Aa
Well and Truely Out of the Game
Well, I am well and truely out of the game now. My days of irregularly irregular heart rhythm are behind me. After an ablation the got me into normal sinus which lasted for a whole 72 hours, my ventricular rhythm is now completely - absolutely totally and frelling completely - regular. It's like a metronome, it is. Ya see, I am now bionic. Got a little chunk of metal plastic and silicon in my upper left chest making sure my ventricles stay at 80bpm.
I went in Friday morning last (4/25/08) to try a cardioversion. My INR was too low for that. But since the diameter of my right atrium was 5.7 indicating a very great liklihood that ablation and cardioversion was going to fix my atrial fib, I elected to go the final step and have a pulse generator (pacemaker) installed and my av node disconnected. They worked me in and by Friday evening I had an uncomfortable lump in my left chest. Saturday morning they worked me in the queue and I had the final ablation. My atria can do what they please, my ventricles no longer care. I have a steady ventricular rhythm for the first time in half a year. I'm sore from the device being implanted. My chest resembles raw hamburger meat - I am sensitive to pretty much every adhesive ever put on tape - and burns. But I have a regular rhythm. Now I only have to heal up from the implantation and all the tape and I can get on with my life.
No, I am not tickled to have gone on the pacemaker. I would have dearly loved to have been able to go back to normal sinus. There is a reason why the Creator gave us 4 chambers in our hearts instead of 2. But one can survive and even get along quite well with only their ventricles in the game. I chose that over constantly changing heartrate that medication demonstrably could not control.
If I live to the age my Dad was when he passed last summer I should need to have the device replaced (too bad they cannot make the things rechargable or with replacable batteries) twice in the interim.Actually 2 replacements should get me into my mid 80s. That's plenty for me. Except for monitoring my INR levels, I pretty well no longer need a cardiologist. I've taken the ultimate step in rate control.
I went in Friday morning last (4/25/08) to try a cardioversion. My INR was too low for that. But since the diameter of my right atrium was 5.7 indicating a very great liklihood that ablation and cardioversion was going to fix my atrial fib, I elected to go the final step and have a pulse generator (pacemaker) installed and my av node disconnected. They worked me in and by Friday evening I had an uncomfortable lump in my left chest. Saturday morning they worked me in the queue and I had the final ablation. My atria can do what they please, my ventricles no longer care. I have a steady ventricular rhythm for the first time in half a year. I'm sore from the device being implanted. My chest resembles raw hamburger meat - I am sensitive to pretty much every adhesive ever put on tape - and burns. But I have a regular rhythm. Now I only have to heal up from the implantation and all the tape and I can get on with my life.
No, I am not tickled to have gone on the pacemaker. I would have dearly loved to have been able to go back to normal sinus. There is a reason why the Creator gave us 4 chambers in our hearts instead of 2. But one can survive and even get along quite well with only their ventricles in the game. I chose that over constantly changing heartrate that medication demonstrably could not control.
If I live to the age my Dad was when he passed last summer I should need to have the device replaced (too bad they cannot make the things rechargable or with replacable batteries) twice in the interim.Actually 2 replacements should get me into my mid 80s. That's plenty for me. Except for monitoring my INR levels, I pretty well no longer need a cardiologist. I've taken the ultimate step in rate control.
I wouldn't use cortisone on an open wound. Antibiotic ointment which you can buy in the drugstore would be much better. You should treat the site like a burn, which is what is really is. Glad to hear you are doing better-that is GREAT! Take care-Debi
I had my daughter listen to my chest this evening. She said it sounded WAAAYYYYY different from a few days ago. She also said it sounded like a regular double beat - you know the old lub-dub, lub-dub thing. I would have expected regularity but a double beat? Who knows? I might actually be in something resembling sinus. Not supposed to be that way but stranger things are bound to have happened.
I'll look and see if I can get some of that olive leaf extract here in San Antonio. It won't do me much good if I have to order it online. I'd be pretty much healed by the time it got here. Anyhow I can't drive to get it. No way I could tolerate a seatbelt accross the implant site and no way I drive without seatbelts.
L8R folks
I'll look and see if I can get some of that olive leaf extract here in San Antonio. It won't do me much good if I have to order it online. I'd be pretty much healed by the time it got here. Anyhow I can't drive to get it. No way I could tolerate a seatbelt accross the implant site and no way I drive without seatbelts.
