Hi Michelle,

I've had my ICD a month now, so still a newbie. I have it because I
had a SCD/VF arrest. The procedure was not too bad, the worst bit was
the local anesthetic injection. The pocket hurt like hell for a
couple of days after, so line up some decent painkillers.

It certainly feels a little odd having this thing inside me, but it
isn't causing me any problems. My only real issues are that the beta
blocker I am on is making me tired and I am not allowed to drive
until I am shock free for 6 months (UK Law)

I haven't been shocked yet, but since it took me 45 years to have my
first VF, no-one can tell me when the next one will come along.

My ICD is programmed to give me a defibrillating shock if my heart
rate exceeds 200bpm, which would be indicative of a VF event. It will
also pace me if it drops below 40bpm. Your settings will be different
to suit your condition. Yours will be set to perform cardioversion
which will time the shock to the right point in the heartbeat to
correct the tachycardia.

I'm very pleased to have the little thing watching over me, I feel much better
for having my ICD. I don't thik I would
sleep again without it. When I was in hospital and they were still
deciding what was wrong and what to do, they said I could go home in
between tests. I refused and stayed in hospital so I was close to an
AED.

Good luck


Mark


--- In icdsupport@yahoogroups.com, Michelle wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I am so excited that this message board is here. I was starting to
> feel a little overwhelmed. I am scheduled in a couple of weeks for
> my ICD. I have ventricular tachycardia which is not treatable
> through ablation. I have went through ablation twice and the last
> time I had so many electrical anomalies that they could not do the
> procedure. So they tell me they have never seen someone with my
> particular electrical problem, but that they have read about it.
> Anyway, my specialist at UCLA has decided after talking with his
> colleagues throughout the nation that I am a good candidate for the
> ICD. I am prepared to get the devise. I am mostly worried about
> getting shocked and it not being warranted. I have some questions
> about the ICD from a patient perspective.
>
> Does the ICD fill uncomfortable?
> Do you ever get shocked just because or is it only when it detects
> something is wrong?
> Do you feel better since you got the ICD?
>
> I think that will start me off. I really appreciate anyone that
> replies.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Michelle
>