short circuit?

I had a Medtronic defibrillator implanted in Feb 2012. It was not working and they did a revision, replacing the leads in May of 2012. Now I am getting a feeling like a vibration or a slight electric shock, like you are touching an electric fence, over the area of the defibrillator and into my shoulder and up into my neck. It lasts for a few seconds then it stops. This happens several times a day. I went to the cardiologist and they did an EKG and they could find nothing wrong. They had the Medtronic tech come and interogate the defibrillator and they said that everything is ok. They could find nothing wrong. Basically, they told me to live with it. I am still trying to find out if anybody else has had this feeling and if anybody has ever found out what it is.

5 Comments

Vibration

by TalkinCardio - 2012-09-29 03:09:04

Hi LizaAnne, I have not experienced this problem but many members have and there have been a lot of posts on the subject.

I would suggest you go to the "Search" at the top right of this site and type in vibration. You should find a lot of information from past posts.

Good luck, Cathy

Impedance Check

by Gellia3 - 2012-09-29 03:09:10

Hi,
I'm not sure if an ICD has an impedance check, but most PM's do. It sends an increased voltage to check the wire integrity. Mine would go off every four hours and make my arm jerk, as it touched a nerve.

Perhaps this is what you are feeling. You could have the tech check what time they have it set for and see if it coincides with the vibration you are feeling.

I had mine reset to a time when it didn't bother me as much.

Hope this helps.
Best to you,
Gellia

Flicking

by sernarama - 2012-09-30 03:09:14

I have a Medtronic device that has been plaguing me with what I describe as a "flicking" feeling. I get it off and on some days I have it, some days I don't. Although it's probably not the exact same sensation you are experiencing, it's an annoyance, it concerns me, I've had it since I got the device last October, and like you, the doctors and Medtronic keep blowing me off. We are not SUPPOSED to be feeling these things from these devices, but if you search this board, you will find posts going back to something like 2005 or 2006 most of them with Medtronic devices. It's kind of becoming my new normal.

Welcome to the club...

by donr - 2012-09-30 09:09:26

...of those who have been brushed off!

I'm assuming that the RN in your name means that you are one. And you are surprised at being brushed off under your circumstance?

You know what you feel is real. You don't know what causes it, but it is as REAL as the tree that a car runs into & smashes it and its occupants into an unrecognizable mess.

You want to know why. Your "Tree" does not fit any of the common, ordinary, CLASSICAL situations of their concept of what is REAL, so you are told "Just live with it," and you are summarily dismissed.

Effects just do not happen w/o a cause. They are paid to figure out what those causes are. Sometimes thr ave to use their imaginations. Sounds like you need to find someone a bit more imaginative.

Don

short circuit

by ppipins - 2014-08-17 09:08:29

I had my pacemaker in 2013. I have a Medtronic device . and it has been a learning curve. First the dr didn't set the pacemaker heart rate right. indeed in the hospital because I thought my heart was going to come out because it was beating so fast. had to go see a specialist.
He did fix the problem by setting my pacemaker. Now Im having problems It feel like I'm short circuit or being shock. Is this normal. Help.

You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

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.