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Home Monitoring
Hi All,
Do any of you monitor your pacemakers/ICD's from home? How does this work? Does the insurance company pay for the equipment? My doctor mentioned that at my f/u appointment, they would talk to me about home monitoring. My ICD surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday. Also, my cadio also mentioned that I might need cardia Rehab. What is that like? Can anyone speak to that? Thanks!
7 Comments
P M Checkup
by SMITTY - 2013-07-08 04:07:53
Hello Acin,
Based on what I have seen posted here we seem to all be different when it comes to check ups and where the checkups are done. I can tell you about mine but what yours may be depends on your dr.
I have a checkup every three months. One is done in the PM clinic where I got the PM and one is done at home. The one at the clinic is a little more drawn out as you might expect. But at the clinic they can change the settings on the PM and no settings changes can be made over the telephone. This is the way it has been the 13 yrs. I have had a PM and I understand that is the law.
When I went in for my first follow up visit after getting the PM they gave me a little telephone device and some electrode patches. At each home checkup I put on 2 patches and connect two leads to them, dial the phone number they gave me and when they answer I put the phone in its cradle and about 30 to 60 seconds later they beep me. That is when I put a magnet over my PM (yes I can feel the PM shift gears) for about 30 to 60 seconds while they download some data. After that I remove the magnet and the person on the other end of the phone (I never know who it is) checks to be sure the PM has returned to operating as it should. All this takes about 5 to 10 minutes. At the end I am given an appointment for my next checkup which will be in house and in 3 mo.
My insurance (Medicare) pays for everything. For what it may be worth, I did see a Medicare statement earlier this year and Scott & White,Temple, TX, billed Medicare $130.00 for a home checkup. However, I do not know much of that Medicare paid.
Good luck,
Smitty
Cardiac Rehab
by Grateful Heart - 2013-07-08 05:07:59
One of my favorite subjects :)
Cardiac Rehab is similar to Physical Therapy for a broken foot, arm, hip or knee replacement, etc. except...it is for your heart.
It is an exercise program in a medical environment with a Nurse and Exercise Physiologist who monitor you. It's nothing strenuous, you exercise at your own pace at 5-6 minute intervals and then switch to a different machine or stay on the same for another 5-6 minutes. It is very comforting and reassuring knowing the Nurses are there, especially in the beginning because we don't know how hard we could/ should push our hearts.
We had a lot of fun in my group...the Nurses were GREAT and we all laughed a lot. (Something we sometimes need right after this procedure.....to know that you can move, laugh and be "light hearted" again (no pun intended). These heart procedures, although considered "minor surgery" can be major to those of us that just went through it.
I think Cardiac Rehab should be mandatory for those of us who can exercise with our Doctor's approval. It truly is an important part of the recovery process, imo. I think you will benefit from it greatly...I know I did.
Good luck and Prayers for you with the surgery...you will be fine. Let us know how it goes.
Any questions, ask away!
Grateful Heart
Home monitoring
by Harrie - 2013-07-08 06:07:18
My Biotronik Evia has a wireless device which is permanently plugged in on my bedside table. It automatically downloads my data every night at 2am to a service centre, which consolidates it into a report which goes to my doctor. At least that's the theory. Theoretically it would alert them to any problems and they would call you in if necessary. They have reviewed it once, and when I had an incident a couple of weeks ago they would have checked it and saved me a visit to the clinic except that I wasn't in bed at 2am for the download. So definitely worth considering. As to cost that depends on your health system. It doesn't cost me anything in Australia, at least not that I am aware of. Good luck!
mine is a merlin
by Reboot1212 - 2013-07-08 07:07:28
So my experience is the same as AnnJ's. I've been waking up tired lately so l'm a little concerned that Merlin is giving silent commands to "Sparky" having me sleep walk committing crimes like a remote control robozombie.
Hi, Acin
by Bevof NC - 2013-07-12 05:07:44
I have a Boston Scientific ICD-Energen 141. My communicator is a Lattitude. It sits by my bed all the time. It finds me @ 3AM every night as I sleep and records the days events (if there are any) It has a place where a light will shine in 3 differerent colors if it needs to. Each color signifies an action for you to take. It lets your Dr. know if there is a problem. The book that comes with it is quite understandable. You will probably be checked in the office a few times before you start. I was in a study so I am still getting checked at the office....but they said hook it up and it has been running since I had it. So- I feel doubly safe. So far Medicare and insurance have paid everything..WaHo-o-o-o! Cardiac Rehab is great..and you learn a lot, You have a good place to ask questions and you have a good time. Do it if you can. By the way, you have to have a phone jack in your room a land line, and a and the electrical cord that prevents lightning from cutting off your electricity.(can't think what U call it )surge protector or something...gr-r-r-r mental block! Best of luck!! Bev ( Hope you do as well as I have!!!!)
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Member Quotes
It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.
Great Info
by Acin - 2013-07-08 04:07:43
Thanks, Smitty. This was helpful!