Hello @chica -- welcome to Connect. I'm glad you found us. While I don't have an ICD, my daughter had a subcutaneous ICD. She has long QT syndrome and now has a pacemaker instead of the S-ICD. I think it's pretty normal to be a little afraid because of the unknown and questions you might have.

I'm tagging other members in the community who have talked about ICDs or pacemakers to see if they can provide any input for you. @gr82balive @balubeje @shortshot80 @ryman @ronbee @jimana @martishka @billmichalski @sotiredofit @ricke62 @catygirl @bevtar98 do you have any suggestions or input for @chica ?

@chicka can share a little more about your condition and what concerns you have about having an ICD?

John

(shortshot8 Nancy) I have had my pacemaker for over 10 years and on Monday April 2, I will have a new battery installed. Have to
be in the hospital at 6:30 am. Won't take long but will be closely watched for about 3/4 hours. I just celebrated my 85th birthday on
the 19th March. Still trudging along! Will check in again next week. Nancy

@shortshot80 -- that is terrific! Do check in again next week. Hope all goes well on Monday.

Thank you and my best to your daughter

I have a thick heart doctor said people that have this heart condition could have sudden death he feels I should have a icd in plant biut iam scared of the electri shock

Though I do not have your same heart problem I can understand your fear. There's a group called Women Heart your doctor might help you connect to. Probably you will find another woman who will help you deal with this fear.

Hello @chica and welcome to Mayo Connect,

I am so sorry to hear that you are dealing with this new heart diagnosis. I can certainly understand your fear and uncertainty. I have been dealing with heart issues since I was age 11, brought on by Rheumatic Fever. While my heart problems are not the same as yours I can certainly understand some of the fears and uncertainties that you are experiencing.

If you are comfortable sharing more information, can you talk a little more about this "thick heart"? What type of tests have you had and what type of symptoms do you have? Did your doctor give this disorder any other name such as cardiomyopathy?

I found a Mayo Clinic website that has information about cardiomyopathy (which is described as a "thick heart.") Here is the link, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cardiomyopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370709.

Mayo Connect is here to support and encourage you. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Teresa

@eileena

I appreciate the information about Women Heart. I found their website and found it to be very interesting. Here is the link, http://www.womenheart.org/.

Teresa

Until I found them I hadn't known that the number one killer of us women in this country is heart disease. The breast cancer people seem to put out huge amounts of information about their problem, but we need more to spread the news so we can help other women to deal with the actual number one enemy.

Heart disease in women has only really recently entered into the public's mind and has begun to be more researched by the medical community. Most research was done on men in the past. Since we are not exact copies of them our disease does not exactly mimic theirs. Mostly men get CAD(coronary artery disease) and we get PAD(peripheral artery disease). Even if we are the same weight and physical dimensions as men our hearts are smaller.

Hope this has enlightened somewhat.

MONDAY A[RO; 2 (shortshot80) I am home from my pacemaker battery change! The doc's told me that the reason I was so tired,, Lack of energy, Lack of appetite "pacemaker syndrome". After the surgery this morning, I already feel better. I even ate after surgery and
ate more than I did for Easter dinner. So just wanted to put the good news out. Will come back in the next few days with more. Nancy