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biventricular pacemaker
Hi everyone,
I've had my biventricular pacemaker (a 3rd wire was added to my ICD) for four days. I'd love to hear success stories. Tell me about why you're happy with yours and how wonderfully your life has changed. Thanks!
Tulip
4 Comments
biventricular pacemaker
by njh - 2008-07-13 05:07:47
OH,Chiliman,
THanks for your reply. I know each of us is unique; each of our heart situations is differerent, but what did you first notice that told you the resynchronization therapy was working? Thanks!
Tulip
attach an USB port to the PM
by Smeagol22 - 2008-07-13 08:07:44
my only complaint about my PM is that I can't surf the web with it yet, or better yet have a usb port where I can plug in my MP3 player to listen to some music or whatnot. =D
Other than that.. its great!
biventricular pacemaker
by eskimo - 2008-08-04 09:08:46
i have a bivent since december last year i am 23 years old when i have implant now im 24, my heart is enlarged i have dilated cardiomyopathy, my heart has shrunk a little bit but not really i was stage 4 heart failure i could hardly walk until march this year, it was mainly fluid retention i think, exteme case of it cos my EF (ejection fraction of blood pump from heart) was 20 percent,
in june i felt much better and i think the biventricular resyncronization icd has helped, i went to thiland for a month (may till june) and drank 10 beers or so a day and partied like it was 1969 and i came back to find out my EF went up for the first time since diagnosis, to 35 percent :) i reckoment holiday asap in hot country where you sweat all day it is good for your body and the travelling is fine, the pressure in the plane is fine it was a big long journey and i was ok.
the bivent icd is good to know you have it has shocked me 3 times when i got angry and it is not like a horse kciking you chest it is like being hit by a train, but i was awake for the shocks, like you stick finger in power ocket for a millisecond and whole body jolted backward onto bed and i flew forward again sitting up, i was happy i sit down for two of the shocks, first one i ignored and kept arguing because it was low voltage.
You know you're wired when...
You always have something close to your heart.
Member Quotes
Stay positive and remember that your device is your new best friend.
Remarkable Improvement!
by chiliman - 2008-07-13 03:07:47
I've had my St.Judes bivent CR/ICD for 3 weeks and compared to my old Guidant pm, I really do feel like a new (but now bionic) person.
I have profoundly more energy, stamina, clarity, overall strength than I've had in years. For me, it has absolutely been one of the most amazing improvements to my life. In fact, I saw my cardiologist on Friday and a chest x-ray revealed that my heart has shrunk (a very good thing) almost 15% in 3 weeks!
Before the procedure, my ejection fraction had dropped to a very dangerous 16% (50% is normal). If cardiac resyncroniztion therapy works, it is bound to raise the EF figure significantly over time, and both my EP and cardio feel it already has.
The best endorsement I can give is to say I feel like myself again.
Yeah, I'm happy.