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My ICD was placed on 01/13/09 so I am new to all of this. Although I have been told an ICD firing feels "like a kick in the chest", I was wondering what others have experienced? Because I do some travel for work (car, air, train), I was wondering if there are any early symptoms that the ICD will discharge? Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help. Jim
Arrhythmia Long QT syndrome Dizziness Pain Heart attack Stroke
Jim,
I had my implant on Jan. 7/09. I think it depends on your heart condition on whether you will have symptoms first. I have Long QT Syndrome so there might not be much notice before it fires. The arrhythmias in LQTS are so fast that I usually pass out right away so chances are the by the time the ICD fires I will be unconscious, but this isn't always the case. ICDs try to pace you out of the arrhythmia with rapid pacing before it gives the full shock so this might cause you some dizziness or palpitations first.
The only shocks I have received so far are the ones at implant. I was sedated but only sedated enough to make me fall asleep but not unconscious so I was very aware of the shocks. The first shock was to start the v-fib and it was not that painful, only like a strong pressure and sharp quick pains. I quickly lost my vision and felt my heart beating rapidly and I passed out. I then remember waking to the same feeling when the ICD fires but it was stronger this time, it is like an electrical feeling that resonates throughout the chest and followed almost simultaneously by a sharp pressure pain. The pain of the shock is intense but bearable and it is so quick that by the time it registers as pain in your brain it is over. Being sedated helped me not be alarmed by the shock but if I were fully awake at the time I'm sure it would have been very scary. I think this is what is so hard to accept about shocks, the suddenness of it and the fear. At the time I told the doctor that it was starting to hurt now because they told to tell them if I felt any pain at all during the procedure.
But honestly, I'm glad that I felt the shock during implant because I'm not afraid of it now. I do worry how I will react if it were to happen when I'm awake but I just keep reminding myself of the experience I had at implant and that I can handle it.
Good luck Jim and keep learning about your ICD and shocks because knowledge is power!
Diane
Thank you Diane for your quick response. I have been advised that my heart is "disease and blockage free" (based on the cath.) and the V-Fib event on 12/2/08 was potentially caused by medicine (Sotalol). The doctors were even unsure as to why this happened. In fact, I picked up a new refill on the day of the event and had the SCA 9 hours later after I took the first pill from the batch. I also did not experience heart attack or stroke so I guess the outcome could have been much different for me. I too passed out when the initial event happened and I was shocked several times along with CPR performed by the EMS team and was revived. I am unsure how I will handle this with work travel but I thought if I could hear from other folks with similar issues that it would be benefical for me. Thank you very much and all the very best to you Diane. Jim
Diane is right. It is much less scary after you have been shocked. It does hurt, but it is bearable.
Your device may beep, as I have heard that some do, when they are powering up... but, I don't believe that it would give you more than a couple seconds warning. My device doesn't have that warning, and I am glad that it doesn't... the shock hurts, but it is fast and over before you really realize what happened.
It would be a good question for your cardiologist. :)
My ICD was implanted in August. They didn't test it because I was in a weakened state. They just turned the ICD on high. It went off six weeks later at 5 a.m. I was asleep at the time. It took two shocks to bring me back and when I woke up I was shaking like I had been in convulsions. There was no pain although I too was told that it would feel like a mule kicked me.
As for a forewarning . . . on March 17, I felt a trembling in my chest . . . no pain . . . and really hard to describe. Just a weird feeling. I wrote down the date and when I went in for them to read the ICD, they told me it was 1 second from going off on that date. For some reason the v-tach ceased and so the ICD didn't shock me. I don't know what I could have done in the one second!! but it was good to know that I might have some a brief forewarning.
Thanks everyone for your responses. This site is very helpful.
I had my ICD inplanted last July of 2008 and then replaced in September of 2008. This past January I was shocked, I did not have any warnings except with the rapid pacing, which mine does all day everyday. I remember hearing like a crack and then a blue light, like a light bulb shattered. then I felt the kick in the chest, this went on for for Shocks, drs told me the first one fired at 15 volts it should of gone off at 12 then the 2-4 gradually went up and the last one had to give me 35 volts to get my heart back to normal. This all lasted 2 minutes. To me it felt like a life time, It fired so hard i collapsed. My new dr tells me it will do it at any given time whether we are Happy or Mad and stressed, ICD does not know the difference between good or bad. and when mine did it. They said it fired just randomly it should never have gone off...So please check with your dr. and if you haven't had it optimized yet have them do that as well...hope this helps...
Tanya
OH one more thing!! My husband said when he held me when i fell it felt like I was being TASED...He felt everything...I hope I helped a bit. I am still trying to get use to it. I was told not to travel via plane or car. so you might want to check.
Just to add to all that had been posted. You should check with your Dr. Mine told me that they have it programed to let me go unconscious before it fires. There is no beep. and no warning just blacking out. I also have Long qt. medtronic device put in 9/06. Mine has never fired. hope it never will. it could change my life and possibly others, if it ever goes off while driving.
Tanya
"My new dr tells me it will do it at any given time whether we are Happy or Mad and stressed, ICD does not know the difference between good or bad."
your new doctor eh? would that be dr. guerrero? she is wonderful isn't she. can't wait to hear your thoughts on her.
i never want my defib to fire while i'm driving but i like to THINK that if it ever does everything will be okay as it is so quick. but then, i also THINK that if i feel like i did before (and simply ignored the symptoms) mine fired that i would have enough sense to find a way to get off the road PRONTO. no matter, though, i'm so glad to have my bi-vent. it has saved my life once already. i would rather be embarrassed by it going off in public than having the alternative if you know what i mean.
evie
I agree!!!! We are just nervous knowing it could go off while we are not stressed in a bad way..She told me that if I am having fun with the kids it could go off...so know i am more nervous then ever!!
you never shared with me how you like dr. guerrero.....you were busy having fun at typhoon lagoon and were going to let me know how it went.
unnecessary shocks i guess are something that can happen but very unusual with the advances in technology.
the good news if that you don't have to be nervous about not having the icd if you DO need it.
evie
my icd was implanted in may 2006. It fired the first time in october 2007. I had just taken a shower and it felt like lightning was coming from my chest. I did not pass out but was knocked back on the bed where i was sitting. my heart rate was 180 when is discharged. last month my heart rate hit 315 i was in v-fib. Apparently I passed out before it discharged and I don't remember a thing. My daughter said I had a breathing problem, my eyes rolled back in my head and then I fell to the floor. moments later I came to asking what was wrong why was she screaming. The second firing kicked my butt. I am having a hard time recovering. Even more exausted and having to use oxygen nearly all the time.
Karen. Looks like other floridians in here.
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