Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Craig, My husband has had his ICD since 4/2004 Yes it is not unusual to have both an EP doc & cardio. We found our EP doc was NOT interested in any med side effects, adjusting meds etc. only the device was his interest The cardio on the other hand will manage the tweaking of your meds, side effects, any heart issues, (failure) including diet, f/u with the echocardiograms, & generally how your heart has (hopefully) improved. Our EP doc wasn’t even concerned with the incision when we returned (hubby crashed while we were in New York—we live in Indiana) had to see the cardio doc….. Also there are cardiologist docs that specialize in just heart failure which is what we finally got connected with—the heart failure clinic—social worker, support group, etc. So plan on keeping both appointments & make your list of questions for each. Janet Two Visits Needed Hi You All, My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. The ICD has greatly improved my quality of life over the last four months. The only down side is that my career has taken a major hit. My Director does not want to see, talk or otherwise know I am around. This guy will even turn around going into the restroom if he sees me inside. Good thing I had planed to retire at the end of the year before the ICD was implanted. Now I am think I waited a year too long. Craig in wonderful San TX. A town so friendly that we raised the Interstate 10 speed limit to 80 MPH so people could move here faster from California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Think of it as needing a Plumber and an Electrician. One tracks blood flow and the heart muscle and the other makes sure the electrical signals go where and when they are supposed to go. I have had my ICD since September 2005 and I don’t want to count the number of times someone from the plumber’s office panics and sends me to the electrician. The ICD must be recording some terrible stuff because even at the electrician’s office the technician said I needed to see the doctor. When I saw the doctor, he was like “why are you here?”. I feel that I am lucky in that excessive VT was detected when I was in cardiac rehab after a stent and pacemaker. After much testing, it was decided to be safe and take out the pacemaker and replace it with an ICD. To my knowledge I have never had a heart attach and my heart has stopped the VT on it’s own. I had a mechanical aortic valve and a double bypass fifth teen years ago. A few years ago I acquired type II diabetes just for the fun of it. I see my family doctor at least four times a year, the plumber at least twice and get the ICD checked twice a year. I have to get a PT test for the blood thinner every three to four weeks. The good news is I feel good and try to walk a few miles every morning. My current frustration is that I get mild chest pains sometimes when walking up hills. I can walk the same hill two days in a row and have problems one day and not the next. I think it may have something to do with my medicines. It seems that if I walk before I eat or take the morning medicines that I have less trouble than if I walk after eating and the medicines. It seems like the medicines won’t let my heart speed up enough to keep me supplied with oxygen. I have not figured out if it is the eating or the medicines. My family doctor said he thinks God put me on this earth so that my doctors would have something to scratch their heads about. So far, I am doing a good job. Joe S. God Loves Us All -----Original Message----- From: [mailto: ]On Behalf Of Craig Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 5:44 PM Subject: Two Visits Needed Hi You All, My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 my ep takes care of both sides of it but she works closely with heart sugeroan and cardio to ! buti see her for all my heart related issuses!jsbridge <jsbridge@...> wrote: Craig, My husband has had his ICD since 4/2004 Yes it is not unusual to have both an EP doc & cardio. We found our EP doc was NOT interested in any med side effects, adjusting meds etc. only the device was his interest The cardio on the other hand will manage the tweaking of your meds, side effects, any heart issues, (failure) including diet, f/u with the echocardiograms, & generally how your heart has (hopefully) improved. Our EP doc wasn’t even concerned with the incision when we returned (hubby crashed while we were in New York—we live in Indiana) had to see the cardio doc….. Also there are cardiologist docs that specialize in just heart failure which is what we finally got connected with—the heart failure clinic—social worker, support group, etc. So plan on keeping both appointments & make your list of questions for each. Janet -----Original Message-----From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of CraigSent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 5:44 PM Subject: Two Visits Needed Hi You All,My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. The ICD has greatly improved my quality of life over the last four months. The only down side is that my career has taken a major hit. My Director does not want to see, talk or otherwise know I am around. This guy will even turn around going into the restroom if he sees me inside. Good thing I had planed to retire at the end of the year before the ICD was implanted. Now I am think I waited a year too long. Craig in wonderful San TX. A town so friendly that we raised the Interstate 10 speed limit to 80 MPH so people could move here faster from California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Hi Craig. My only recollection of San Antone was during AF basic training at Lackland. It was hot and muggy. We did PT at sunrise then had breakfast. I still remember lying on the bunk after lights out, sweating from the