Getting my ICD...

Hey All, 

Posted about 4 months ago when I was diagnosed with endocarditis and was informed I'd likely need an implant... Had a follow-up Echo and Nuclear Stress Test last week. Echo showed I still have a low ejection rate of 20. Stress test showed no signs of heart disease. 

I see the Electrophysiologist this coming Tuesday. 

Anyone have suggestions of things I should ask the doctor?  

2 Comments

ICD

by Jimmy Dinfla - 2018-07-16 18:31:10

According to a Mayo Clinic website:  Endocarditis generally occurs when bacteria, fungi or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart. If it's not treated quickly, endocarditis can damage or destroy your heart valves and can lead to life-threatening complications. Treatments for endocarditis include antibiotics and, in certain cases, surgery.

Since there are many ways to develop endocarditis, your doctor might not be able to pinpoint the exact cause of your condition. However, people at greatest risk of endocarditis usually have damaged heart valves, artificial heart valves or other heart defects.

So my first question would be - is there anything contributing to your endocarditis that still needs to be treated?

Other questions: ICD placement options, does the device have a home monitoring capability (it should) and ensure the ICD is MRI compatible.

Do you really need one with no signs of heart disease?

by BOBTHOM - 2018-07-20 21:51:31

The first questions I ask when an ICD was recommended for me back in 2005 were 1) will it improve my heart function (no)   2) If a new treatment or therapy is developed i.e. stem cells, can it be removed (no, not easily). 3) how noticable will it be i.e. location, bulging out  4) will it limit my range of motion or interfere with my life style (traveling, exercising, sex, etc).  Based on the answers I recieved I took the risk and tried everything else that I could to strengthen my heart.  I managed to put it off until 2017.   As for the surgery itself, it's pretty routine, requires an overnight stay, and recovery is pretty quick though the scar will look sick for quite a while.  Expect not to drive for at least a week, keep arm in sling for a week, no lifting weight heavier than a gallon milk for 2 weeks, no lifting arm over shoulder for 2 weeks. Good luck

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