Most Recent Messages in ICDs

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st judes icd failure

Anyone out there have a problem with low impedence in their St Judes ICD?? Mine failed to shock but luckily I was in a hospital elevator and quick response aved me..most of me anyway. Still trying to sort out thew cause. Besat of luck to everyone.

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Epicardial Ablation

Hi,
My ICD was inserted in 2002 and have had ever increasing VT episodes since then 5 resulting in shocks. Had two previous ablations which had limited success (each reduced VT episodes for 6-9 months only). A third ablation in July this year failed and in fact increased the episodes to daily occurances.

Last Thursday in Barts Hospital London I had an Epicardial Ablation ( www.medscape.com/viewarticle/458545 ), has anyone any previous experience of this type of procedure?
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Sudden Increase in Heart Rate while Exercising

I posted a few days back about flushing and minor increase in heart rate. The Feedback was appreciated. No all of sudden after 2 months of cardio rehab at about the 2 mi mark of my 3 mile run/walk I will get pressure in my chest and my heart rate will go up to 106-110 for about 30 seconds and then come back to normal levels. I am going for a stress test on Monday, but has anyone else had this experience.

Dave

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Pain in Left Arm due to ICD Placement?

Hello, I am also new to this forum and hope this is not unusual but I am posting on behalf of my mother. I've been reading some of the other postings and am writing about my mother's nightmarish ordeal in hopes of getting some help for her. On top of other symptoms, she has an excruciation pain in her left arm and we think the ICD may be affecting the nerves in her arm. Is this possible and if so, what can we do about it?

My mother had a three lead ICD placed middle of July, 2007 s...

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medtronics icd shocking experience

Sorry this is so long, but need to vent. Posting this for my husband since he's in the hospital. Husband had a ICD implanted approx 1 year ago. Friday night he was working out of town and his ICD went off 39 times within 3 hours. He was taken by ambulance to a small local hospital and then transported to a larger hospital where a Medtronics rep came and turned it off. There was no indication that there was any cause for it firing. Husband overheard the cardiologist & rep talking that there...

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Periodic Flushing and Accelerated Heart

Hi There:

I have a dual chanber ICD had an ablation back in May and every month or so I expereince flushing and my herat will go from a reasting bpm of 60 to 85 and then within 2-3 minutes the flushing goes away first anf the heart slows don in 2 stages: Stage 1 around 75, Stage 3 around 65 and then a retrun to 60. ANYONE ELSE HAVE A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE?

Dave

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Terrible Dreams

Hello there I am new to this site and glad I found it. Had a ICD put in about 8 months ago. Very athletic and energetic guy here. Of course had to wait several months until I got to do my normal things. I just turned 40 and feel like I am 100. Seriously. This devise has changed some many things in my life. Activity no more really. Sex >>forget it. Told the doctor that my sex life was suffering. Doctor told me to increase my dosage of medication. Didnt work. And ever since my operation I have ha...

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Strings of Shocks

  • by fibby
  • 2007-09-18 09:09:42
  • ICDs
  • 2134 views
  • 2 comments

Ive been petrified for years and on anti anxiety and amiodarone most recently to ward of anxiety attacks that seem to increase my heart rate enough that it registers as VT. I have also read that if you have unnecessary shocks it can knock your heart into a lethal rhythm.
I have ARVC and have had ablation and am on my second device after two years. I have had over 200 shocks and many times almost 27 in a row, am I alone in this? It doesn't seem worth it. I thought you would only need a shoc...

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Finally, an Explanation

Hello,

This will be brief as I have my arm in a sling. When I went to the rhythm clinic, they discovered one my leads had detached and so they did surgery right away to fix it. They don't know how or when it detached, but they've fixed it and now I'm on the mend. Hopefully, from here on out, it will only go off when truly necessary. Thanks again to everyone for the words of encouragement or facts, you're all wonderful.

Rae

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Here it goes again!

Wow, this has been quite the week. First of all, thank you to everyone who commented or sent me a message. It can feel pretty lonely sometimes to have this machine inside me that acts of its own free will, and even though I wish none of us had them, it is really comforting to read other people's postings or hear their feedback.

