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What do you know about Defibrillators?

Bigdawg

Bigdawg

Just Me
Most of you know that my husband has health issues... well they culminated last week with a serious sit-down with the doctor. After a dozen heart attacks, my husband has less than 25% heart function and it will only deteriorate rather than get better. Not exactly what a couple in their mid-40s wants to hear.

They are going to put in a defibrillator and I am wondering if anyone has any experience with that. Jeff just doesn't know what to expect. We are waiting for the insurance to approve - which is making us crazier - and we expect him to go in this week.

Doc was real clear it won't make him better, but it will keep him alive the next time his heart stops. At least for while - one side of his heart is pretty diseased. Doctor scared the you-know-what out of us when he told us the defib needed to be done ASAP because hubby is at very high risk of starting to feel fatigued and then just dropping.

Hubby's philosophy has always been "I didn't come with batteries..." but dammit... he's sure gonna be battery powered now :smile:
 
skyhigh

skyhigh

New Member
sounds pretty scarey to me too Stacy. Is the next step a transplant?

All the best to the two of you.
 
R

rcook99

New Member
Hello Stacy, basically the defib will be installed just below the skin which will be able to shock his heart when he has a problem. Whenever his heart rhythm is abnormal it will shock his heart back into a normal rhythm. Also make sure you ask your doctor what devices might cause problems with it. A friend of mine can not be near a running microwave with her pacemaker. I hope this helps you and best of luck to you and hubby.
 
signage

signage

New Member
Stacy I think everything will be fine once he gets it. This sounds like Jeff is having some serious heart issues, hope this corrects it for the both of you.
 
Marlene

Marlene

New Member
so sorry to hear about this Stacy!!! OP just got one, maybe he can answer some of your questions.
 
Bigdawg

Bigdawg

Just Me
We understand how it works - thanks everyone for your help. What Jeff is worried about is the actual shocking... looking for someone that has had one a while that has had it actually go off.

The doctor said they are not putting it in to regulate the beat - the medication does that. They are putting it in because of the high risk of it just stopping. Doctor explained the settings he would be using on it and how it work. He was very clear that it would not improve Jeff's quality of life.
 
L

Locals Find!

New Member
Hi Stacy, I am sorry to hear what is happening to your husband. As someone who has had a guidant ICD (Internal Cardio Defibilator) for many years now. Going in for my second one in a few months. It can be a scary experience.

I have had mine go off 17 times since it has been put in. It hurts like hell. They tell you its like getting kicked by a mule that BS. Its like getting shot. You will drop to the ground and lose your ability to stand when it happens. You shouldn't drive anymore once its installed due to the risks of it firing while your behind the wheel.

Odds are your husband will get one similar to mine that paces my heart when it drops below a certain amount of beats or shocks me when I exceed a certain amount of beats. I have arrhythmia issues. My heart gets out of sync and beats to fast till it stops. The defib gets it back into a normal rhythm.

While this may all seem scary its better than the alternative of death.

They place the defib right below the skin between your fatty chest tissue and your pectoral muscles and run a wire called a lead into the heart. He will have a nice scar from this and it can be a bit uncomfortable from time to time. Its about the size of a pager. Mainly you will have to avoid magnetic fields on that side of his body i.e. phones, cell phones, blue tooth headsets, small motors. You have to keep them all at least 6 inches away. Microwaves you should remain at least 3 feet away while they are running and avoid lingering in those magnetometers at the front of stores. Also, metal detectors are to be avoided at all times. They will give you a special card for this that gets you through airport security etc...

I wish you the best of luck. If you or your hubby ever need to talk to someone living with one. I will be more than happy to share my experiences.

Edit: Forgot to mention the pacing part. That is not so bad its a mild electric shock very mild in fact you hardly feel it causes your heart to beat. Static shock from touching a door knob after running your socks on carpet feels worse. Odds are he won't even know its happening when it happens.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Wow..........


Stacy, after hearing what Addie had to say.... I wish and pray for all the best to your Bigdawg's new possible bionic addition and a more well-paced life ahead for the both of you. You two sure have had your share, lately. :U Rock:
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
hi stacy. yep i just got one. i have what they call bi-geminal rhythm. meaning i have 2 heatbeats instead of one. this is what caused me to go down april 17th. i am lucky as to not have a great amount of heart muscle damage. so mine is still pretty strong, just gets outa beat now and then. it hasent went off YET. but ive talked to a couple people who have had theirs KICK-START them. iam ok to drive, they didnt let me till last friday. cant get under the hood of a vehicle while it running, the alternator has a heavy magnetic field. no more ARC WELDING for me, they say that will really cause a problem with the difib. its reslly strange when you go to the doctor, and they hook up like they do my vehicle.....and adjust me with a COMPUTER. i also have a phone like thing in the bedroom, sits on the night stand, and picks up my telemetry and relays it via phone line to the hospital. its been almost 2 weeks with it, lot of mental gymnastics as to what i can and cant do anymore. all i can say its better then the alternative. iam still here.
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
Best wishes and prayers & my hope for decades of sharing the benefits of the modern miracles of our medical profession... May he live to see even more advances to the level of healing power our doctors can promote, and what our own bodies may be able to do, as well as any other forces at work in the universe... Live long and prosper both big dawgs!!
 
G

GypsyGraphics

New Member
stacey, you and jeff have been on my mind constantly lately... haven't stopped praying for you both!

as for the defibrillator, i think my mom had a combination defibrillator/pacemaker less than a year after having quintuple bypass surgery. she had it for 10 years till she passed away (not heart related) i think she did have at least one of the major shocks, but i wasn't told at the time, so i don't know the details other than she had a heart attach and it did it's job well. i know for sure she had several of the minor ones, she said they were barely noticeable. she never got her full strength back, but was able to drive and still greatly enjoy life.

love you!
gg
 
Mason

Mason

New Member
rcook99 said:
Hello Stacy, basically the defib will be installed just below the skin which will be able to shock his heart when he has a problem. Whenever his heart rhythm is abnormal it will shock his heart back into a normal rhythm. Also make sure you ask your doctor what devices might cause problems with it. A friend of mine can not be near a running microwave with her pacemaker. I hope this helps you and best of luck to you and hubby.
Click to expand...

Actually,
The Defib cannot shock his heart "back" into rhythm, it disrupts the arrhythmic event which allows the heart to resume it previous rhythm and keep the patient from experiencing any further infarct.
 
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