Re: My First Shocking Experience

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much Laurie for sharing your experience with me. I'm new. My

ICD was implanted 2 months ago and I'm so worried about getting shocked that

I can't think of anything else. Of course, I should be thankful that there

is some recourse if such a v-tach should occur. But so far I haven't read

anything that has explained it so fully in layman's terms as you did. Thanks

again.

[Guest guest]

Wow. laurie's message was a real eye opener for all, huh? thanks for your

communication. and darn right it DOES hurt.

jim

oplbeach wrote:

> Laurie Lynn, Thank you for sharing. I always 'hurt' but my doctors say

> that's my imagination. I receive a 35joule hit. Also with usually the max 4

> second warnings. The brusing feeling will ease but take it easy. Your being

> scared is normal and healthy and I pray this is your first and last Zap.

> Love, Jeannie

> My First Shocking Experience

>

> > Hello Fellow Zappers...

> >

> > Wow, what a shocking experience !!!

> >

> > Got home from work last night, parked in the garage, walked out to the

> > mailbox, walked into the house and BAMM...before I entered the family room

> I

> > was knocked to my knees. Never felt my heart racing before the shock. Of

> > course I was surprised and immediately began screaming for . I

> stayed

> > on the floor for probably fifteen minutes and just kept crying and

> repeating,

> > " I got shocked " . Let me tell you it hurts. For a fraction of a second

> > everything was black, or I saw stars, something like that and felt this

> > powerful explosion inside my body. It was over quick but it definitely

> hurt.

> > Afterward I felt cold tinglies inside my body as if someone had rubbed

> > Ben-Gay on the inside of me. And I felt electricity all through me, from

> the

> > top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. decided to call

> the

> > doctor, even though the protocol is to call the doctor after two shocks.

> If

> > you get one shock you're supposed to call the doctor's office and make an

> > appointment. Whatever. It was just scary and we decided to call. So we

> > ended up at St. ph's ER and I was taken in immediately and put on a

> heart

> > monitor. Had to wait for my Guidant Rep () to get out of surgery.

> Once

> > he did, he came to me and did an interrogation. He said I was in

> ventricular

> > tachycardia. The interrogation showed that one second my heart rate was

> 80

> > and in the next beat it was 180. Very, very, very sudden onset, which is

> why

> > I didn't have time to feel symptomatic. I felt better, knowing at least

> that

> > the device provided appropriate therapy. said, " Laurie, would you

> have

> > had sudden cardiac death without this device? Perhaps. But thankfully

> you

> > have this device, which is your guardian angel and did its job perfectly.

> It

> > saved you. " How scary is THAT?

> >

> > Today I am sore. Sore back, sore front, a bit of a headache. Can't

> > complain, really, can I? I mean, considering the alternative.

> >

> > So....now I know what a 31joule shock feels like. Did I mention it

> really,

> > really hurts?

> >

> > You know as the weeks passed after surgery, I stopped given such frequent

> > thought to when/if/where I would get shocked. I always just assumed I

> would

> > feel symptoms and expect the shock to be coming. Never expected to be

> taken

> > so off-guard. Now I know how it can really happen, and it scares me to

> think

> > I could have been driving, or sitting in a restaurant , or shopping at

> > Costco, you know, that kind of thing. Man, or I could have been alone at

> > work. I would have freaked. I'm realizing that this can really take a

> > psychological toll on a person, if you give into the dark thoughts. I'll

> try

> > not to do that. Just be thankful, you know?

> >

> > So that's the whole story! Whew! Like I said, a very shocking

> experience!

> >

> > Bless your hearts,

> >

> > Laurie Lynn

> >

> >

> > Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> > http://www.ZapLife.org

> >

> >

>

>

> Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> http://www.ZapLife.org

[Guest guest]

Laurie Lynn, Thank you for sharing. I always 'hurt' but my doctors say

that's my imagination. I receive a 35joule hit. Also with usually the max 4

second warnings. The brusing feeling will ease but take it easy. Your being

scared is normal and healthy and I pray this is your first and last Zap.

Love, Jeannie

My First Shocking Experience

> Hello Fellow Zappers...

>

> Wow, what a shocking experience !!!

