Aa
ICD
I have a question and in need of a quick respose...PLEASE. I will soon undergo surgery for a ICD, however I'm NOT sure if I'm making the right choice. 5 years ago I had 3 stents implanted and at the same time my was diagnosed withCardiomyopathy. My EF at the time was 18%. 3 months latter went back to the hospital for Breaky Therapy and another stent. I now have 4 stents in my heart.
NOW.....Oct 2007 I want to have some elective surgery and went to my Cardiologist to get clearence. He wanted me to have a Stress test to see how I'm doing. WELL......2 of the stents have scared over causing blockages and my EF is down to 28%. Nothning was done at the time of the angogram. My Cardiologist recomends that I have a ICD vbecause my EF is below 35%. MY question is HELP!!!!!! Google is a wounderful thing however, I have done extensve reading regarding ICD's and not sure if this is what I want . Will the leads malfunctions? Will they scare over with scare tissues? What will happen if these leads needs to be replaced? I feel as tho this might kill me not save my life. All the side affects of maintaing this. My body has shown that it will scare over the stents so why not the Leads? Can I make my heart stronger and get out of the danger zone with medications? Help me please. I am schedule to have this done the 26th of October, and I'm not sure.
NOW.....Oct 2007 I want to have some elective surgery and went to my Cardiologist to get clearence. He wanted me to have a Stress test to see how I'm doing. WELL......2 of the stents have scared over causing blockages and my EF is down to 28%. Nothning was done at the time of the angogram. My Cardiologist recomends that I have a ICD vbecause my EF is below 35%. MY question is HELP!!!!!! Google is a wounderful thing however, I have done extensve reading regarding ICD's and not sure if this is what I want . Will the leads malfunctions? Will they scare over with scare tissues? What will happen if these leads needs to be replaced? I feel as tho this might kill me not save my life. All the side affects of maintaing this. My body has shown that it will scare over the stents so why not the Leads? Can I make my heart stronger and get out of the danger zone with medications? Help me please. I am schedule to have this done the 26th of October, and I'm not sure.
I will be interested in what they say on the 2nd. I am all for second opinions when in doubt.
A few comments re: Vienna....she follows the diet for heart failure, takes her meds, and exercises...and boy does she ever exercise....I think all of that has helped her improve without any devices...
Her friend Julie that she mentions who died despite the ICD.....very likely would have survived much longer had she been able to get the device sooner. And in fact, was saved by the device within a month of receiving it....
I think we all need to do what is best for us and our conditions....
A few comments re: Vienna....she follows the diet for heart failure, takes her meds, and exercises...and boy does she ever exercise....I think all of that has helped her improve without any devices...
Her friend Julie that she mentions who died despite the ICD.....very likely would have survived much longer had she been able to get the device sooner. And in fact, was saved by the device within a month of receiving it....
I think we all need to do what is best for us and our conditions....
Well....I have made a dicision. I cancled my ICD inplant for Oct 26th and scheduled a second opinion. I live in Rochester New York and have 2 great hospitals here. Strong and Rochester General. They are sister hospitals with Cleveland. So I made and app. with the chief Cardiologist at Strong Memorial Hospital for Nov 2. This will help me make up my mind. My goal is to increase my EF to over 35% it is now at 28%. I'm going to ask that I have a eco-gram done. What meds are u on? I see that you have increased from 20's to normal...am I right? what meds have you taken?? Maybe I can ask for them.....????
not 100 but 100%
right ajneralli . :) I also keep my diet 100 chemical free, (cant help if hiding chemical,) take my medications as prescribed, exercise 2 hours a day.....SO I do my best to stay long in this Earth.
My staying will be exactly dictated and depends on the rights and wrongs of MY OWN believes and decisions never what others are suggested, recommended ...............Period.
(We all die, so I mean added to that fact.)
The thing is that we all must do what we believe in!!!!!!!!!
I don’t go to church, only as a tourist to pay my admiration for the artists for creating it.
No Mammograms. I chose to believe that:
Mammograms Cause
Breast Cancer, uncomfortable, I hate the idea to let my breast to push by that mashie.
http://www.rense.com/general76/amam.htm
http://www.rense.com/general48/mam.htm
I don't take flu shots
Flu shots have /had mercury and other harmful ingredients.
Also I would never take any implant, breast, face, brain chip any other device :)
I love to change my hair color, so that’s all, other than that I am a natural person, and I believe in myself and that is my decisions to believe in and that is RIGHT for myself.