Well, apparently I was in for yet another surprise this week. After the shock with my boyfriend, my doctor increased my beta blocker in hopes it would calm my...

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Shocked and In-Contact with Someone

Hello again,

Haven't posted in a few months, although I got great support the last time. I received my second shock last night, again, it shakes me up more mentally than physically. This time, however, I shared my shock with my boyfriend, as we were being intimate when it went off. I am too much of a lady to get into details, but he said that he experienced a flash of light in his head and felt a jolt. It certainly was not as strong as what I experienced, but it did freak him out pret...

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latest rush to the hospital

hi this is my second time to post,i went to the er in my home town with chest pains racing heart,dizziness and very weak,they called a guidant rep to come to er to take readings ,she turned down the lower chamber as low as she could,and left the er dr,sent me home with an angina attack, told me to follow up with my family dr next day, went and the ekg reading then sent me to a heart institute, where the pacer was put in 2 yrs ago, the tech was thier and he said the bottom chamber was pacing befo...

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phanthom strikes again

i jumped out of bed it was really weird my chest hurt i had shortness of breath my bp 98/52 hr 55 my head hurt i went and had my device checked no problems where found this is not the first time within 15 mins.my hr was78 my bp 128/70 i have had this thing(st.jude v193) since 01-15-05 and have pulled my leads out 06-06 my real shocks have come while i was asleep and i jumped out of bed........murf

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Paid Research Opportunity

MedQuest, a medical market research company is conducting interviews with people who have an ICD or Bi-V. Our client is in the process of coming out with a new implantable device and wants to hear some opinions on the perceived benefits & challenges of using this new device. We are seeking your opinions only and you will be compensated for your time. We are conducting this study in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. If you are interested please follow the link below and we will contact you. W...

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Pre- ICD Any Advice?

Hello All,

I am new to this site, but have a feeling that we will be here quite a bit. My husband will be receiving his ICD on August 14th. i am doing last minute panic research online. Any advice, do's don'ts. Things we should ask, things we should know? Just know that it will be a Medtronic, that is it.

Taking baby steps, terrified the whole way.


any info, tips, advice, things to be concerned with would be greatly appreciated.
the wife.

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ICD and returning to exercise

Hi Everyone

I am from Northern Ireland and have Long QT Type 1. I got a shiny new I.C.D in Nov '06 and I have been scared to return to any sort of proper exercise ever since. I was quite active before my diagnosis but after finding out that my heart condition is triggered by exercise has made me very wary. I have the usual fears of leads being pulled out and inappropriate shocks so my question is..... what sort of exercise do any of you guys do? I have started cycling and walking agai...

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need to know

Hello there I am a new member would like to know if there are any men who dont like the location of there ICD> Mine is above my left chest and sticks out some. I am a tall 6'7'' guy and really like to work out,. The doctor said I could not work out or play golf or catch for two months. Already dont really care for the way it looks when I wear a T shirt. Question is when I work out will the ICD stick out more. I am not being vain. This is all new to me and would really like to have this question...

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New and confused

Hello there I am a tall 6'7'' 39 year old male. Just had a ICD put in me two months ago. My life has changed so much and now I have so many questions. Find it hard to sleep at different times of the day and evening. I am still young. But this ICD is getting me depressed and man do I worry alot now. If anyone can answer questions that I have which is many. Please do.

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Need questions answered

Hello I am new to this site. Just did a google search and found it. If anyone is out there who could help me with some questions about this ICD I would appreciate it. Thank you

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lightning and icd

hi, I have a bizarre question has anyone experienced problems with their icd after a lightning storm? We had a nasty one that hit a house two doors from mine and caused a huge explosion then fire. Since then my chest has been tight and the icd site has been very painful as if it sending out little electric shocksevery twenty mins or so they only last a second. I went to the hospital and they found nothing on the ekg or blood work. I still feel the pain is icd related not heart but they never lo...

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Just because you have a device doesn't mean you are damaged goods and can't do anything worthwhile and have to lie down and die. In fact, you're better and stronger. You're bionic!