NEED INFORMATION! Implantable Loop Recorder

[amiey2217]

Has anyone had one of these implanted before?? My cardiologist discussed putting one in. I am personally all for it if it can potentially help figure out what is going on. It has been a long, very frustrating road. He seemed a bit reluctant because of scarring. At this point, I dont even care if it will help with a diagnosis. Can anyone offer me information on the scarring and what to expect from the procedure itself when it is inserted? Do they just use local? Does it hurt? Is it like a surgery? Please...any information will help. Thanks!

[LD65]

I too am skinny. My first issue was I felt like I was railroaded into having this implanted. Dr walked in and said this is what we are doing. I had ONE time of going into A-fib on the same day I had given blood. Have heard from others since that others had same reaction to giving blood. Will not again. BUT went ahead and had loop put in. My husband heard the Dr say after that it was more difficult that he thought. I am VERY sorry I did. It was 2 1/2 weeks ago and I am in so much pain at night. Woke up last night in pain and was on my back and the device was standing straight up in my chest. I have appointment to meet with the tech in Dr's office in next day. I will ask some questions. If I do not like answers ( after reading here I would say I won't) I am going to ask to have it removed. Going into A-fib once was NOT reason enough. My hope now is that removal goes ok. I may ask for a different Dr to do removal.

[tinyfleadance]

Hi LD65.  Did you have it removed? I just had one implanted and it is still hurting and I am also skinny.

[tinyfleadance]

Hi LD65.  Did you have it removed? I just had one implanted and it is still hurting and I am also skinny.

[tinyfleadance]

Hi LD65.  Did you have it removed? I just had one implanted and it is still hurting and I am also skinny.

[tinyfleadance]

Hi LD65.  Did you have it removed? I just had one implanted and it is still hurting and I am also skinny.

[emily1405]

I am glad I found this, I had a loop recorder placed in the hospital about 2 months ago. It's probably a good thing I didn't see this site before I had the surgery. I was admitted to the hospital for the second time this past summer due to syncope and collapse while at work and cracked the back of my head open because I fell so hard. So first stop after the ambulance was 5 staples in my scalp in the ER. Spent the night in the hospital with IV fluids. The EP consulted with me bedside the next day after the neurologist expressed that he was pretty certain it was not a seizure. The EP urged me to have the "chip" implanted and basically said a holter would be useless in my case, which I agree since my episodes were a little over a month apart. He told me that it is a simple procedure, can be done outpatient! Battery lasts up to 3 years! I said that sounds good, he seemed very experienced and trustworthy. I was not told when the procedure would be, I was confused by what he said and thought it would be outpatient. Next thing I knew, my nurse came in and said they're going to take you to the cath lab for the implant in 30 min., make sure you use the bathroom. I was surprised but figured it was just as convenient since I was already in the hospital anyway! In the lab the nurse came in and began prepping me, showed me what the recorder looks like and it was way bigger than I expected. I still trusted that this was the right decision. My episodes come without any warning.  me to bash my head on the floor so hard that I woke up with a puddle of blood where my head was. Who knows what could happen next if this happens again (don't worry, they took my drivers license. As if I needed any more complications in life right now. But I would be devastated if someone else were hurt or killed because of my "condition".) The surgery was quick, I felt great until the lidocaine wore off. They kept me through that night, and surprise! Echocardiogram the next morning! Imagine how that felt!! The poor tech didn't know what to do, every time she ran the transducer over the area I tried so hard not to squirm or moan but it was extremely painful. I survived nonetheless and went home that afternoon. I have the same problem others are describing though, its in my left breast. Sleeping face down has become relatively impossible, and it will wake me up. Also when I lay flat on my back or spread my arms apart while wearing a low cut top, you can see almost the entire outline of the device under my skin and makes me a little nervous that it will bust through. So far so good though. I am also 5'4 and 115 lbs so it feels like its digging into my ribs all the time with any pressure applied directly to it. In my case I feel as though I should put up with it since my EKG has shown a prolonged QT before which is associated with sudden death. This monitor will hopefully detect something they can fix so I can go back to a normal life, and driving. I am only 27 and just started my own career in healthcare and I cant believe I am in this situation. Everything this summer has been a huge wake up call and reminder that I am not invincible. Good luck to everyone else living with ILRs or considering receiving one.