L8R folks
Careful with that garage door repair. Pushing the button on the defective unit might cause your left arm to go up, rather than the intended door! ;-)
I had the Medtronics Virtuoso implanted, which has some fairly incredible features. It gets pony-tailed with a wireless unit for bedroom which monitors and transmits info right to dr's office. I also have had CHF, and this unit actually has the ability to monitor fluid buildup.
My initial prep started off poorly. I had spent 12 days in hosp a few months ago, and evidently my veins were still stressed from all the port sites and blood drawings ( stiil have thrombosus on left arm). In any event, that morning it took SIX attempts for 3 different nurses to get two working port sites. Ouch !
I hear you regarding soreness of chest. I am 6'3 myself and a rather large area affected. I couldn't believe how many of the patches had to be used. I have a fair amount of raw and sore areas also. There is significant pain, mostly from pressure, but i find I can minimize it by limiting use and movement of my left arm. I am trying to let it get as much air as possible by wearing robe, and not playing with it too much. My wife and I have had to switch sides in bed, lol
Just as yourself, I am trying to be patient. I know that better days are ahead. Hang in there (as though we have a choice). I spent 3 days in hosp a few yrs ago with A-fib, so i can understand how great it must feel to be rid of them. Enjoy your newfound rhythm!
I had the Medtronics Virtuoso implanted, which has some fairly incredible features. It gets pony-tailed with a wireless unit for bedroom which monitors and transmits info right to dr's office. I also have had CHF, and this unit actually has the ability to monitor fluid buildup.
My initial prep started off poorly. I had spent 12 days in hosp a few months ago, and evidently my veins were still stressed from all the port sites and blood drawings ( stiil have thrombosus on left arm). In any event, that morning it took SIX attempts for 3 different nurses to get two working port sites. Ouch !
I hear you regarding soreness of chest. I am 6'3 myself and a rather large area affected. I couldn't believe how many of the patches had to be used. I have a fair amount of raw and sore areas also. There is significant pain, mostly from pressure, but i find I can minimize it by limiting use and movement of my left arm. I am trying to let it get as much air as possible by wearing robe, and not playing with it too much. My wife and I have had to switch sides in bed, lol
Just as yourself, I am trying to be patient. I know that better days are ahead. Hang in there (as though we have a choice). I spent 3 days in hosp a few yrs ago with A-fib, so i can understand how great it must feel to be rid of them. Enjoy your newfound rhythm!
Congratulations! It's so wonderful to hear good news around here. Thanks for posting! Let us know when you qualify as a triathlete...
Amy
Amy
Stu also has reactions to the tape and adhesive pads bringing him up in a red raw rash. He has been using olive leaf extract on the rash and it works magically better than coritsone and any other creams. Once you have healed you will hopefully feel much better about the pacemaker. Stu is still working as an electrician without his pacemaker causing any issues.
Bill,
You said you get frustrated, but your posts really show you still have a great sense of humor----hang on to that. Oh, and life will be better when your wife can park in the garage : )
Wheneven I have to do something with one arm, I try and remember how I used to get things done when I was carrying a purse, a diaper bag, a baby and a fold-up stroller.....You're gonna be good as new pretty soon! AND, no more VT! HOORAY!
connie
You said you get frustrated, but your posts really show you still have a great sense of humor----hang on to that. Oh, and life will be better when your wife can park in the garage : )
Wheneven I have to do something with one arm, I try and remember how I used to get things done when I was carrying a purse, a diaper bag, a baby and a fold-up stroller.....You're gonna be good as new pretty soon! AND, no more VT! HOORAY!
connie
Who made your ICD? My pulse generator was made by St. Jude Medical. BTW, the day you got your device implanted was the day I got the EP's nurse to tell me my right atrial diameter and the day before I went in in the morning for a cardioversion and went to sleep with a pacemaker. It seems that for some reason atrial diameters are a decent predictor of success for correcting atrial arrhythmias with ablation. Below 4.0cm the odds of restoring sinus are good. Much above 5cm the odds are in favor of needing a pacemaker. Mine is 5.7 and there is no cardiac hypertrophy that they are aware of. With a number like mine, there was only a minute chance that ablation would ever get me into normal sinus to stay. Hence the decision, since my INR was in the right ballpark for implantation, to go ahead and implant and blitz the AV node.
