Shout Out of Congratulations

Just rec'd a Pvt Msg from a long-time member i London - Janey L.  She just last week successfully navigated a procedure to have an RV lead removed, a third lead installed and a CRT-D implanted.  Took them 5 hrs.  Recovering very well she reports. 

Let's all wish her the very best in the  

Donr

3 Comments

CRT-D

by Grateful Heart - 2018-03-13 21:19:13

Congrats Janey.  You've now joined the big boys.....er....girls.

Glad you're recovering well.

Grateful Heart

You Did It

by NiceNiecey - 2018-03-13 21:49:57

Well done!  I think it's quite an accomplishment that you had all that done in one fell swoop.  It encourages the rest of us that may have to face this sort of thing in the future.

Thanks Donr for letting us know about this.

Niecey

Thank You!

by Janey L - 2018-03-14 13:55:50

I have just seen this post! Thank you Don for posting this and thank you for the 2 replies so far.

To let you all know what happened. I had my PM for 7 years. It was dual chamber. I had 2 ablations for atrial tachycardia in 2010 and 2011 which slowed my SA node down too much so got my PM and had atrial pacing. Then I developed a junctional rhythm and had to have that ablated in 2012. It was near my AV node so that got slowed down too much and I then had my right ventricle paced too.

Fast forward 7 years to January this year. I collapsed at home with ventricular tachycardia. My heart rate was 300bpm (recorded on PM). PM download also revealed I had 5 other episodes of VT since June last year - they were very brief and I didn't feel them.

So in January my EP said I needed to have my PM removed and be upgraded to CRT-D. Reason for CRT is not CHF but because I am apparently young (55!) and have decades of pacing ahead. He said it is better to have both ventricles paced in my case. Again, due to my young age (I don't feel that young but apparently I am!) my EP didn't want to leave too much hardware in me so he said I needed to have my old RV lead removed and a new one put in for the CRT-D, plus the 3rd lead on my LV. Thankfully they said my atrial lead was ok to leave in.

I had my 5 hour op last Thursday. Thankfully under GA. I was really scared about having my RV lead removed as they warned me of the risks of perforating the heart or even death! When I woke up in recovery I was so relieved to find out the RV lead came out ok with the tool they use. EP had problem getting a good location for the 3rd lead on LV but he said he perservered and he is happy with position he managed to get it in.

I am at home recovering now. I think I have an advantage in that I had the PM before so I am used to being paced, used to the wound healing, used to checks etc. I have been having some diaphragm twitching from the 3rd lead but they hope it will settle. They tried various settings before I left hospital to set that 3rd lead to minimise the twitching. It's location is right near the nerve.

I am scared to be on my own at the moment in case I get a shock but they tell me it's normal to feel that way at the moment. My husband is making a great nurse. The hospital run a support group for ICD patients and their spouses and we are going to join that. I am also eligible for cardiac rehab with the ICD (not with PM in UK) and am going to do that. I just want to do everything to get my fitness back and get back to living life to the full. Life is for living! My dear brother died of kidney cancer at age 67 last year and his death just showed me how precious life is and how we have to make the most of it.

Best wishes to you all.

Janey

 

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