I read with interest

Sandra's posting about ICd's and Pace makers ..and it is nice to know it seems to be working well for her, and also noted Dominique's response... Hi Dominique!! I have Dilated cardio myopathy and had an ICD implant because I was at risk of SD.

I just wonder since my heart is all over the place all of the time why do they not pace my heart with one of these dual bits of kit... I guess there must be a reason... but I never seem to get an answer from the meds... perhaps some one here could enlighten me ... the members that have some sort of pacing often talk about how much better they feel after the implant where as an ICD does nothing until you are nearly past caring or at least that is how it is for me.... although I do like the insurance it gives me and I would never want to be without it Peter.N

3 Comments

what they told me

by sandrac - 2007-12-16 03:12:37

Hi Peter,

When they were telling me about the bi-ventricular ICD, they told me there was no guarantee that it would improve the way I felt. They try very hard to place the leads in the spots to do the most good, and then to adjust the pacing to the best level, but I guess it depends on the condition of your heart. Afterwards, when I told my cardiologist and the surgeons how much better I felt, they were pleased, and basically commented about how glad they were that, in my case, they had found the right placement that was working for me. Like I told Dominique, I'm still figuring out the right questions to ask to find out what I have, so I can't tell you exactly why they chose the bi-ventricular for me. I do know it was something about the timing of the ventricular contractions that was giving me an irregular heartbeat.

Sandra

Sandra

by Peter.Nash - 2007-12-17 09:12:16

Hi Sandra,
yes you are right .the bi-ventricular is to syncronise your two lower chambers.... I had a two hour 3D scan to see If I needed one my self .and was hoping this would be a positive step to making me feel somewhat better ....but I was told my timing was fine and did not need one.... so I was back where I started... I still have my icd taking care of my heart if it exceeds the limits set.. so I guess until they come up with some other gadget to help the old ticker I am stuck with it ..take Care Peter N

no guarantee is a fact........

by PreciousDays - 2007-12-18 10:12:56

I too have a biventricular pacer - my experience with it has ranged from the damaging to the mundane. I have it due to cardiomyopathy - with the ICD for the ventricular tachycardia. (and the risk of sudden cardiac death) My heart beat is naturally very fast - which the biventricular pacer doesn't change at all - and the meds don't change much. My ejection fraction remains in the low 30's. - also unaffected by the pacer - though that was not what I had been led to expect...... - initially I felt somewhat better with the pacer. Then they adjusted it - and I have felt much worse ever since. The shortness of breath, exhaustion, and at times memory problems - are tough. I see my cardiologist Fri - but honelsty at this point- I have less than no faith that she will have any good ideas for helping me out. Basically I have a huge uncomfortable lump in my chest - lots of discomfort in the area - limited range of motion with the left arm - and risks from bad leads that I didn't have before. I got this silly thing implanted. - it's too late to do anything about it now - but in retrospect - I made a huge mistake doing this. According to my doc (who told me this only after the implantation) biventriculars are still pretty experimental - and run the risk of damaging the heart themselves if they aren't set "right" whatever that means -

Any way - good luck to any one else out there who has one - and every one else as well. - PD

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