My story
Hi everyone. My name is Matt and I am a 37 year old living in NW suburban Chicago. Four years ago (April 18, 2012), while taking a shower before work i experienced very dangerous PVC's that lead to V-Fib. Thankfully, my wife was home, heard me collapse in the shower and quickly called 911. Since we live close to the firehouse, paramedics were at my house in about 4 minutes. They were able to quickly diagnose my irregular rhythms and shock me back into regular rhythm. However, since i wasn't complaining or talking to anyone prior to the incident, upon my arrival at the hospital, Dr's weren't sure what was the exact problem was. They did great work, diagnosed the V-Fib, stabilized me, and after a couple of days, inserted an ICD into my chest. Lucky to be alive, 10 days later (had an infected arm) I walked out of the hospital only needing to take Metropolol (eventually 200 mg daily). Having my regular check ups and my quarterly device reading had largely been uneventful. In October of 2014, i had 2 irregular heart rhythms, both i didn't feel or had any idea they happened, as my heart went back to normal rhythm withing 1-3 seconds. At that point, my Dr. raised my medication to 300 mg of metropolol. Fast forward to this May, was at the Dr for may annual apt and a device reading. Upon reading my device, they noticed that i again had a couple incidents, which again i never felt and they corrected them self rather quickly. given the fact i had a couple incidents, my Dr suggested an ablation. After discussing with my family, we felt it was an appropriate course of action, so on June 13, 2016, I went in for an ablation. Long story short, the ablation didn't work, which i know isn't all that uncommon. I did have to be shocked back in to regular rhythm during the procedure, but everything else was rather normal. Here is where it gets interesting. Since i had the ablation where they went into both the vein and artery, i had to lay flat for 8 hours. Not ideal but whatever. 7 and 1/2 hours into it, which was about 2:30 am, i was uncomfortable and laying in bed watching TV and playing on my phone. All of a sudden, a flutter in my chest, weirdness in my head and my ICD fired, shocking me for the first time. Needless to say i was surprised so i yelled, the nurses came running in, told me hay happened, told me everything was OK as my heart was back to normal rhythm. The nurses were great, asking me what else i might need. I was pretty cramped up from the bed (I am 6 foot 2) so i said i just needed to stand up. the nurse said OK. AS soon as i stood up, the ICD fired again, shocking me. At hat point the nurses called the ICU and i was taken up there, where i had a couple more shocks before 6 am. Over the course of that Tuesday, i was shocked a total of 11 times and put in the cardiac ICU. Thankfully they were able to stabilize me via IV meds, and were able to switch over to oral meds. 6 days after i entered for the ablation, I left the hospital.I left the hospital taking 150 mg of Flacanide two times daily and 200 mg of Metroprolol daily.
Physically i feel good. I need to get my strength back, but that will come as i get back into my routine.
Mentally its been a bit tougher. Unlike my original incident where i hadn't a clue what happened, this time i knew exactly what happened and how it felt. The first couple days home, all i could think about is "what happens if it happens again?" that has since subsided some as i get back into things. I have been waking up at nights with "dreams" that i am in the hospital or that my heart needs to be monitored. Hoping that will subside soon.
If anyone has insight to provide, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
