Re: Colonoscopy...

[Guest guest]

I have not had a colonoscopy, but I can say that it is an invasive procedure and I would not have a test if it was not absolutely necessary. If you are not having trouble in that area - why have the test??

ALSO, if you do have to have the procedure, I think you would want your unit turned off, so it would not fire unnecessarily. Remember you will always be closely monitored and if necessary they would defib you externally.

Good luck to you, guin

P.S. Is your name Mona??

Re: Battery Life - Medtronic GEM II

[Guest guest]

Thanks for reinforcing my "leanings" at this time. I plan to avoid it if possible. This seems to be a procedure recommended for everyone these days when they reach fifty or so (not that I'm admitting being in that age category, though!). Then it's repeated every ten years after that if they don't find anything or every five years if they do find polyps or whatever it is they're looking for. Guess it's obvious that I'm not in the medical field. I had told my EP's nurse and the employee who actually does the interrogating of my device about it prior to seeing the EP, and they had said that I should let them know the date as soon as it was scheduled so that a Medtronic rep could be present to do whatever was necessary. I like that idea better than having the surgeon who does not specialize in this turn off the ICD.

This just has me wondering how many other things need to be avoided that I don't even know about. I belong to a local support group and have researched extensively on the Internet and otherwise, but it seems there are things I still am unaware of. And I can't see a logical reason how using an electrical instrument with respect to a totally different part of the body would make one's defibrillator fire. Guess I don't necessarily need to know why, but should just accept that is the way it is.

Thanks again for your input. And, no, I'm not Mona--I'm Barb. Sorry. . . .

[Guest guest]

Hi Giun and Mona and all others, Just taking a minute to stick my two cents in. I suffer from a rare disease call Allachayia, and sever GERD. My problems are so bad and no medication seems to work for a long period of time. I have a new doctor who is trying the latest procedure. It requires me to have and endoscospy and a colonoscpy (excuse spelling since stroke I have terrible problem) about every 6 weeks. What a pain in both ends ha ha

I have never had to have my unit turned off for any of them, They use versed and a middle sedative to relax me and I never remember a thing. So if my unit fired I would not remember it. Both my EP and Heart doctor believe and along wit the Gastroligst believe this is the safest route for me

So far I have had no problems

Sharon in Ohio

[Guest guest]

Dear and All Other too

Not sure how much of my history you know. I have been around for several years. I have trouble remember what # icd I have now. I do remember this much, since last September I somehow got a one way ticket to hell and am still looking for a new ticket window. Last September after a wonderful vacation to the ocean I became very ill on the way home to Ohio by the time we reached Ohio I was coughing so hard it was not funny. Two days later I was typing on computer and got a shock, a very hard shock, but I felt fine other than cough. The shocks started coming every few minutes. I called doctor who said got get it read, before I could cal someone to take me it started firing one after another and I panicked big time. My husband came home and we called the squad. I was crying and babbling, my husband put his arm around me to hold me close and I got zapped and believe it or not he got knocked across the room. My husband is 6'3" and in excellent shape. He said wow if it hurt me that much how much are you getting hurt. Big eye opener for him.

Well, off to the h spital numerous shocks later they finally determined it was broken and they shut it off. Had it replaced that evening, two weeks later the wire came lose again so I had it repaired. After it was in about a month, I started having problems with it moving around. My icd is in my right side right above my breast. DR said last pocket was bigger since this was a smaller unit pocket needed to shrink. Well, it never did and I have had it repaired twice since. Now it is lose again and it keeps turning over.

As with most of us my heart is not my only medical problem. I have had Acid Reflux for most of my life. Within the last few years in developed into GERD, Gastrol, esophagus, reflux disease. I have been o raglan for years. Over the course of time I have used over the counter medication, and prolesic, prevacid, etc. Two years ago I got to the point that every time I ate I would end up throw up. I chaged my diet still no relief. I started losing weight which I needed to do anyway. It kept getting worse. Stomach doctor decide it was time to go in and he did I have been dilated so many times I have lost count but it never seemed to work for very long.

This past March I became very ill again with no seems to know what. I was in and out of the hospital, with one procedure after another. Then I collapsed with a blood pressure of 40/20 unable to move, walk stand or care. I could barely breathe. I was admitted to ICU and they brought doctors from all over the area. I new up and coming Stomach doctor got involved and discovered that I not only have a severe case of GERD but I have a rare disease called Achalasia. (correct spelling) None of the doors work after I swallow anythingeverything becomes impacted etc. Then everything including my bowels shut down as there is no proper digestion (lovely) so hence they have to go in and pump me out and try to dilate again. They are now trying something new they inject botox directly into the area trying to open up the esophagus or whatever by freezing it open. This is the only procedure for right now. There is an extreme radical surgery but because of other health problems they will not consider it at this time.

