Dear Mr Shunmugam,
It is very good to see that you made contact with the ICD support
group on line all the way from India.
I share a similar surname as you spelling slightly different from
your, shunmoogum,great great grand parents from India .
Now this is out of the way, let get back to your concerns.
Firstly I would like to clarify that you had your implant in Oct 2007 ,
you were almost one year free, when in July 2008 you started your V
Tach.The device worked firstly by pacing on two occasions and shock on
one.It appear that you had more shocks,but stopped at time of writing.
Angela's response is an excellent one about making a plan of action
should your device deliver therapy.This should contain thing that Ben
mention:1identification given from the implant centre,2 emergency
contact of your local cardiology department, 3 present medication,4
Next of kin.( this i based on the NHS in UK, I am not familiar with
India's health service) This plan can be shared to anyone you wish, i.e
family, work colleagues, friends and your doctor
The Idea of making the plan is reassuring oneself that help could be
obtained should if be needed.
To always carry a form of identification( in UK we have many) I have a
bracelet from MEDIC ALERT,with one phone call all my medical information
can be obtain 24/7 all over the world.you can find info on the web.
As both Ben & Angela suggested that you must make contact with your
local implant centre for check up following therapy.From your account it
appears that you have done so and hope they have made the necessary
adjustment in you device or medication that will keep you shock free.
The way you felt after a shock, has been expressed by many ICD
owners.There are severals conversation going on about the support that
one requires following therapy.Oxford centre is looking at Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy (CBT) .You can get more information on the web.It is
the fist time that I have heard about Hypnotherapy,hopefully one day we
may hear from Angela.
About driving, Ben has given you very sound advice, but again you as an
individual has had severals therapies and should have a very good idea
how you felt immediately before and after, and use that as your guide to
be a safe driver.
Again it is good to hear from you sharing your experiences and
expressing your concerns that we can all lean from.
I had my implant in 2005 and to-date I am free from therapy and have my
device check every six months.
Best wishes
Keep in touch
Sam.


--- In icdsupport@yahoogroups.com, Shunmugam K wrote:
>
> Dear everybody
>
> I am from India I received my icd in October 2007.
>
> I had a heart attack in 1980 and a repeat attack in 1987. In 2000 I
> had my first VT (severe one @ heart rate of 220 bpm) reverted by
> electric shock. I ignored the episode until I started getting repeated
> episodes, diagnosed as drug resistant repetitive V tack and was
> recommended ICD. In October 2007 I received the ICD. The condition was
> uneventful till July 2007 when suddenly I started getting V tach on
> three successive days. Two episodes were controlled by pacing and I
> was shocked on three occasions. Though the shock was destabilising,
> the first one gave the comfort feeling that the device is doing fine
> and saved my life. But subsequent shocks,believe me, shattered me
> completely. Subsequently there had been no episodes.
>
> That is what it is.
>
> Now can somebody can react on my feelings below
>
> 1 a fear if the device is malfunctioning how to know ?
> 2 what if an episode happens during a drive ?
> 3 what if there is a shock when you are alone ?
>
> shunmugam k
>