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I've got a radiation syndrome that doesn't even have a name. 45 years later, I'm finding out how fried I am.
Anyway, early this morning was my sixth visit to the local emergency room to have my freaking-out heart zapped back into behaving. I'm hoping to get an "ablation" within a month or so to stop these adventures. Flutter can give me a second stroke, the first almost broke my soul.
I've been there so many times in the last year, they just wave me in. Just for something different, I declined the "sleepy sauce" and elected to take the zap while conscious.
Anyone else tried it before I say how bad it really was?
Up hills slow,
Down hills fast
Tonnage first and
Safety last.
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The people I've shocked without sedation we let pass out first. Always emergent, not elective.
I've never seen a no-sedation cardioversion done on purpose. It seems like a bad idea for a whole lot of reasons, not least of which is you pulling out your IV by accident when you react.
But I've only done hundreds, you should probably ask TRH.....
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Joined: Aug 2006
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OK, just remembered a VT guy I zapped in the ICU when I was new. He said he's going to kick my ass if he ever sees me outside the hospital. Only half joking. That's when I learned to let them pass out first if it was a "lethal" rhythm.
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I just had it done and I was out and thankful there wasn't an option.
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Campfire Ranger
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FIL has a defibrillating pacemaker.
Every so often they remotely fire it to ensure it's working,
he doesn't like that very much!
His Doc told him of patients that have had theirs fire in the middle
of some intense horizontal activities.
Both actors got zapped!
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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FIL has a defibrillating pacemaker.
Every so often they remotely fire it to ensure it's working,
he doesn't like that very much!
His Doc told him of patients that have had theirs fire in the middle
of some intense horizontal activities.
Both actors got zapped! An ICD firing is orders of magnitude less electricity. You get a tiny shock if you're doing chest compressions on someone who's device is firing. You get knocked on your butt if you're a fellow that's too cool to pay attention to "clear" being said and repeated. 😁
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Had the flutter. Got the ablation in Nov. Sedated. Took longer before I felt right than after the stent, the TAVR or the pacemaker. Wife has had two abortions and we have a friend who has had at least four.
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Campfire Ranger
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But I've only done hundreds, you should probably ask TRH..... LOL
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Had the flutter. Got the ablation in Nov. Sedated. Took longer before I felt right than after the stent, the TAVR or the pacemaker. Wife has had two abortions and we have a friend who has had at least four. Auto correct is a hell of a thing.
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Had the flutter. Got the ablation in Nov. Sedated. Took longer before I felt right than after the stent, the TAVR or the pacemaker. Wife has had two abortions and we have a friend who has had at least four. Auto correct is a hell of a thing. lol
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Had the flutter. Got the ablation in Nov. Sedated. Took longer before I felt right than after the stent, the TAVR or the pacemaker. Wife has had two abortions and we have a friend who has had at least four. That's a lot of stem cells donated just to make Pelosi look younger lol
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Campfire Kahuna
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The people I've shocked without sedation we let pass out first. Always emergent, not elective.
I've never seen a no-sedation cardioversion done on purpose.
But I've only done hundreds, you should probably ask TRH..... Hahaha You are no match Google and Dr Tinpenny the magnetic mistress
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OK, just remembered a VT guy I zapped in the ICU when I was new. He said he's going to kick my ass if he ever sees me outside the hospital. Only half joking. That's when I learned to let them pass out first if it was a "lethal" rhythm. Why would you let them pass out?
Fight fire, save lives, laugh in the face of danger.
Stupid always finds a way.
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Campfire Outfitter
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OK, just remembered a VT guy I zapped in the ICU when I was new. He said he's going to kick my ass if he ever sees me outside the hospital. Only half joking. That's when I learned to let them pass out first if it was a "lethal" rhythm. Why would you let them pass out? Because it hurts a lot. There's a real risk of injury or losing access when they react to the shock and "flail" about. And there's no "rush" if they're perfusing and not passing out. I've had patients in "slow" VT for hours that were alert and talking to us.
