bedtime and have nitro patch for that which is handling it nicely. I am told every thing is working properly and I am feeling pretty good. I have two questions (sorry it took so long to get to them). 1. My ICD moves around. Within the first 2 wks it rotated 180 degrees and has stayed at that angle. When I lay down or sleep, it moves up as if trying to go over my collarbone and up into my neck. It also will slide to the middle of my sternum. My Dr. says to try any get used to it as it will probably stabilize and he doesn't want to risk infection by going in to reposition it. 2. The shocks I got at home before being rushed back to hosiptal were so strong they scared me badly and I need to know if my ICD needs to activate, will the shocks be as bad as they were then. I was holding bowl and it flew out of my arms and across the kitchen.
Can anyone tell me how strong the shocks are? Should I insist he anchor the darn thing from moving around?
Thanks.