Patients and Caregivers Forums

Hi, my name is Tonya and i have had my vad implanted 1 year and 5 days ago. And since then i have had chronic driveline infections and within the last 2 months i have had 2 diffrent surgery's, 1. Cause i had a brain bleed( just from hitting my head on a cabinet door, ) so i had to have emergency...

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VAD-wearables We are currently inviting Ventricular Assist Device patients globally to participate in an online questionnaire about their experience with their VAD wearable systems. The aim of the questionnaire is to research how Ventricular Assist Device patients feel...

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VAD-wearables We are currently inviting Ventricular Assist Device patients globally to participate in an online questionnaire about their experience with their VAD wearable systems. The aim of the questionnaire is to research how Ventricular Assist Device patients feel...

Hello! I am a student at the University of Washington in an engineering class project hoping to improve the life for people with LVADs. We have been working on this project for a couple of months, and discussed with VAD coordinators, cardiologists, and industry professionals in healthcare. I would...

Will there be a lighter and smaller battery available for the Lvad heartmatt 111 now or in the future the reson I ask this is when strapped to the body it can effect your posture

First time posting but I’ve been lurking for a while. My husband had his lvad surgery today and although the left side of his heart is responding positively, his right side is functionIng worse than before surgery. He spent a week in the hospital with a balloon pump and his right side responded well...

My husband started on these two recently. Seroquel last Thursday and the Gabapentin on Saturday. They are to help with his delirium/encephalopathy. I have heard negative things about this drug combination- especially Seroquel. Anyone have experience with either of these working or not working? Thank...

My father just had an LVAD put in on October 9th. The surgery went good and he was taken off the ventilator the following day. He then began to develop extreme breathing problems and was not able to take deep enough breaths and was retaining carbon dioxide and becoming extremely confused due to this...

Did any of you get you implant done through the left side ribs?

My husband experiences involuntary shaking like he had a fever or something. He doesn’t have a fever so I’m wondering what could cause this?

Hello, my name is Chris and I have had my HeartWare LVAD for a little over a year now. Life with the device had gone mostly as well as could be expected although I have experienced one problem that is quite a nuisance and was wondering if anyone had some feedback or advice on how to tackle this...

I should have added that we have the new, unused shower bag, as well as the clothing and charging gear.

My husband received his Heartware lvad on Oct 1, 2020. (Stemi heart attack Aug 4, 2020) Monday, (10/5/2020), two nurses & my hubby set off out to walk a few 'laps' around the cicu wing. Having previously walked behind a different 3some on Sat & Sun, rolling his chair directly behind them in case he...

My husband received a heart transplant on September 15, 2020. He had had a Heartmate III Since October 1, 2019. We have nearly a month's worth of dressing change kits from OrthoDynamics, a wall unit, a battery charger and 4 batteries, 2 LAVD shirts and a waist band for sleeping. I would like to give...

My husband had his LVAD op October 2017 10 days later he developed bowed ischaemia and had life saving surgery again, he had bowel resection and an illeostomy. He is lucky to have survived. Now over year later he has had drive line infection, regular low magnesium and potassium also, he looses fluid...

Received my LVAD March 2, 2019, and can not walk any distance without a walker. I truly thought I would be able to function without it, but that has not been the case. I get very short of breath walking without the walker, but can walk a long way with it. Anyone have the same experience?

I got my LVAD in 2015 and haven't had any problems with it. Just over the last few days, I've been getting pains in my heart, mostly when I'm tired. In the evenings, there is a pressure in my heart that sometimes increases to short stabs of intense pain. It seems to be increasing. Does anybody else...

Hello everyone. My mother has been having LVAD for 6 years. We cannot measure his blood pressure in any way, sometimes it can be measured on the monitors in the hospital. There is a thrombus shortage in both the pump and the default. For this reason, we want to observe the blood pressure in some way...

RE: someone was worried about the elec cord disconnecting. We found an inexpensive item at the hardware store called Plug Lock that prevents accidental u plugging. The only negative is that in a fire or other emergency, you would have to unscrew one screw that holds it in place.

My significant other had LVAD implantation last year in May. Before he had the surgery his heart function was at 15% and he had prepared himself that he was going to die. His children and I talked to him about pursuing LVAD surgery and he seemed receptive. We went to Mayo and they said he would be a...