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ICD scares me, should I get it?
Hey folks, as you can tell from my title, I am new to this forum. Here is a little bio
I am a well conditioned 45 yr old male, with a 25 year history of cardiomyopathy; an EF of arounf 30%. I actually served my last year in the Marines with this issue and didn't know it till I got out. About three years ago I kept feeling terrible, and getting chest congestion. It was finally determined the dilated left ventricle has caused my mitral valave to leak. Now I have a nice mechanical valve as of May 26 2010.
I have recovered very well, and feel pretty good. The only problems I had was a bout with Afib, and was given amioderone. I was hoping for a boost in EF with my new valve, but my echo last week was 15 to 25%. Not what I wanted to hear. You can probably guess what my Doc told me I needed next. That's right, the ICD.
I am more concerned about getting this thing than I was going into a war zone. Here are a couple concernns
1) Will this damage my right vetricle or tricuspid valve?
2) Will it cause tricuspid regurgitation?
3) If my EF does go up, is it a big deal to take it out?
4) is it worth it?
Sorry to be a wimp, thanks for reading.
7 Comments
hook
by 8thID - 2010-09-03 09:09:27
Hello,
My advice is do what the Doc says. I'm 44 and male and my main problems were 2nd & 3rd degree heart blocks. On some of my tests I had a few instances of arrythmia and tachycardia, and my EP said he'd like to go ahead and be safe and implant an ICD. I agreed. I have a Boston Scientific 3 lead PM/defib. My surgery was 7/27/10. I've been back to Doc twice--they tweaked it a little both times and I feel great. They estimated my battery would be good for another 8 1/2 years. I was scared about all of this, but what helped me was the people on this site. I knew a lot of info before I went in for my implant, and it helped me to ask the right questions. I don't regret getting it at all, especially when I think of the alternative. Thanks for your service. Take Care and I wish you the best!
8th ID U.S Army, Baumholder Germany '90-'92.
Jeff
Listen to the Doctor
by cruz - 2010-09-03 09:09:57
I have the 3-lead which serves as both a PM and defib. I also have a leaky valve. They are waiting to make a decision on repair of the valve. It's a big deal to remove, a much more complicated procedure and can be damaging. As Tracey posted, if you need the device only once in your lifetime, that's enough to justify having the implant. If you were told the battery on your car was low, and the mechanic suggested you get it replaced before you ended up stranded, you'd get it replaced before you run into a serious problem. If your doctor is recommending you get this procedure, he's saying your heart is weak, and you may, at some point, run into a serious problem. If you would guard against a failed battery with your car, why wouldn't you guard against a potentially life threatening condition going on in your chest?
Cammy
Amiodarone?
by Skyking - 2010-09-03 12:09:39
Are you still on it?
I was on it for 5 weeks....you can read my thread about it, incidentally, I saw my surgeon today, he took me off of it, he said "we use it in the hospital a lot, but not an outpatient drug we like to use"..... after reading about it, I have to agree with him.... So today (tomorrow actually I'll stop taking it again. Im on lipitor and baby aspirin and thats it now.
look into the amiodarone (google) thing and see what you see, its got some serious side effects eventually.
No wimp Bro
by Skyking - 2010-09-03 12:09:57
I dont know the answer to your questions, I had a mitral repair and 6 bypass a few months ago with a ICD installed.... went to the EP earlier this week got my download from the mfg rep (doc was on vacation...AGAIN) and surprisingly I had ZERO A Fibs and or events... the ICD has been riding shotgun and not being used at all. I think its overkill, but all three of my cardio's seem to think why not have it and talked me into it. Im starting to get used to it and actually feeling a little relieved I have it.... Its like having a paramedic crew in your chest there all the time.
After a few months I understand it is a big deal to take it out
s it worth it?.... I say go for it
Semper Fi
***-235 Bahrain 91'
thanks Jeff
by hook - 2010-09-04 01:09:34
In all the forumms I am on regarding heart related issues, I find a lot of former military, police and firemen. Most of which keep in good physical condition. I often wonder if people who have encountered extreme stress in their service have a higher incendent of heart disease. A study like this could bankrupt the VA.
Type A
by cruz - 2010-11-12 10:11:17
I don't think it's just military, police and firemen. On another forum, it's pretty clear we were/are for the very most part, Type A personalities. We were in a stressful job, had multiple responsibilities, tight deadlines, heavy workload...and thrived in these conditions. We had tight deadlines and were the "go to" people. We were healthy, active and ran circles around the younger co-workers. We all would have responsed "no" if we were asked if stress bothered us physically, mentally or emotionally. We seem to be stubborn and goal orientated. I think we may have been fooling ourselves for DECADES by thinking we aren't affected by stress. I can now say, without a doubt that if I get stressed, my SOB, chest pain and all the other nasty symptoms flare up. This was one of the things that I just couldn't wrap my head around in the beginning. When the doctor said I needed to stop working for awhile to give my body a chance to adjust to the meds and to recover, I stubbornly decided that I could just will my body into a recovery..while continuing on with my normal day-to-day life. I continued to put in the 13-15 hour days, push through the pain and almost wound up dead. My already low EF continued to decline in spite of the meds and the symptoms became more than I could cover up. I was breathless at meetings, my knees were shaking from weakness and I pulled off the expressway more than once because my chest felt as if someone was squeezing my heart with their fist. I'm barely starting to improve and it's because I've had to make some drastic, hard to accept changes in my lifestyle. I finally had to listen to the expert advice and I'm starting to improve very gradually. I no longer think I can control every situation. Sad but true.
You know you're wired when...
You run like the bionic woman.
Member Quotes
My ICD/pacer is not a burden. I still play tennis and golf.
ICD or CRT?
by Tracey_E - 2010-09-03 07:09:02
CRT (cardiac resynchronization therapy) come with ICD's but not all ICD's come with CRT. CRT is a three lead pacemaker which can increase your EF by synchronizing the left and right ventricle. The pm (2 lead) function that's built in all icd's will keep your hr up and the icd will shock you out of a dangerous rhythm. That third lead can improve efficiency.
I don't know the specific answers to your leakage questions, but it's not uncommon for valve replacement patients to end up with pacemakers, or pacemaker patients to sometimes get valve replacements. Some valve leakage is normal with a pm, there's a wire in there so it can't close completely.
It can be taken out fairly easily for about the first year but removing it can do damage so it's more likely if you didn't need it that you'd turn it off and leave it in there. Well, that's what I'd choose, I'm sure some would just want it out. After a year it would require a laser sheath to detatch the leads from the scar tissue, which is a specialized surgery.
I agree with what the others said, if you need the icd, not having it is scarier than having it. It only has to do its job once to make it well worth it.