Zoll Life Vest before ICD?

Yes, Zoll life vest was problematic at best. Just challenging with being reminded every day about my condition and difficulty sleeping with it. I had mine for almost 5 months. As for transition to my Biventricular ICD… it was a snap. I have had mine for 8 months. A little sore after surgery but that’s to be expected. Everyone might be different. It was a great relief I don’t even know it’s there and no umbilicals makes life normal again. It was a blessing.

@sladeottney It’s awesome you’ve had such a great transition.
While you had the vest, did you have a lot of “warning signals” that you were about to get shocked? If so, how does that number compare to the number of times you’ve been shocked with the ICD?

@sladeottney
Sorry for the multiple replies, but how long did you have driving restrictions?

@scoleo70058 Ohhh yes. The vest was glitchy and several times the pads were compromised due to sweating or some other thing. I was very happy to send it back.

Never shocked thankfully

@scoleo70058 if I remember correctly it was two weeks.

@scoleo70058 please don’t worry about multiple replies it’s okay. I have not been shocked by my ICD. I do not believe it is quite as easy to happen with the updated devices. I have passed out from standing up more than several times and my heart must still be generating electrical pulses because it has not shocked me. If I understand it correctly it should only go off if I go into cardiac arrest and my heart completely stops with no electrical component just like a AED will not work it it detects any electrical activity.

@sladeottney.
Thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it. I feel better after reading your experience, though I know it doesn’t guarantee that will be mine.
Would you mind sharing what caused the need for the ICD?
Mine was a Vtach episode while they were going to do an ablation for Afib.

Sure... may 5th 2025 I was sent to the hospital because I could not breathe. This was caused by 20 pounds of water retention in my abdomen which in turn was caused by my left ventricle going on "walk about". Congestive heart failure. Through rehab and meds my two arterial chambers are good and the biventricular ICD fixed the pacing issue between my right and left ventricle, but the left just will not get any better. My Ejection Fraction (EF) is 16. normal EF is 40 resting to 70 active so, it goes without saying my body does not get much oxygen rich blood. The right ventricle ONLY sends blood to the lungs to be oxygenated then back to the left atrium to push it into the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the only chamber pushing blood into the entire body. Mine only pushed 16% of the blood (EF) in the chamber each beat. NOW… I have been suffering from what has lately been determined as Polymyositis for 5 years. Basically, it’s a rare disease where my immune system has taken it upon itself without my input to decide that my muscles do not belong in my body. My immune system is systematically trying to get rid of my muscles in an extremely painful way. Two weeks ago it was so bad I was admitted and low and behold I was given IV steroids and 5 years of pain as gone in 2 hours. Rheumatologist will decide what is really happening but I have to wonderer are the two issues related??? We will see.

@sladeottney
Wow. It stands to reason they are related. Your heart is just a muscle. My FIL has myasthenia gravis which caused him to get a pacemaker.
I wish you the best. Hopefully they come up with something soon!