Horrible week

[RyanKCR]

I have not had a good week so far. This is a paraphrase of an email that went out about me monday night:

Michael went by ambulance to the hospital this morning at around 5am. He was having tachycardia (rapid heart rate). At that time his internal cardiac defibrillator did not fire. The EMT's administered Lidocaine which is protocol for a normal person, but the meds actually caused Michael to have a seizure and to code. He has been stabilized but they now have lowered the trigger heart rate at which the ICD will fire and subsequently his ICD fired two times this afternoon in response to his hearts rapid rhythm. The cause of the erratic rhythm is unknown.

My heart started racing again Tuesday night and I got another shock. I've been put on another med and things seemed to have calmed down now but it was quite interesting. I got Lidocaine at home and then again at the hospital along with amiodarone and I said that I did not like the feeling that gave me and my wife said I just stared and then siezed. Then my heart rate dropped really low. I'm glad I was out for most of it. Later when I was out my brother was watching my heart rate on the monitor go from 70 to 230bpm in about two jumps then I awoke and the icd fired. He never saw that happen to me before.
I go next Tuesday to my regular arrthymia doctor to see what to do if anything. I'm not sure what this is going to mean for me but I'm just so tired and frustrated. Just wanted to let those of you who know me know what's just been happening.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Later when I was out my brother was watching my heart rate on the monitor go from 70 to 230bpm in about two jumps then I awoke and the icd fired.

That sounds terrible, I think I would go insane if had to have such a thing installed in my chest.

 

[RyanKCR]

Later when I was out my brother was watching my heart rate on the monitor go from 70 to 230bpm in about two jumps then I awoke and the icd fired.

That sounds terrible, I think I would go insane if had to have such a thing installed in my chest.

It wasn't as bad as back in March when the previous one I had went off 10 times in under 2 hours. But it's keeping my heart from racing to the point of death. I don't like it when it goes off and after the March incident and now this I think it is getting to me. I'm almost afraid to sit up, walk, etc.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I hope you're feeling better now. Good luck on Tuesday!

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Sorry to hear you're having problems again. I hope you start feeling better soon.

 

[RyanKCR]

Thanks. I'm okay at the moment. The sad thing is that this will probably happen again. The key is to keep it from happening too often.

 

[Amaris]

Here's hoping you feel much better, Ryan.


J.

 

[RyanKCR]

Just got a call from my wife, she just talked to my electrophysiologist (he has a mobile phone number and she has that phone.) He's looking forward to seeing me Tuesday and will be discussing getting me in to do another ablation to try to end the vtach storms.

 

[Alpha Romeo]

Ryan:

Hope you feel better. By chance are you on the transplant list?

 

[RyanKCR]

Ryan:

Hope you feel better. By chance are you on the transplant list?

I'm in contact with a transplant doctor but found out I have hep C and I about to start treatment for that. Once that is done the process to get me on the list can start.

 

[Alpha Romeo]

Ryan:

Hope you feel better. By chance are you on the transplant list?

I'm in contact with a transplant doctor but found out I have hep C and I about to start treatment for that. Once that is done the process to get me on the list can start.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[RyanKCR]

Ryan:

Hope you feel better. By chance are you on the transplant list?

I'm in contact with a transplant doctor but found out I have hep C and I about to start treatment for that. Once that is done the process to get me on the list can start.

Sorry to hear that.

It is, unfortunately, been the story of my life. I hae something good done but because of something unknown causes problems later. That gets worked out but another issue related to another unknown at the time causes further problems. Eh, they're still learning and I'm part guinea pig in all this.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, I hope the Doc can end those vtach storms. It must be terrible to live in fear of just getting up or walking.

 

[Holdfast]

Good luck with this. Constant shocks must be very wearing, both physically and psychologically. Sounds like they're happening too quickly at too high a rate to allow the ICD to override pace instead of needing to go straight to full-blown shocks. Shame the amiodarone isn't holding things either. Hope the electrophys consult goes well.

Still, I remember reading about one case where someone's ICD was firing so frequently, every time the staff tried to get IV access, they also got shocked. They ended up needing to time their attempts to the brief windows between shocks. Now THAT'S an electrical superstorm.

 

[Australis]

Hang in there, man. Medical tech is improving every day, and it sounds like they're trying to get on top of it.

 

[RyanKCR]

Good luck with this. Constant shocks must be very wearing, both physically and psychologically. Sounds like they're happening too quickly at too high a rate to allow the ICD to override pace instead of needing to go straight to full-blown shocks. Shame the amiodarone isn't holding things either. Hope the electrophys consult goes well.

Still, I remember reading about one case where someone's ICD was firing so frequently, every time the staff tried to get IV access, they also got shocked. They ended up needing to time their attempts to the brief windows between shocks. Now THAT'S an electrical superstorm.

Actually they don't have me on amiodarone. They want to avoid that if they can because they said it's a nasty drug. I'm currently on Metropolol and Sotalol and they just added Mexilitine. I'm also on Lasix, Aspirin, Klor-con and Lisinipril.

This has been only the second time that I've had multiple shocks in a short time span since having the original ICD implanted July of 04. Both happened this year so that is why my main rhythm doctor is thinking it may be time for another ablation. We'll be discussing this on Tuesday.

For how bad this has been for me I cannot imagine the stress this has put on my wife and the rest of my family and friends. I just want this to stop.

 

[RyanKCR]

Now to top it all off I think I caught a cold.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

I'm thinking of you and wishing you well, Mike. Keep me updated via pm if possible.

 

[RyanKCR]

Little update. On Jan 6th I will have an ablation done. Dr feels that since I tolerated the tachycardia so well that he should be able to get rid of them. He wants to do that before poisoning me with more chemicals. He wants to take me off the med I was just put on because it is a nasty drug so the ablation should be able to allow that to happen.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Good luck with that. It's too bad you have to wait until after the holidays, but hopefully you'll be feeling better afterward.