Internal defibrillator

[varmone]

I have had a internal defibrillator for eight years now.Two months I had sudden cardiac death do to afib.it went off six times and saved my life.Now I worry about it going off everyday,my anxiety is bad,but managed with medication and therapy,my new medication is supposed to help,But those six shocks have taken a toll on me mentally and I need help to start feeling like a person again.

[sturon]

Hi. Like you my partner had an S-ICD implanted 6 months ago following a cardiac arrest. He has long QT syndrome. This can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and is often thought to cause sudden unexplained arrhythmic death. He was lucky that I am trained and did CPR until the ambulance arrived. He now has the safeguard of his own paramedic in his chest should he have another.

I take it that the six shocks were appropriate shocks and not a malfunction. It must be real scary to have the device deliver a shock, but think this way - without it what would have happened. In that it is doing its job by delivering shock to you means it is working and doing exactly as it should saving your life. I know it must be very frightening to think this could go off again but hopefully as each day passes you will feel better.

Please let us know how you get on.

Best Regards Ron.