Respect others if they are different, but most only if they do what they do guided by their own strong believes not from fallowing the crowd.
We live in the world where we have all the information. It is up to us, to make up our own mind. Always use your instings, or "gut" feelings if you wish to call it :)
I always use mine and feel happy with my decisions.
Best luck to you all! :)
My staying will be exactly dictated and depends on the rights and wrongs of MY OWN believes and decisions never what others are suggested, recommended ...............Period.
(We all die, so I mean added to that fact.)
The thing is that we all must do what we believe in!!!!!!!!!
I don’t go to church, only as a tourist to pay my admiration for the artists for creating it.
No Mammograms. I chose to believe that:
Mammograms Cause
Breast Cancer, uncomfortable, I hate the idea to let my breast to push by that mashie.
http://www.rense.com/general76/amam.htm
http://www.rense.com/general48/mam.htm
I don't take flu shots
Flu shots have /had mercury and other harmful ingredients.
Also I would never take any implant, breast, face, brain chip any other device :)
I love to change my hair color, so that’s all, other than that I am a natural person, and I believe in myself and that is my decisions to believe in and that is RIGHT for myself.
Respect others if they are different, but most only if they do what they do guided by their own strong believes not from fallowing the crowd.
We live in the world where we have all the information. It is up to us, to make up our own mind. Always use your instings, or "gut" feelings if you wish to call it :)
I always use mine and feel happy with my decisions.
Best luck to you all! :)
vienna also will not get a mammogram or a pap smear, even though she is, umm, of the appropriate age for one.
Do I feel better? Yes I do. Did an ICD make me feel better? Yes it did. Do I feel better physically?
I can't say that I do because I still have arrythmias. Do I feel better mentally and emotionally? I certainly do. I know that if I have a bad arrythmia my ICD will shock me out of it. That is a huge feeling of relief and certainly has a calming effect on how I feel in general.
I am not going to tell you that you really need to have one implanted. That is for you to decide. All I know is that by my having one gave me and my family peace of mind that another treatment base had been covered. That the next time I had a fatal arrythmia I wasn't going to die or hurt someone else if I was driving or riding my motorcycle or mowing the lawn or anything like that.
So you decide. Is it worth all the worry about a faulty lead or the discomfort you will have for a few days after it is implanted, or is it worth giving you and your family the peace of mind that if you do have a bad arrythmia the device will probably save your life.
None of us really understand the situation you find yourself in, your health history, your stress level, any of that just like you don't really know ours. None of us are doctors and at some point we all find that we have to trust them. I think you are at that point now and really need to trust what is being told to you is accurate, honest and in your best interests.
Vienna made a comment in her post about a friend dying. People die from heart disease everyday. Some have had ICDs, some have had LVADs, some have had stents and some have even had Transplants. Having any of those devices is never a guarantee, but they sure are good INSURANCE.
I know it isn't an easy decision. Maybe this is a time when you can't make a "gut" decision. What does your arrythmic heart tell you do to.
Good Luck,
Pusher
I can't say that I do because I still have arrythmias. Do I feel better mentally and emotionally? I certainly do. I know that if I have a bad arrythmia my ICD will shock me out of it. That is a huge feeling of relief and certainly has a calming effect on how I feel in general.
I am not going to tell you that you really need to have one implanted. That is for you to decide. All I know is that by my having one gave me and my family peace of mind that another treatment base had been covered. That the next time I had a fatal arrythmia I wasn't going to die or hurt someone else if I was driving or riding my motorcycle or mowing the lawn or anything like that.
So you decide. Is it worth all the worry about a faulty lead or the discomfort you will have for a few days after it is implanted, or is it worth giving you and your family the peace of mind that if you do have a bad arrythmia the device will probably save your life.
None of us really understand the situation you find yourself in, your health history, your stress level, any of that just like you don't really know ours. None of us are doctors and at some point we all find that we have to trust them. I think you are at that point now and really need to trust what is being told to you is accurate, honest and in your best interests.
Vienna made a comment in her post about a friend dying. People die from heart disease everyday. Some have had ICDs, some have had LVADs, some have had stents and some have even had Transplants. Having any of those devices is never a guarantee, but they sure are good INSURANCE.
I know it isn't an easy decision. Maybe this is a time when you can't make a "gut" decision. What does your arrythmic heart tell you do to.
Good Luck,
Pusher
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