There are some great reads on Internet regarding Achalasia.

Oh yes, I had a TIA 16 months ago. I lost the use of my left hand and leg and a great deal of my memory. I was on a walker, then went to a cane. I am proud of me because with a great deal of therapy and a wonderful little granddaughter I walk unassisted, slow but on my own My hand and arm are very weak but I use them.

Life in the West household has been scare the last couple of years. To make matters worse my hubby had a heart attack December 18. He had shunts put in but they failed and recently her had to have them repaired. If the fail again he will have bypass.

Above all I am still here and the sky sometimes is a beautiful blue, my garden is lovely although very very wet. My dogs are my companions and give lots of love and reason to move. My Grandchildren are the air I breathe especially my little Jessie bear, and Maya angel, and my brown skinned princess Kali. Little Zack is always there to ward of dragons and Help Grammie Sharon. In October Jessie bear will be joined with a new sister and my joy will continue.

Sharon in Ohio

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb.

I couldn't find your original post so I assume you are having a

Colonoscopy. I've had this procedure. I to, used to be concerned

about them having to cauterize if something went wrong. I've been

through serveral sugeries and I used to insist the Medtronic rep be

there to turn the unit off, then turn it back on afterwards.

I've learned a lot since then, and I now allow them to tape on a

donut magnet to the ICD to turn my unit off, if necessary. There is

no danger. The ICD resets itself immediately after being taken

off. I do always ask to see the donut magnet before they put me

under though.

As for the test, the hardest part is the preparation. Not to worry,

everything will come out just fine, literally.

> Thanks for reinforcing my " leanings " at this time. I plan to

avoid it if

> possible. This seems to be a procedure recommended for everyone

these days when

> they reach fifty or so (not that I'm admitting being in that age

category,

> though!). Then it's repeated every ten years after that if they

don't find

> anything or every five years if they do find polyps or whatever it

is they're

> looking for. Guess it's obvious that I'm not in the medical

field. I had told my

> EP's nurse and the employee who actually does the interrogating of

my device

> about it prior to seeing the EP, and they had said that I should

let them know

> the date as soon as it was scheduled so that a Medtronic rep could

be present

> to do whatever was necessary. I like that idea better than having

the surgeon

> who does not specialize in this turn off the ICD.

>

> This just has me wondering how many other things need to be

avoided that I

> don't even know about. I belong to a local support group and

have researched

> extensively on the Internet and otherwise, but it seems there are

things I

> still am unaware of. And I can't see a logical reason how using

an electrical

> instrument with respect to a totally different part of the body

would make one's

> defibrillator fire. Guess I don't necessarily need to know why,

but should

> just accept that is the way it is.

>

> Thanks again for your input. And, no, I'm not Mona--I'm Barb.

Sorry. . . .

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon.

Wow, I really feel for you. Every 6 weeks is certainly not a lot of

fun. You must be an extremely strong lady. But, I guess we do what

we have to do to stay alive.

IM curious about Allachayia, and sever GERD. How long have you had

it and what is it? Sorry to hear you had a stroke. How are you

doing?

> Hi Giun and Mona and all others, Just taking a minute to stick my

two cents

> in. I suffer from a rare disease call Allachayia, and sever

GERD. My problems

> are so bad and no medication seems to work for a long period of

time. I have

> a new doctor who is trying the latest procedure. It requires me

to have and

> endoscospy and a colonoscpy (excuse spelling since stroke I have

terrible

> problem) about every 6 weeks. What a pain in both ends ha ha

>

> I have never had to have my unit turned off for any of them, They

use versed

> and a middle sedative to relax me and I never remember a thing.

So if my

> unit fired I would not remember it. Both my EP and Heart doctor

believe and

> along wit the Gastroligst believe this is the safest route for me

>

> So far I have had no problems

>

> Sharon in Ohio

[Guest guest]

Yes, Barb; I have always had the Medtronic Rep there for my unit as well, in other surgeries.

~guin

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon.

Wow, Helen is right, you have been through, and are going through, a

lot. Yet, you seem to always bounce back. I think the " Big Boss "

up there is keeping an eye on you and your family.

I to have been through more than 20 men put together will ever go

through in their life time, so I kinda know what you mean. You say

are looking for a new ticket window. I looked for a long, long

time. Then I got to thinking about maybe I already have the right

window. I finally came to accept the fact that there are lots of

people less fortunate than myself at other ticket windows.

So, if I wake up, it's a beautiful day, rain or shine. My ICD, my

Meds, my family ,and expecially my beautiful Grand Children (I call

them my angel babies) are only a few of my reasons for still being

here today, so someone is watching over me. I thank my God everyday

for another beautiful day. IM sure you do the same.