[HappyChantelle]

hi there, I had a reveal Loop LINQ device inserted in the UK on the NHS.  for anyone who knows nothing of the NHS it is free to UK residents because of this its pretty 'no frills' hence why I had the device fitted without sedation or in-hospital recovery, I literally walked into the surgery and walked out and off home (didnt even take my shoes off!)after reading this forum I was petrified, however I shouldn't have been! the surgery was very painless and the recovery period very non eventful. i'm a week on and still waiting for the tiny 0.5cm scar to heal. I had it inplanted on my breastbone a little to the left.  I feel really sorry for those in this forum who are experiencing a lot of pain, I wrote this for the people like me who are scared of the op and having one implanted.  Not many people post good experiences online so please do not panic yourself, you are more than likely going to have the same experience as me,hopefully,  for all those who are still experiencing pain, I hope it eases up soon :)

[NatalieRush]

Hi fellow NHS patient,

I also had mine done on the NHS and have had problems, I found out later it was not inserted by a surgeon or a doctor or a nurse.
It was an assistant, basically cheaper and less training. I have had pain for a week, The wound opened up 5 days after with blood and oozing.
The woman put the local injection in my veins by mistake which meant it was bleeding a lot. She then I feel put so much pressure on my ribs I thought they were going to snap, she didn't put it in far enough and now I am suffering because of it.

Anyone else here who has had one fitted in 2018 ?
NR

[TamiB319]

Hi all,I'm a 38 yr.old female who in the last year started having dizzy & fainting spells so my Dr.sent me to a wonderful Cardiologist who placed a medtronic loop recorder in my chest.The whole process took less than 15 minutes,pain was minimal & I healed rather quickly.About 3 weeks after,I noticed the tiny incision site was warm and felt kinda like a sunburn.I just blew it off,then the next day it was raised and starting to ooze a bit of fluid.The third day my son told me it looked like I had a blueberry under my skin.It was the recorder pushing it's way out.This happened over a weekend so Monday I awoke to it literally sticking 1/3 of the way out of my chest! I called my cardiologist's office,they said to come right in.I kinda got the impression they thought maybe I was over-exaggerating,when I showed them,their eyeballs just about popped out,Doc came in shook his head&said "I've put in hundreds of loop recorders on patients&have NEVER seen or heard of this".He was quite impressed & said the odds of it happening were remote.So he pulled it out,I got 2 stitches&we scheduled another to be implanted.I had my second one implanted on May 5& it has healed wonderfully...UNTIL 2 days ago,then guess what? You got it,it's doing the exact same thing!!!!!!! Doc even stitched it in to ensure that didn't happen again.As with the first one,I've taken daily pictures documenting the progression to show him.Now if the odds of one being rejected are remote,the odds of 2 being rejected must be astronomical!!! Anyway,apart from that,I think the recorder is a great thing to have.Good luck to all of you who are considering getting one..

[silvrwood]

I meant this as a reply to Mikla.

[silvrwood]

Just wondering if you and others who don't experience the discomfort are also people who can tolerate IVs without feeling like you have to rip your veins out to get the needle out?  I am debating accepting one, but I think I would be one of the people who is hyper aware of it and am looking for clues as to which types of people don't feel it versus those who do.

[Mikla]

Wow, this is a late follow up.  I can tolerate almost any procedure.  BUT, this gives me ABSOLUTELY NO discomfort whatsoever. I still have it in, going on 3+ years, and really do not know it is there other than I tend to play with it when I am bored.  Those that are having problems with it, no offense, but to me are the typical folks that would complain about a band aid hurting.  If it really hurts then the doctor probable botched the simple procedure and placed it too deep under the tissue... IMHO (and based on input from my electrologist that did the procedure).