2 more shocks

I received 2 shocks from my ICD this Monday late afternoon.  I felt my heart go fast, which it's been doing, and then, whammo!  I called my EP in tears (I have his personal cell phone #), and he told me to call 911 and get down on the floor.  I went downstairs and waited for EMS to arrive.  The interrogation at my local 'community' hospital (they have an older unit than I have for sending info) showed I had 2 vfib events.  I was eventually transferred by ambulance to a larger hospital's ICU and had an emergency ablation the following day.  The mapping identified the areas, but my EP was unable to ablate/get to the area due to risks involved.  i was set up for an ablation Oct 8, and he has been in the middle of fighting with the insurance company with denial of a CT.  He has referred me to a largerUniversity hospital and I will see an EP a week from Monday.  He spent at least an hour on the phone with Medtronic tech making further adjustments, hopefully to pace me out of the arrhythmias before I'm shocked.  He also told me it's extremely unusual to have ventricular arrhythmias coming from both ventricles.  Lucky me....  

 

7 Comments

Take good care

by Gemita - 2020-09-25 16:00:54

Oh Islandgirl, what are we going to do with you?  What complications did they encounter during your initial ablation to prevent them from completing the procedure ?  I hope the Medtronic tech and your EP have between them found a safe adjustment to keep you free from any dangerous ventricular arrhythmias until you can get your ablation on the 8th October.

Do you have someone around to help you prepare for your ablation, to stock the freezer, clean the home so that when you return from your ablation on the 8th October, you can hopefully just put your feet up and fully recover ?  

I send my best wishes and hope that your heart behaves itself and your ICD keeps you safe.

Thank you Gemita!

by islandgirl - 2020-09-25 16:56:13

I will not have my ablation Oct. 8.  I'm not sure if it's a new circuit or one that reconnected--I will ask.  My heart produces many new arrhythmias for unknown reasons.  I'm going to a University hospital EP for consult on Oct. 5 and he will take my case.  My EP didn't feel comfortable completing the ablation a couple of days ago due to risks, but he attempted it and did map it and know where it's coming from.  He said it's very deep and difficult to get to.  My EP works at a smaller hospital.  He's devastated, as he is such a good EP, but there seems to be limited resources he needed at the smaller hospital.  

I have wonderful friends and we are always there for one another.  It's difficult with Covid and felt alone, but I'm managing like others.  

Prayers Work!

by arent80 - 2020-09-25 17:30:18

Hello Island Girl!

I am so sorry to read this. I wish I had a fix or an answer but I will pray for you. I will pray your surgery is a success and you can get past these episodes. May God be with you always!

Alejandro 

Arrhythmias

by Gemita - 2020-09-25 17:51:25

Yes my heart tends to trigger lots of new arrhythmias too, including non sustained VT but not VFib thankfully.  I feel this has been caused by my anti arrhythmic meds but I may be wrong.  Perhaps my heart 💓 is just being scarred by my AF causing lots of additional pathways and triggering other arrhythmias.

Your present EP sounds so caring and so obviously wants to do the very best for you.  He deserves to have more resources at his fingertips to help you and others with more complex arrhythmias.

Knowing where the arrhythmia starts is half the battle already won and any new EP should hopefully be able to isolate it and prevent it from getting through.  I am not sure what would be easier to overcome:  a new circuit or one that has reconnected ?   Good luck on October 5th.  Hope the new EP is capable and caring too and that he can throw more light (or more burn!)  on how best to help you

Vfib and ablation

by AgentX86 - 2020-09-25 19:27:57

I assume this is an ablation in the ventricle?  I assume it's the left ventricle that's causing the problem.  I think that means that they have to go in through the femoral artery (rather than vein for atrial ablations), which does complicate things some.  In any case ablation in the ventricals is much more difficult. 

I'd make sure whoever is doing this job has done hundreds (preferrably per year) or thousands over his career. You want this to be one-and-done. A large university teaching hospital is a good choice.  That's the only place I'll go for any invasive procedure. Go to those who really know what they're doing.

 

 

sending best wishes

by zoe123 - 2020-09-26 19:50:04

Be strong and you'll get through this. remember everyone here has your back.

Today is an extra day

by CyborgMike - 2020-09-27 14:18:33

A reminder that every day is a bonus day. Enjoy it to the fullest. 

You know you're wired when...

Muggers want your ICD, not your wallet.

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As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.