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Campfire Tracker
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OK, just remembered a VT guy I zapped in the ICU when I was new. He said he's going to kick my ass if he ever sees me outside the hospital. Only half joking. That's when I learned to let them pass out first if it was a "lethal" rhythm. Why would you let them pass out? Because it hurts a lot. There's a real risk of injury or losing access when they react to the shock and "flail" about. And there's no "rush" if they're perfusing and not passing out. I've had patients in "slow" VT for hours that were alert and talking to us. Pretty sure ACLS protocol makes those decisions for you.
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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OK, just remembered a VT guy I zapped in the ICU when I was new. He said he's going to kick my ass if he ever sees me outside the hospital. Only half joking. That's when I learned to let them pass out first if it was a "lethal" rhythm. Why would you let them pass out? Because it hurts a lot. There's a real risk of injury or losing access when they react to the shock and "flail" about. And there's no "rush" if they're perfusing and not passing out. I've had patients in "slow" VT for hours that were alert and talking to us. Pretty sure ACLS protocol makes those decisions for you. If only I was an ACLS and PALS instructor. We're talking elective cardioversion not code.
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Joined: Dec 2019
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Campfire Tracker
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OK, just remembered a VT guy I zapped in the ICU when I was new. He said he's going to kick my ass if he ever sees me outside the hospital. Only half joking. That's when I learned to let them pass out first if it was a "lethal" rhythm. Why would you let them pass out? Because it hurts a lot. There's a real risk of injury or losing access when they react to the shock and "flail" about. And there's no "rush" if they're perfusing and not passing out. I've had patients in "slow" VT for hours that were alert and talking to us. Pretty sure ACLS protocol makes those decisions for you. If only I was an ACLS and PALS instructor. We're talking elective cardioversion not code. Sustained VT doesn’t sound too elective. Yikes! 😳
Last edited by WMR; 02/17/23.
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Well, the whole ER staff had to watch after I'd signed the waiver refusing sedation. Never mind that one of my friends had filmed a prior event and I didn't levitate, it has been just an impressive jerk.
I braced myself, got in neutral position, made sure my jaw was lined up and mouth closed firmly with no meat in the way. Then came the five second countdown and ZAP.
It is not pleasant. White flash, feels like a football body slam, the kind you get when you're hit with a catch and still in the air. Or hit a tree "just perfect" while skiing. You "almost" drop the ball, but can still hang on, and don't "hurt" when it's over. But the hit? Wow.
But all the previous times, I'd felt no pain aftershock, while the sleep juice lingered for hours afterwards. And, while I'm on my way out, ya only live once. So think of it as a really hard, yet perfect hit. Definitely not for everyone. Not sure what I'll do next time -- and I dang sure don't WANT a next time, ever, but I'm happy to have the experience and be able to describe it to the ER staff.
High fives and fist bumps all around, by the way.
Up hills slow,
Down hills fast
Tonnage first and
Safety last.
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3,043 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Well, the whole ER staff had to watch after I'd signed the waiver refusing sedation. Never mind that one of my friends had filmed a prior event and I didn't levitate, it has been just an impressive jerk.
I braced myself, got in neutral position, made sure my jaw was lined up and mouth closed firmly with no meat in the way. Then came the five second countdown and ZAP.
It is not pleasant. White flash, feels like a football body slam, the kind you get when you're hit with a catch and still in the air. Or hit a tree "just perfect" while skiing.
But all the previous times, I'd felt no pain aftershock, or while the sleep juice lingered for hours afterwards. And, while I'm on my way out, ya only live once. So think of it as a really hard, yet perfect hit. Definitely not for everyone. Not sure what I'll do next time, but I'm happy to have the experience and be able to describe it to the ER staff.
High fives and fist bumps all around, by the way. I suspect you’re a legend now in that ER! You should have had someone take video to add to your home movies. 😁
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