>

> Got home from work last night, parked in the garage, walked out to the

> mailbox, walked into the house and BAMM...before I entered the family room

I

> was knocked to my knees. Never felt my heart racing before the shock. Of

> course I was surprised and immediately began screaming for . I

stayed

> on the floor for probably fifteen minutes and just kept crying and

repeating,

> " I got shocked " . Let me tell you it hurts. For a fraction of a second

> everything was black, or I saw stars, something like that and felt this

> powerful explosion inside my body. It was over quick but it definitely

hurt.

> Afterward I felt cold tinglies inside my body as if someone had rubbed

> Ben-Gay on the inside of me. And I felt electricity all through me, from

the

> top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. decided to call

the

> doctor, even though the protocol is to call the doctor after two shocks.

If

> you get one shock you're supposed to call the doctor's office and make an

> appointment. Whatever. It was just scary and we decided to call. So we

> ended up at St. ph's ER and I was taken in immediately and put on a

heart

> monitor. Had to wait for my Guidant Rep () to get out of surgery.

Once

> he did, he came to me and did an interrogation. He said I was in

ventricular

> tachycardia. The interrogation showed that one second my heart rate was

80

> and in the next beat it was 180. Very, very, very sudden onset, which is

why

> I didn't have time to feel symptomatic. I felt better, knowing at least

that

> the device provided appropriate therapy. said, " Laurie, would you

have

> had sudden cardiac death without this device? Perhaps. But thankfully

you

> have this device, which is your guardian angel and did its job perfectly.

It

> saved you. " How scary is THAT?

>

> Today I am sore. Sore back, sore front, a bit of a headache. Can't

> complain, really, can I? I mean, considering the alternative.

>

> So....now I know what a 31joule shock feels like. Did I mention it

really,

> really hurts?

>

> You know as the weeks passed after surgery, I stopped given such frequent

> thought to when/if/where I would get shocked. I always just assumed I

would

> feel symptoms and expect the shock to be coming. Never expected to be

taken

> so off-guard. Now I know how it can really happen, and it scares me to

think

> I could have been driving, or sitting in a restaurant , or shopping at

> Costco, you know, that kind of thing. Man, or I could have been alone at

> work. I would have freaked. I'm realizing that this can really take a

> psychological toll on a person, if you give into the dark thoughts. I'll

try

> not to do that. Just be thankful, you know?

>

> So that's the whole story! Whew! Like I said, a very shocking

experience!

>

> Bless your hearts,

>

> Laurie Lynn

>

>

> Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> http://www.ZapLife.org

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing Laurie Lynn. Glad you are still with us.

Pete

____________________________________________

" If you want to live a long and happy life, get a chronic disease and

manage it. "

Oliver ll Holmes

Visit www.healthyheartmarket.com/

My First Shocking Experience

Hello Fellow Zappers...

Wow, what a shocking experience !!!

Got home from work last night, parked in the garage, walked out to the

mailbox, walked into the house and BAMM...before I entered the family room I

was knocked to my knees. Never felt my heart racing before the shock. Of

course I was surprised and immediately began screaming for . I stayed

on the floor for probably fifteen minutes and just kept crying and

repeating,

" I got shocked " . Let me tell you it hurts. For a fraction of a second

everything was black, or I saw stars, something like that and felt this

powerful explosion inside my body. It was over quick but it definitely

hurt.

Afterward I felt cold tinglies inside my body as if someone had rubbed

Ben-Gay on the inside of me. And I felt electricity all through me, from

the

top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. decided to call

the

doctor, even though the protocol is to call the doctor after two shocks. If

you get one shock you're supposed to call the doctor's office and make an

appointment. Whatever. It was just scary and we decided to call. So we

ended up at St. ph's ER and I was taken in immediately and put on a

heart

monitor. Had to wait for my Guidant Rep () to get out of surgery.

Once

he did, he came to me and did an interrogation. He said I was in

ventricular

tachycardia. The interrogation showed that one second my heart rate was 80

and in the next beat it was 180. Very, very, very sudden onset, which is

why

I didn't have time to feel symptomatic. I felt better, knowing at least

that

the device provided appropriate therapy. said, " Laurie, would you

have

had sudden cardiac death without this device? Perhaps. But thankfully you

have this device, which is your guardian angel and did its job perfectly.

It

saved you. " How scary is THAT?

Today I am sore. Sore back, sore front, a bit of a headache. Can't

complain, really, can I? I mean, considering the alternative.