humidity but enjoying the little bit of breeze the overhead fan created. I have three docs: my primary care physician who monitors my day-to-day progress, labs, coumadin level, a cardiologist who specializes in cardiomyopathy, and an EP. The problem is that sometimes the EP and cardiologist will have differing opinions on medications I should be using. When I'm in a confused quandry, I'll seek out more opinions before going ahead with a new med. Mike On Jul 8, 2006, at 2:43 PM, Craig wrote: > Hi You All, > > My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I > will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in > two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on > the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be > seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is > being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. > > The ICD has greatly improved my quality of life over the last four > months. The only down side is that my career has taken a major > hit. My Director does not want to see, talk or otherwise know I am > around. This guy will even turn around going into the restroom if > he sees me inside. Good thing I had planed to retire at the end of > the year before the ICD was implanted. Now I am think I waited a > year too long. > > > > Craig in wonderful San TX. A town so friendly that we > raised the Interstate 10 speed limit to 80 MPH so people could move > here faster from California. > > > > > > > > Please visit the Zapper homepage at > http://www.ZapLife.org > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 > > Hi You All, > > My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I > will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in > two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on > the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be > seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is > being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. > > The ICD has greatly improved my quality of life over the last four > months. The only down side is that my career has taken a major > hit. My Director does not want to see, talk or otherwise know I am > around. This guy will even turn around going into the restroom if > he sees me inside. Good thing I had planed to retire at the end of > the year before the ICD was implanted. Now I am think I waited a > year too long. > > > > Craig in wonderful San TX. A town so friendly that we > raised the Interstate 10 speed limit to 80 MPH so people could move > here faster from California. > Hi Craig I have had four implants since 1991. I also see a EP and a cardio. My Ep only deals with the icd only, Cardiogist only deals with my heart. Has been this way since the beginning. Niether one would treat you for any other illness. Good luck with your icd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Hi-Maybe I'm too new to ICD land or naive--- but why would your boss care if you have an ICD? I work and nobody there including the boss seems to care I have one. I don't feel I have to retire. Maybe he is misinformed or did he have to pay for it? Now THAT would be a reason. , " Craig " <cap9002@...> wrote: > > Hi You All, > > My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I > will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in > two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on > the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be > seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is > being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. > > The ICD has greatly improved my quality of life over the last four > months. The only down side is that my career has taken a major > hit. My Director does not want to see, talk or otherwise know I am > around. This guy will even turn around going into the restroom if > he sees me inside. Good thing I had planed to retire at the end of > the year before the ICD was implanted. Now I am think I waited a > year too long. > > > > Craig in wonderful San TX. A town so friendly that we > raised the Interstate 10 speed limit to 80 MPH so people could move > here faster from California. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Hi - I see both a cardiologist and an EP. Why not? I do have to pay a small co-pay for each...but my health is worth it. They do work together at the same hospital so they do discuss my condition as needed. Darlenejofrenkel <jofrenkel@...> wrote: Hi-Maybe I'm too new to ICD land or naive--- but why would your boss care if you have an ICD? I work and nobody there including the boss seems to care I have one. I don't feel I have to retire. Maybe he is misinformed or did he have to pay for it? Now THAT would be a reason. , "Craig" <cap9002@...> wrote:>> Hi You All,> > My Medtronic EnTrust ICD has been in place since 23 Feb 2006. I > will see my Electro Physiologist (EP) for a follow up appointment in > two weeks. The clinic has also scheduled me for an appointment on > the same day with my Cardiologist. Seems to me that I do not be > seeing both guys at the same time. I am wondering if anyone else is > being seen by both an EP and Cardiologist. > > The ICD has greatly improved my quality of life over the last four > months. The only down side is that my career has taken a major > hit. My Director does not want to see, talk or otherwise know I am > around. This guy will even turn around going into the restroom if > he sees me inside. Good thing I had planed to retire at the end of > the year before the ICD was implanted. Now I am think I waited a > year too long. > > > > Craig in wonderful San TX. A town so friendly that we > raised the Interstate 10 speed limit to 80 MPH so people could move > here faster from California.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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