CAMC Electrophysiology

3200 MacCorkle Ave. SE
Charleston, WV 25304

Frequent questions

What is my ID card for?
If you receive an Implant, the device company will mail you a wallet-sized patient identification card after you are discharged. Keep your ID cards at all times. They can alert medical and security personnel that you have an implanted ICD system.

Tell me about the care and recovery.
Your doctor will give you specific instructions to follow. Full recovery from surgery can take from several days to several weeks. It is important that you become actively involved in your own recovery. Follow your doctor's instructions about caring for the implant site and letting your other doctors, dentists and emergency personnel know that you have an implanted ICD system. This is important should the ICD need to be turned off temporarily for medical procedures.

When can I resume normal activity? 
Your doctor will help you decide how soon you can resume your normal activities. Many people find that they gradually return to the lifestyle they enjoyed before the surgery. In general, work, hobbies, exercise, and travel are just as possible once you have an ICD.

Exercise testing will help your doctor program the ICD system settings so you should not experience unnecessary shocks. If you do receive an unnecessary shock, let your doctor know if this occurs so he or she can consider reprogramming the ICD system.

What are some activity restrictions? 
Restrictions are used because it is important that you do not harm yourself or your ICD. Your doctor might ask you to avoid certain activities. A few seconds of unconsciousness during activities such as driving, swimming or boating alone, or climbing a ladder could be dangerous to you or others. The fact that you have an ICD system does not itself restrict such things as driving privileges. Your doctor or nurse will discuss any restrictions with you, as well as other guidelines.

Tell me about follow-up visits.
It is very important to follow your doctor's guidelines for follow-up visits.  These visits allow your doctor to check that your device is working properly. Also, your heart condition can change over time, and regular follow-up visits help make your doctor aware of changes and needs for adjustments.

At a typical follow-up visit,  the information stored in the ICD's memory is analyzed and the device's programming is adjusted if necessary. 

Also, your doctor or nurse will use this time to check the energy in the ICD's battery. How long your ICD pulse generator lasts depends on what settings your doctor programs and how much therapy you receive. 

When do I  call my doctor? 
It is very important to follow your doctor's guidelines for when to call the office. It is important to discuss a plan for contacting emergency personnel and your heart doctor. If you have symptoms of a fast heart rate, it is likely that the ICD system will deliver therapy within a few seconds. There usually isn't much time to react. Keep in mind that a shock treatment means your ICD system is doing its job.

It is possible that you could feel symptoms and not receive therapy. This depends on the programmed settings of your ICD system. Sometimes exercise may cause shortness of breath, dizziness, or lightheadedness. 

How should I feel after the procedure?
It's natural to feel anxious about the device at first. Having the ICD system is positive because it can treat your arrhythmias. However, some people feel vulnerable because they depend on an implanted device. As you gradually return to daily life, your level of confidence and comfort with the ICD will grow.

Will I feel my defibrillator work?
A defibrillator can be programmed to treat a variety of arrhythmias. When the defibrillator acts as a pacemaker, you generally don't feel anything because it uses low energy to pace the heart. When a defibrillator shocks the heart, it uses higher energy giving a feeling that has been described as a "kick in the chest." Many patients are unconscious when the shock is delivered and don't remember the shock at all. The shock comes quickly and lasts only a second.