So....now I know what a 31joule shock feels like. Did I mention it really,

really hurts?

You know as the weeks passed after surgery, I stopped given such frequent

thought to when/if/where I would get shocked. I always just assumed I would

feel symptoms and expect the shock to be coming. Never expected to be taken

so off-guard. Now I know how it can really happen, and it scares me to

think

I could have been driving, or sitting in a restaurant , or shopping at

Costco, you know, that kind of thing. Man, or I could have been alone at

work. I would have freaked. I'm realizing that this can really take a

psychological toll on a person, if you give into the dark thoughts. I'll

try

not to do that. Just be thankful, you know?

So that's the whole story! Whew! Like I said, a very shocking experience!

Bless your hearts,

Laurie Lynn

Please visit the Zapper homepage at

http://www.ZapLife.org

[Guest guest]

thanks for sharing that laurie i'm glad you are still her i got shocked at a

30 joulte level i can even thank about more then that i'm sorry you had to

get shocked but i'm glad it svaed you life i been shock over 80 time and i

still fear it i hope you dont need no more shocks but if you do at least you

got your pal the icd does it have a name yet i named mine jumpy

stacie,17

My First Shocking Experience

> Hello Fellow Zappers...

>

> Wow, what a shocking experience !!!

>

> Got home from work last night, parked in the garage, walked out to the

> mailbox, walked into the house and BAMM...before I entered the family room

I

> was knocked to my knees. Never felt my heart racing before the shock. Of

> course I was surprised and immediately began screaming for . I

stayed

> on the floor for probably fifteen minutes and just kept crying and

repeating,

> " I got shocked " . Let me tell you it hurts. For a fraction of a second

> everything was black, or I saw stars, something like that and felt this

> powerful explosion inside my body. It was over quick but it definitely

hurt.

> Afterward I felt cold tinglies inside my body as if someone had rubbed

> Ben-Gay on the inside of me. And I felt electricity all through me, from

the

> top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. decided to call

the

> doctor, even though the protocol is to call the doctor after two shocks.

If

> you get one shock you're supposed to call the doctor's office and make an

> appointment. Whatever. It was just scary and we decided to call. So we

> ended up at St. ph's ER and I was taken in immediately and put on a

heart

> monitor. Had to wait for my Guidant Rep () to get out of surgery.

Once

> he did, he came to me and did an interrogation. He said I was in

ventricular

> tachycardia. The interrogation showed that one second my heart rate was

80

> and in the next beat it was 180. Very, very, very sudden onset, which is

why

> I didn't have time to feel symptomatic. I felt better, knowing at least

that

> the device provided appropriate therapy. said, " Laurie, would you

have

> had sudden cardiac death without this device? Perhaps. But thankfully

you

> have this device, which is your guardian angel and did its job perfectly.

It

> saved you. " How scary is THAT?

>

> Today I am sore. Sore back, sore front, a bit of a headache. Can't

> complain, really, can I? I mean, considering the alternative.

>

> So....now I know what a 31joule shock feels like. Did I mention it

really,

> really hurts?

>

> You know as the weeks passed after surgery, I stopped given such frequent

> thought to when/if/where I would get shocked. I always just assumed I

would

> feel symptoms and expect the shock to be coming. Never expected to be

taken

> so off-guard. Now I know how it can really happen, and it scares me to

think

> I could have been driving, or sitting in a restaurant , or shopping at

> Costco, you know, that kind of thing. Man, or I could have been alone at

> work. I would have freaked. I'm realizing that this can really take a

> psychological toll on a person, if you give into the dark thoughts. I'll

try

> not to do that. Just be thankful, you know?

>

> So that's the whole story! Whew! Like I said, a very shocking

experience!

>

> Bless your hearts,

>

> Laurie Lynn

>

>

> Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> http://www.ZapLife.org

>

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

Until your posting, no one has REALLY ever told me exactly what it is like to

get zapped. I have never been zapped since I got the ICD 2 years ago. I

have been told that " it's like a kick in the chest, " or " you'll just feel a

tightness, " etc. All from docs or techs who don't have an ICD.

Thank you for your honesty. I am the kind of person who would rather know

exactly what to expect and not be surprised.

Kind of like when Lamaze teachers tell you that labor is " discomfort. "

I called it PAIN!!! I wish I had known the truth and had been more prepared.