I don't know about you, Steve but my chest is prety much raw. I react to any kind of adhesive. Whatever was on that ace-wrap-looking stuff they glued down over my implant site and incision really messed up a huge area of skin. I am a BIG guy. 6'4" plus and 54" chest - even now at 56 years old. I have approximately a good square foot of skin are that looks like raw hamburger. Doesn't really itch it burns. Cortizone 10 ointment burns like fire when I put it on. Plus you can see where every electrode was glued to my chest, side, hip etc for the 2 days. There's a round, square or rectangular raised welt for each and every one.
I don't really have a positive attitude, I just know how to cut my losses and move ahead. I'll be glad when it all heals. I'll just be happy when the implant area gets well enough that I can wear a driver's side seatbelt. Only way I can leave the house right now is if someone drives me.
Momto3, I'll stick my head once in a while. I think I feel better just for having a regular heartbeat for a change. I do know that with all the discomfort from my chest (skin and implant site) and other areas I get frustrated fairly easily. Having my left arm motion and load limited is frustrating, too. Our garage door opener is acting up. It is something in the electric eye but working one handed is going to make troubleshooting and repairing the problem infinitely more difficult than it should be. I was an electronic tech for 30 years so I know how to troubleshoot and repair the system. Being lame in one arm complicates the work. But till I can fix it my wife has to park on the the driveway and come in via the front door.
L8r folks,
Bill
Hope yor recovery goes well, Steve
I don't know about you, Steve but my chest is prety much raw. I react to any kind of adhesive. Whatever was on that ace-wrap-looking stuff they glued down over my implant site and incision really messed up a huge area of skin. I am a BIG guy. 6'4" plus and 54" chest - even now at 56 years old. I have approximately a good square foot of skin are that looks like raw hamburger. Doesn't really itch it burns. Cortizone 10 ointment burns like fire when I put it on. Plus you can see where every electrode was glued to my chest, side, hip etc for the 2 days. There's a round, square or rectangular raised welt for each and every one.
I don't really have a positive attitude, I just know how to cut my losses and move ahead. I'll be glad when it all heals. I'll just be happy when the implant area gets well enough that I can wear a driver's side seatbelt. Only way I can leave the house right now is if someone drives me.
Momto3, I'll stick my head once in a while. I think I feel better just for having a regular heartbeat for a change. I do know that with all the discomfort from my chest (skin and implant site) and other areas I get frustrated fairly easily. Having my left arm motion and load limited is frustrating, too. Our garage door opener is acting up. It is something in the electric eye but working one handed is going to make troubleshooting and repairing the problem infinitely more difficult than it should be. I was an electronic tech for 30 years so I know how to troubleshoot and repair the system. Being lame in one arm complicates the work. But till I can fix it my wife has to park on the the driveway and come in via the front door.
L8r folks,
Bill
Hope yor recovery goes well, Steve
So glad to hear that your procedure went smoothly and that you have such a positive outlook. Good for you !
I can honestly say, i know exactly how you feel. I had an ICD implantation on 4/24/08 for V-tach.
I can relate to how difficult the decision must have been for you, as it was an EXTREMELY hard one for me to make.
Energizer bunny's got nothing over on us, huh? Be well, Steve
I can honestly say, i know exactly how you feel. I had an ICD implantation on 4/24/08 for V-tach.
I can relate to how difficult the decision must have been for you, as it was an EXTREMELY hard one for me to make.
Energizer bunny's got nothing over on us, huh? Be well, Steve
Congratulations on your new-found freedom from ventricular arrythmia!! I understand the remedy was not ideal, but if it is what was necessary for peace of mind, comfort and a healthy heart, so be it.
For me, the tape is one of the worst parts about being a cardio patient! Of course, heart disease, valvular disease are worse, but the tape is sure a pain (literally)!
Be well and please stick around to share you story with others traveling the bumpy road...
Connie
For me, the tape is one of the worst parts about being a cardio patient! Of course, heart disease, valvular disease are worse, but the tape is sure a pain (literally)!
Be well and please stick around to share you story with others traveling the bumpy road...
Connie
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