1st Electric Shock

Hello everyone.  This is my first post, and I am very happy to have found a support group.  I am one of the lucky ones who survived Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  On October 28th 2015 at roughly 4am I went into cardiac arrest while sleeping.  By some miracle my wife awoke at the very moment it was happening and called 911 and immediately began CPR.  The Paramedics arrived and used the AED to restore my heart.  I was rushed to the emergency room and put in a medically induced coma.  Well 3 weeks later I was ablr to return home and back to work with and implanted ICD.  Well everything was going quite well until 2 days ago when I received my first shock from my icd at 5:30 am. I awoke very confused and disoriented. I went to the emergency room where I was told my heart went into Vfibrillation.  Needless to say, my life has been twice saved.  I am on new meds and  I am a nervous wreck.  I feel like it's a matter of time before my heart gives out!  


2 Comments

I am the other lucky guy

by Naud - 2017-05-03 15:05:38

Hey there! You are the reason i created an account here. I guess finding someone who survived a similar incident is good enough for me.

Long story short, on October 21st, 2015 i casually walked into a bank and boom, sudden cardiac arrest. I was 29 then btw, athletic, non- smoker etc who suffered from arrythmias for the last 2 years. There was no AED there but luckily for me an cardiologist was at sight so he saved me. You know the rest from your experience. I was also had to live with my new best friend, my ICD. *Fun fact; It was implanted on October 28th 2015.

I was on meds for about a year with no incidents at all so my doctor sail that maybe we should try cut them off completely. Bad call i guess. 2 months later as i had just hopped on my snowboard boom! i felt a kick on my chest, and then again, harder and harder. I received 5 shocks from 20 - 37 Joules. It was the most traumatic experience of my life. I thought i can't cope with this. I was scared all the time -partly i am now as i write to you-. The pain, the dizziness, the constant reminder that my life is so fragile, the fact that what the heck i have is here to stay..

I mean this situation was out off my hands, i had panic attacks. You have been there and you know what i am talking about.

Still, 2 months later i found the courage and closed an appointment with a phyciatrist. Needless to say i was immediately diagnosed with PTSD. (Post Traumatical Stress Disorder). I found that very helpful, and i am currently doing better. 

Will the fear ever gonna fade? I don't know at the moment, but you can say this is a progress condidering that few weeks ago i was sure it will never.

Hope you find my response helpfull. I am here if you want to ask anything.

:)

 

Thanks for your responseI

by CVance - 2017-05-06 00:30:48

Wow!  What a story!  

 

Sometimes you feel all alone.  No one knows what we are going through mentally. It can be very difficult at times. I found that support groups are the best way for me to cope.  

Thank you for sharing your situation with me.  We survivors need to stick together and encourage each other

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