So, thank you for sharing. I have been very lucky so far. I am sorry that

you had to go through a bad zap. You are in my prayers.

Peace, Ginnie

[Guest guest]

Dear Laurie,

Was so sorry to hear about your zap. It really is very scarey! I've only

had one so far but it was a loo-loo too @ 35joules. They finally

interrogated me last week and I had the zap in July.

I didn't have much warning. Maybe 2 sec before- I felt a little funny in

the head, then wham. The rep who did the interrogation said it was a full

shock - 35j. I found out that I can also have a milder shock @ 25j. If my

heart rate goes above 153 for more than 30 sec I get the 25j shock -VT. But

if it jumps above to 170 ar more for 30 sec. I get the biggie and he said

that was VF or that I was in fibrillation where your heart was just

quivering. I thought the funny feeling in my head was the 102 heat!

Anyway, I'm so very sorry girl and it probably doesn't help to say you know

what to expect now. Try really hard to remember it saved your life and what

would we do here without you!! Your closing of " Bless your Heart " always

gives me a lift. So, bless your heart too!

Deb

>From: LaurieLynn@...

>Reply-egroups

>egroups

>Subject: My First Shocking Experience

>Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 12:05:05 EDT

>

>Hello Fellow Zappers...

>

>Wow, what a shocking experience !!!

>

>Got home from work last night, parked in the garage, walked out to the

>mailbox, walked into the house and BAMM...before I entered the family room

>I

>was knocked to my knees. Never felt my heart racing before the shock. Of

>course I was surprised and immediately began screaming for . I stayed

>on the floor for probably fifteen minutes and just kept crying and

>repeating,

> " I got shocked " . Let me tell you it hurts. For a fraction of a second

>everything was black, or I saw stars, something like that and felt this

>powerful explosion inside my body. It was over quick but it definitely

>hurt.

> Afterward I felt cold tinglies inside my body as if someone had rubbed

>Ben-Gay on the inside of me. And I felt electricity all through me, from

>the

>top of my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. decided to call

>the

>doctor, even though the protocol is to call the doctor after two shocks.

>If

>you get one shock you're supposed to call the doctor's office and make an

>appointment. Whatever. It was just scary and we decided to call. So we

>ended up at St. ph's ER and I was taken in immediately and put on a

>heart

>monitor. Had to wait for my Guidant Rep () to get out of surgery.

>Once

>he did, he came to me and did an interrogation. He said I was in

>ventricular

>tachycardia. The interrogation showed that one second my heart rate was 80

>and in the next beat it was 180. Very, very, very sudden onset, which is

>why

>I didn't have time to feel symptomatic. I felt better, knowing at least

>that

>the device provided appropriate therapy. said, " Laurie, would you

>have

>had sudden cardiac death without this device? Perhaps. But thankfully you

>have this device, which is your guardian angel and did its job perfectly.

>It

>saved you. " How scary is THAT?

>

>Today I am sore. Sore back, sore front, a bit of a headache. Can't

>complain, really, can I? I mean, considering the alternative.

>

>So....now I know what a 31joule shock feels like. Did I mention it really,

>really hurts?

>

>You know as the weeks passed after surgery, I stopped given such frequent

>thought to when/if/where I would get shocked. I always just assumed I

>would

>feel symptoms and expect the shock to be coming. Never expected to be

>taken

>so off-guard. Now I know how it can really happen, and it scares me to

>think

>I could have been driving, or sitting in a restaurant , or shopping at

>Costco, you know, that kind of thing. Man, or I could have been alone at

>work. I would have freaked. I'm realizing that this can really take a

>psychological toll on a person, if you give into the dark thoughts. I'll

>try

>not to do that. Just be thankful, you know?

>

>So that's the whole story! Whew! Like I said, a very shocking experience!

>

>Bless your hearts,

>

>Laurie Lynn

_________________________________________________________________________

Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at

http://profiles.msn.com.