So, you just keep on looking at that big beautiful blue sky, loving

on those dogs, and especially those Grand Children. Family is so

important. We're all here for a reason and things will work out.

I hope your husband doesn't have to have heart surgery. Those

stents have saved lots of people having to go through that.

God bless, stay strong, and you and your family are in my prayers..

> Dear and All Other too

>

> Not sure how much of my history you know. I have been around for

several

> years. I have trouble remember what # icd I have now. I do

remember this much,

> since last September I somehow got a one way ticket to hell and am

still

> looking for a new ticket window. Last September after a wonderful

vacation to the

> ocean I became very ill on the way home to Ohio by the time we

reached Ohio I

> was coughing so hard it was not funny. Two days later I was

typing on

> computer and got a shock, a very hard shock, but I felt fine other

than cough. The

> shocks started coming every few minutes. I called doctor who said

got get it

> read, before I could cal someone to take me it started firing one

after another

> and I panicked big time. My husband came home and we called the

squad. I

> was crying and babbling, my husband put his arm around me to hold

me close and I

> got zapped and believe it or not he got knocked across the room.

My husband

> is 6'3 " and in excellent shape. He said wow if it hurt me that

much how much

> are you getting hurt. Big eye opener for him.

>

> Well, off to the h spital numerous shocks later they finally

determined it

> was broken and they shut it off. Had it replaced that evening,

two weeks later

> the wire came lose again so I had it repaired. After it was in

about a month,

> I started having problems with it moving around. My icd is in my

right side

> right above my breast. DR said last pocket was bigger since this

was a

> smaller unit pocket needed to shrink. Well, it never did and I

have had it repaired

> twice since. Now it is lose again and it keeps turning over.

>

> As with most of us my heart is not my only medical problem. I

have had Acid

> Reflux for most of my life. Within the last few years in

developed into GERD,

> Gastrol, esophagus, reflux disease. I have been o raglan for

years. Over

> the course of time I have used over the counter medication, and

prolesic,

> prevacid, etc. Two years ago I got to the point that every time I

ate I would end

> up throw up. I chaged my diet still no relief. I started losing

weight which

> I needed to do anyway. It kept getting worse. Stomach doctor

decide it was

> time to go in and he did I have been dilated so many times I have

lost count

> but it never seemed to work for very long.

>

> This past March I became very ill again with no seems to know

what. I was in

> and out of the hospital, with one procedure after another. Then I

collapsed

> with a blood pressure of 40/20 unable to move, walk stand or

care. I could

> barely breathe. I was admitted to ICU and they brought doctors

from all over

> the area. I new up and coming Stomach doctor got involved and

discovered that I

> not only have a severe case of GERD but I have a rare disease

called

> Achalasia. (correct spelling) None of the doors work after I

swallow

> anythingeverything becomes impacted etc. Then everything

including my bowels shut down as

> there is no proper digestion (lovely) so hence they have to go in

and pump me out

> and try to dilate again. They are now trying something new they

inject botox

> directly into the area trying to open up the esophagus or whatever

by freezing

> it open. This is the only procedure for right now. There is an

extreme

> radical surgery but because of other health problems they will not

consider it at

> this time.

>

> There are some great reads on Internet regarding Achalasia.

>

> Oh yes, I had a TIA 16 months ago. I lost the use of my left hand

and leg

> and a great deal of my memory. I was on a walker, then went to a

cane. I am

> proud of me because with a great deal of therapy and a wonderful

little

> granddaughter I walk unassisted, slow but on my own My hand and

arm are very weak but

> I use them.

>

> Life in the West household has been scare the last couple of

years. To make

> matters worse my hubby had a heart attack December 18. He had

shunts put in

> but they failed and recently her had to have them repaired. If

the fail again

> he will have bypass.

>

> Above all I am still here and the sky sometimes is a beautiful

blue, my

> garden is lovely although very very wet. My dogs are my

companions and give lots

> of love and reason to move. My Grandchildren are the air I

breathe especially

> my little Jessie bear, and Maya angel, and my brown skinned

princess Kali.

> Little Zack is always there to ward of dragons and Help Grammie

Sharon. In

> October Jessie bear will be joined with a new sister and my joy

will continue.

>

> Sharon in Ohio

[Guest guest]

> I have not had a colonoscopy, but I can say that it is an invasive

procedure and I would not have a test if it was not absolutely

necessary. If you are not having trouble in that area - why have the

test??

Because a friend of mine had her " because it's time " colonoscopy and

they found a pretty advanced cancer that she had no clue was there.

The removed 12 inches of bowels and she is having Chemo now. If she

had waited for symptoms her prognosis would have been much worse.

Bridget