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Solar Storm Effects?
There's very little information online that I can find... I hope that's a good thing. I want to know if tomorrow's major solar storm will cause any effects on my Boston Scientific ICD?
In fact, I've had the defibrillator function turned off, so it's only acting as a pacer. I am most concerned with the threat of having the defibrillator turn on and get zapped - or just get zapped one way or another due to interference. Should I be concerned?
11 Comments
Very unlikely
by ElectricFrank - 2012-01-24 02:01:50
If the radiation from the solar flares is enough to bother our small pacemaker it would devastate the Space Station with all it's equipment. I just checked the lastest NASA report and they don't expect it to have any adverse effects on the the station.
So get a good nights sleep.
frank
One thing
by fishfighter - 2012-01-24 06:01:34
About solar storms is that it can effect power generation in power plants. I don't think it will effect PM's. Well, I hope not. LOL
Hummm
by walkerd - 2012-01-24 07:01:47
maybe NASA is like doctors and medication? Oh but the government wouldnt lie about anything..............
Hard to describe
by zocks - 2012-01-24 11:01:25
First of all, I wasn't really stressed. For whatever reasons, my heart rate naturally runs high during exertion. The doctors SHOULD have done stress tests before knowing how to properly set the thresholds on my device after installing it. But they didn't - and they set it at the typical 220bmp (I think it was).
So, it doesn't take much for me to get up to 150. Since I was pushing myself that day, it wasn't all that much more difficult to get it to 220. Then BOOM. It began. It needs time to recycle its charge... maybe 30 seconds or so. So that's what it did and kept doing. Because I was panicking and therefore keeping my heart rate high. High enough to make the ICD think the heart's beating healthily.
It wasn't until I got into the stretcher and was able to feel a bit secure that I could focus on just trying to stay calm. Keep in mind, though, I was under the impression this was happening because of environmental effects, what with my surroundings being an old prison with old radios and amplifiers and who-knows-what-else. But trying to calm down was the only thing that worked and of course, I learned later it was all just due to maintaining a high heart rate the whole time.
What did it feel like? It's hard to describe. I've never felt a T.E.N.S. unit but I'd say it's worse than an appliance shocking you. Try to imagine, if you will, all of this happening at the same time: Andre The Giant punching you downwards on the top of your head at the same time a horse is kicking you in the chest. You can hear a BOOM. Like a gunshot, inside you... and it all goes white for a second. Your body literally jumps.
One of the EMT's was touching me during one of the shocks and it got him, too. He was thrown back a couple steps. It's powerful stuff, that's for sure... and I never want to experience it again.
PTSD
by zocks - 2012-01-25 01:01:10
Oh believe me, I have been self-identifying as someone with PTSD since it happened back in May 2009.
Unfortunately, the psychiatrist I went to see about it did not agree and gave me a diagnosis of severe anxiety disorder... which, by the way, prevented me from being able to seek legal action against the doctors.
But I've had no medical coverage for the last year and a half so I can't just keep hopping around trying to find a Dr. to give me an official PTSD diagnosis.
PTSD
by markshipman - 2012-01-25 01:01:29
Two years ago I was shocked (correctly as I was in VTac) 6 times in 30 minutes. After a few weeks as I was getting ready to leave the hospital my cardiologist asked how I was doing. I candidly told her that I was very aware of my irregular rythms and, for the first time in my life, petrified - of another multi-shock epside. She admitted that patients who undergo shock treatments do get a PTSD type of reaction. I cannot imagine 27 shocks in a row.
2 years removed and most of my anxiety about being shocked has eroded away. It's a memory now and a good story :)
pets
by zocks - 2012-01-25 01:01:37
Just going by what I experienced, I actually would not be surprised if a small animal like a dog or cat would survive even a secondary zap from an ICD discharge.
The ICD does give mini doses of electric shocks once you are getting close to the moment it's going to discharge for real. It's a last ditch attempt at getting your heart back into rhythm before really shocking you. They are barely noticeable by the human, but I would not be surprised if pets you are in contact with can feel it.
If you're not touching them, no matter what, I don't think they'd feel anything.
This has come up before:
by donr - 2012-01-25 01:01:41
You mentioned high anxiety.
You may well be experiencing PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder). Don't scoff yet. Google on it - at least 1000 hits. People think in terms of PTSD affecting soldiers. Nope - any one who suffers a traumatic, unexpected event - like getting zapped by your ICD 27 times in 2 hrs. Cops, firefighters, survivors of messy auto/aircraft accidents, violent crime victims - all of them can suffer it.
I've been dragging that 750 lb gorilla around for nearly 40 yrs, now. Not at all fun.
If you'd like me to go further on it, pls let me know. Be glad to.
Don
PTSD
by donr - 2012-01-25 10:01:03
I know what you mean about getting a diagnosis. Shrinks are loathe to give that one - dunno why.
Unfortunately, the criteria in the DSM-V can be interpreted a couple ways. One way is to look at the CAUSE - you must have had 1,2,3...happen to you & then have a,b,c...symptoms. Following that reasoning, you can exclude almost anyone who comes in.
What you need to do is read the requirements as stated in the DSM-V & make sure that 1) you give truthful answers & 2) that you feed the inquisitor the correct words, just as written in the manual. I promise you, just one word that is not the correct word, but a synonym, & they will not award that diagnosis. I learned that the hard way by dealing w/ VA evaluators. I had two evaluations - the first one was a disaster. Then I read the criteria; went in & didn't have to change anything but the words I used to describe my situation - in my written application & in my interview. I fed them THEIR words & watched the evaluator put check marks in boxes.
After yrs of misery, all the time searching futilly, I finally found an APRN working for a Psychiatrist who looked at my situation & applied the "Duck Test." You know what that is - if it quacks like a duck, has a bill like a duck, etc - then it probably is a duck. And I had all the symptoms right down the stinking line - in spades. She has given me significant relief, but I retain a terribly dramatic "Startle Reflex."
Do not expect to ever be totally free of symptoms. Frank will understand this term - your trigger point for anxiety will change - you will become "Biased" as in electron tubes. You will become more sensitive to whatever triggers a reaction. You will, & can, learn how to survive w/ it, & it will recede into the backwaters of your memory, but it can be awakened & renewed very easily by another kick in the chest. PTSD suferers cope in one way by avoiding what they know to be their trigger. Unfortunately, short of having your ICD removed, you cannot do that.
You have a tough row to hoe - I wish you luck in doing it.
Don
Thanks
by zocks - 2012-01-25 10:01:19
Thanks to all for your input and I'm glad my story is interesting for some. Most everyone I know are so far removed from it, they can't relate or offer useless advice.
I was only interested in getting a PTSD diagnosis to seek out malpractice, but a lawsuit it no longer an option. So there's no need to get it unless I try getting on Disability for it, but that seems harder to do with PTSD than getting the PTSD diagnosis in the first place. It's good that the government makes it harder for people to get on Disability, but it unfortunately makes it that much more difficult for those who are already suffering enough.
You know you're wired when...
Your electric tooth brush interferes with your device.
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by zocks - 2012-01-24 01:01:03
I feel compelled to publicly address my reasons for anxiety, now.
Three weeks after installation of my device, I suffered a "lightning storm" as they call it; it discharged 27 times over the course of 2 hours.
I was in the middle of touring an abandoned prison. Went up too many steps. Heart rate got too high. I felt reasonably fine... exhausted but not enough to take a break, yet. And it started.
Since then... extreme anxiety disorder when it comes to anything that could electrocute me, going near magnets, going up too many stairs at once, etc. So this solar flare and threat of large electromagnetic pulses coming at us scares the crap out of me.