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

Thanks for sharing your story. I don't know what 31J feels like (and hope

that I never do). I had my first and only shocks about six weeks ago, 3

shocks at 7 joules and 2 at 14 (my max is 31). I also had little warning. I

had just gotten home from work and was vacuuming out the car. I felt a

little short of breath but no big deal. I was standing in the kitchen with

my kids (5 & 7) and wife when I pitched forward and let out a scream, scaring

my family out of their wits. I received 4 more shocks within the next 5

minutes with my heart rate ranging from 188 with the first shock to 229 with

the third and fifth. My kids kept asking me to stop screaming and one of

them started crying. Fortunately the pain (and screaming) lasted only a

second each time and I felt fine after each shock although I guess I wasn't

since my device kept going off. It sounds like 31J leaves a longer lasting

impression. My whole family now knows what to expect and I hope is better

able to deal with it, as I hope I am.

I don't know about you, but I worry every time I am short of breath that a

shock could soon follow. Just yesterday I was up on a ladder fixing a window

(not particularly strenuous stuff) when I became quite short of breath and

feared that I would get a shock two stories up. Fortunately, nothing

happened and I was able to get down okay. I guess this uncertainty is part

of our lives now and we just have to make the best of it. I also am thankful

for my device and appreciate the second chance that it has given me. Even

so, I would prefer not to need it.

Thanks again for sharing.

[Guest guest]

It is somewhat helpful to share with others our fears as well as our

gratitude. I too had mine go off three times within one-half and I too let

out screams that were involuntary. Yes, I am grateful that I have the

device, but a little sad that I needed it in the first place. Prior to this

I had been a pretty healthy woman for which I took for granted.

[Guest guest]

Dear LaurieLyn, Even thought I am getting reading this way after the facts

I just wanted to say I am so sorry about your shocking experience and yet so

glad your device worked perfectly for you. I am so glad you were home where

you had someone to be with.

I remember my very first shock. My daughter (at that time 15) and I were

shopping at the mall together. I had had my surgery several months prior and

I thought no biggy I can handle this, how bad can it be and of course my

doctors told me that I might never ever be shocked that it might never every

happen again. I was not going to change my life style this thing that was in

me was not going to get to me. As we were walking in the mall all of a

sudden boom and down I went. I like you saw stars lightning flash whatever

but I thought that I had been shot. By the time I realized what had happened

they called mall security and I was embarrassed to death. My daughter was so

scarred she started to cry. It took me about an hour to calm down enough to

get to the car. On the way home I started crying as I knew I truly was

dependent on this thing that lived in my body. Yet at the same time I hated

it because it hurt so darn bad.

When I got home I fell apart and cried and cried. I called my Doctor and he

had me come to the clinic the next day. They read it and said it had done

the tight thing and that I would probably never have any warning. I go into

VT and Aterial fib. Sometimes when I see fireworks or lightning flashes I

thnk that is me that is what happens in my chest. I remember asking someone

who was near me once did you see the flash do you see the stars.

I have had some very bad experiences with my 3 icds and have received several

shock. After my second one misfired and broke I had it removed and refused

to allow them to put one back in as I was so terrified from the repeated

shock.

Last summer when what ever happened to me and I was clinical dead. I was

truly blessed to get another chance. This happened three weeks before my

only daughters wedding. Well, the did everything to convince me I would

never live to see the wedding if I didn't have a new icd as my arrogance and

denial had caused some major problems.

I hate my icd. I wish I never had it. I wish that I would wake up from this

bad dream and I would be all better. I wish none of you had problems. I

wish there was another solution than be shocked. But for know it is all we

have and I am thankful very very thankful to be alive. I knew it in the back

of my mind when I was in the hospital but I knew it in my heart when I

watched my daughter say her vows.

The shocks are mind boggling as they are not only painful but they remind us

of our human frailties.

I am no longer allowed to drive and they ask me to not be alone for long

periods. I recent my freedom being affected and restricted. I miss being

able to jump in the car. I am also not longer allowed to work. Life for me

is fair sedate. But I have found hope and friendship on this message board.

I have energy and I working on new goals. Goals for me. I want to be here

for a long long time. I want to have grandchildren and be a good

grandmother.

Laurie you hang in there talk about your feeling to your husband your friends

to us your message board family. You can make it. We all can make it one

day at a time.

In loving Friendship and shocking reality,

Sharon

[Guest guest]

Hang in there well will all be here for you, if and when it happens. Each

person react differently. Try not to think about it so much. I don't know

what to tell you to think about because I thought about it day and night.

These things are getting better year by year and I have been there from the

start. Make samll goals reach them then make another. Take care of you.

Take CAre Sharon