MY checkup a question

Hello there:
I went to my cardi,this week. Did a check on my ICD/PM.
All looked good there. But she said I am going into cardi-arrest.
She also gave me Lasix+potassium. I have to weigh myself every a.m. Anyone else out there that has the same problem?
Also how do I find out if my PM is turned on or off. Forgot to ask, got the print out though. What do I look for. Asking this question because I was suppose to have only the ICD implanted, but they implanted the combination which I didn't really need. After word the told me that is the only way they come. Searched & found out that they do come just a ICD. So was wondering how can I find out if the PM is turned off. Would something on the print out tell me. Thanks for all the help & information. lv you guys. Have a great weekend! rayan

6 Comments

PM as part of an ICD

by markjbaker - 2008-10-25 04:10:26

You do want a PM in your ICD, same as I have.

Somewhere in your printout will be a lower heartbeat and a upper heartbeat. If you exceed the upper limit, the ICD will shock or cardiovert you. If you go below the lower limit the pacemaker will pace you. My values are 50 and 200 bpm

If you have an arrest and are shocked it is likely that your heart will then have a very low beat rate and the PM may keep you alive until it beats at regular speed on its own again.

My 1st checkup is Wednesday

by Gonnie - 2008-10-25 10:10:01

I too have the PM/ICD combo and am interested in how they check them. Can you tell me what they did at your checkup? Thanks!

combo

by Tracey_E - 2008-10-25 10:10:47

As far as I know, they always put in the combination icd/pm for the reasons Mark stated. It's the same surgery so why have just one when you can have both? It's not really turned on or off, pm's watch and only step in if they're needed. You may have it and never pace, but that one time you do need it, it could save your life.

Checkup

by markjbaker - 2008-10-26 04:10:17

I had an ICD checkup last week.

They connected me to the EKG in the programmer with the usual stickies.

They hooked up the programmer with the doughnut and ran through a diagnostic. At one point the pacemaker was turned on and my heartbeat was increased, which felt OK.

After the diagnostic with the programmer, the nurse checked my scar and gave a good prod and poke around the ICD to make sure it was sited properly and healed.

Same here..

by turboz24 - 2008-10-26 08:10:40

Mine is a combo unit, but only paces if I fall below 40 bpm. My EP told me the exact same thing, that it's there because sometimes when you get cardioverted, your natural pacemaker doesn't recover instantly, so the PM part will take over upto 40 bpm.

me too

by walkerd - 2008-10-27 03:10:42

I had open heart in Aug, and have damage to the right side of my heart. I had a pm/defib put in in Sept. Im not an expert on matters of the heart like alot are, but im on lasix for excessive fluid build up, probably is why u are taking it, but not positve. You take the potassium because lasix from what I have been told by my doctors is because lasix deplets fluid out of your body and potassium is part of that. Fluid build up leads to congestive heart failure and if im right leads to heart attack because it makes your heart pump to hard because of the pressure. That is what happened to me. Im not a doc but that is what I have been told I will be corrected if I tell you wrong and hopefully so as I would not want to tell someone something that could lead to them haveing problems. I ask my doc and I still dont understand half the things im told anyways, I hate putting all my eggs in someone elses basket, that is why im researching on net. Web MD has alot of good things in it, and cleveland clincs web site, mayo clinc web site.
best of luck
dave

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I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.