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Harriett D.
Caregiver Support

Sterile dressing changes

Last activity 6 days 6 hours
How long does it typically take to do this process correctly? I have different nurses telling me different procedure steps! I’m so frustrated! How many times must you have completed the correct sterile protocol before you can be released from the hospital?
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Barb S.
Caregiver Support

North Dakota

Last activity 1 week 6 days
Possibly relocating to Grand Forks North Dakota. I’m not finding any facilities closer than Minneapolis. Anyone live in the ND area? Winnipeg has a hospital, but the locator says only for Heartmate II and I have a III. I also don’t know if Medicare will cover me if I use a Canadian hospital. Thanks...
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Paula S.
Caregiver Support

Grief support after loss of lvad loved one

Last activity 2 months 1 week
I am looking for a grief support group specifically for us caregivers that have lost our LVAD loved one. I’m in the Phoenix area so I’m person groups or online groups would work for me. thanks
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Katie P.
Caregiver Support

Younger VAD Couple

Last activity 3 months 2 weeks
Hello everyone! My husband is getting the LVAD this Friday. We knew about his heart failure but getting the VAD this early was a surprise, his condition has declined quickly. I'm nervous about a lot of things but would love advice from younger couples/families (older couples too if you have advice!)...
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CRIs S.
Caregiver Support

Nervous Wreck

Last activity 3 months 4 weeks
My Husband had LVAD surgery on Friday 1/8/2021. About 10 pm that night they had to put a tube down his throat to see what was going wrong. By 1:00am Saturday Morning I had to consent again for them to go back in him because the right side of the heart wasn't strong enough. Well Sunday the nurse told...
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Anonymous
Caregiver Support

Home health for dementia and lvad

Last activity 1 year 3 months
My husband has a lvad and his dementia is getting worse. Has anyone gone through this?
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Amy T.
Caregiver Support

LVAD and dialysis clinics

Last activity 4 months 3 weeks
My husband has a LVAD and unfortunately is now on dialysis three days a week at our local dialysis clinic. We can't be the only ones dealing with this! I have had to quit my job so that I can go to dialysis with him and sit beside his chair in order for them to do dialysis on him. They had to be...
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Maggie M.
Caregiver Support

GI bleed

Last activity 7 months 2 weeks
My Uncle has been living with his LVad for many years. He has recently been having complications. He's been in hospital over a week with a GI bleed they can't seem to find. He's had two colonoscopy and swallowed a pill that had a camera in it. They went in today and cauterized three spots that could...
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Nicole M.
Caregiver Support

Energy and weight loss after LVAD surgery

Last activity 11 months
Hello All, My father just had the LVAD surgery on October 12, 2017. I was wondering if anyone experienced weight loss or loss of energy after the surgery. If so, how long did it take for your weight loss to level out.
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Tony f.
Caregiver Support

Need a little advice about my dad

Last activity 11 months 1 week
My dad had an Lvad implanted exactly 6 weeks ago today, However the doctors are saying his right side simply is not doing its job, and being that he has been in the hospital so long he is not strong enough to be considered for an Rvad surgery making it a Bivad. Due to his age AND undiagnosed spot on...
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Bernita D.
Caregiver Support

L-VAD Failure

Last activity 1 year 4 months
My husband, Michael had his LVAD implanted in August 2019 after much discussion and lots of defib shocks. He has been in heart failure since his heart attack in 2017... well as of June 2020 it has been determined by his team that a heart transplant will not happen for him. He hasn’t been able to...
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Dee G.
Caregiver Support

Husband had surgery today

Last activity 1 year 5 months
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...
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Dee G.
Caregiver Support

Any experience with Gabapentin and Seroquel

Last activity 1 year 5 months
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...
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Roberta B.
Caregiver Support

Involuntary shaking

Last activity 1 year 6 months
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?
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Jessica B.
Caregiver Support

Trauma around driveline @ 5 days post-op!!!

Last activity 1 year 7 months
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...
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Maureen R.
Caregiver Support

Ischaemia

Last activity 1 year 7 months
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...
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Osman A.
Caregiver Support

How to measure the blood pressure of an lvad patient?

Last activity 1 year 7 months
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...
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Linda H.
Caregiver Support

CAREGIVER ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO'S "GIVEN UP"

Last activity 1 year 7 months
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...
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Valerie L.
Caregiver Support

Introduction

Last activity 2 years
Hello all. I recently joined this forum because my husband has end stage congestive heart failure. I feel like this has happened so fast. He had a massive heart attack in May 2019 and his EF is 20%. He has been in and out of the hospital multiple times, many times for fluid retention. He has an ICD...
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Megan J.
Caregiver Support

Becoming a caregiver of a parent while having a husband and child

Last activity 2 years 1 month
Hello. I honestly just wanted some advice and knowledge on what to expect if my Mom ends up getting one. They are discussing it during this hospital admission. I have been looking after both of my parents for the past three months as my Mom has been in and out of the hospital and my Dad has...
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Most Commented

Where are the recent posts, I am scared!!
170 replies
HeartMate III Mens Clothing
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My Wife Made Me a Wonderful LVAD Vest! Email us…
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Shower Protection
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9 years today (20th Oct 2020) living with LVAD
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My Wife Made Me a Wonderful LVAD Vest! Email us…
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Discouraged
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LVAD supplies--- Who supplies them for you ?
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Attitude is Everything
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Tactile holster T shirt for carrying LVAD items
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Facebook Groups

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    MyLVAD
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    The Facebook Group for MyLVAD, the leading resource for LVAD patients and their loved ones.
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    LVAD Connection
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    Creating a personal link between LVADers,and their caregivers, with others in the same situation in there own area. A place to post your information so others can connect with you.
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    LVAD Recipients
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    Created by Kathy & Ron Spotts of PA. Ron is LVAD recipient August 2008.

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