Patients and Caregivers Forums

I've got to assume there is some backup equipment out there that one can purchase; whether it be from a heart transplant patient or from someone whose family member has unfortunately passed away? We would like not to lug equipment back and forth between two homes. Does anyone have an information on...

My father experiences Stage Four (D) Heart Failure, Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Chronic Atrial Fibrilation, Pulmonary Hypertension (due to left heart disease) and CKD Stage Three. He underwent the LVAD procedure on Friday, April 26. Six days later he remains on a ventilator under heavy sedation. He has...

We thought pictures of the Wildkin Adult Lunch Bags would be helpful...Sue does not go anywhere with out one! They have two compartments...top can be used for regular carry everywhere items and the bottom holds the controller and batteries...each compartment has double zippers. They are water...

I have a HM3 and recently had some rhythm issues. Has anyone tried using an iWatch to check your HR and rhythms? If so, does it work well?

My husband was fitted with a BIVAD (2 Heartmate III) on 10/28/19 and we have had a cruise to the southern Caribbean planned for July of next year since September. We are trying to decide if we should cancel this trip or not. Has anyone cruised to the Caribbean with a VAD if so please share how you...

Lets get to it. The worst thing that can happen to an LVAD user is a drive line infection. It can put you in the hospital many times over and cures with the various antibiotics may or may not work for you. It can lead to extra surgeries for debridement and in some cases make it worse. In my case I...

This may not be the forum for this question, but who better to answer my questions than those living with an LVAD and the people who care for them. My fathers LVAD (Heart Mate II) was implanted August 2015. When he had his heart attack we were literally told to take him home so he could die, as the...

Hello everyone! My husband was transplanted recently and we have a ton of changing kits. He had the heartmate 3. I know these can be expensive for folks, so I am more than willing to ship to anyone for free. We don't have a huge place so just looking for the storage back, so hopefully send out as...

My father just got the heartmate 3 and was recently sent home. He is having some back pains from mostly laying in a hospital bed for the past 3 weeks so I wanted to take him to get a massage but we are afraid that they might mess with the driveline. So ultimately, my question is has anyone gotten a...

My husband got his Lvad in September, 2019. Everything was going great without any problems until June, 2019. He came down with a slight fever and was not feeling well. He was still doing his exercises and everyday activities, but sleeping more and a sluggish. His driveline looked good so we knew it...

My father got the HeartMate 3 some month ago. For we have no shop in Germany to buy according shirts and my father dont`t want to order a LVAD shirt online, I want to sew him an appropriate shirt. I would like to surprise him, thus I cannot measure the exact sizes of the batteries and the controller...

--Invitation to Participate-- We would like to better understand the experience of providing care to a family member or friend with an LVAD. If you are a caregiver of someone with a LVAD, we invite you to copy paste on the following link to see if you are eligible to participate in our study. https...

My husband has end stage heart failure and has the option to have an LVAD. As his caregiver, I am trying to find information on how well a person diagnosed with mild Alzheimers/dementia would be able to function with an LVAD, especially as his cognitive skills declined. We have talked about what we...

Hello, I lost my sister last month and I have her case of Driveline Management kits. I am selling the case for $200.00 plus shipping and Thoratec battery pack and wall unit for $200.00 plus shipping. if anyone is interested you can email me @ maxine66@verizon.net.

My husband and I have a motorhome and would like to resume travelling. Since we enjoy state and federal parks which often have no electric hookups we will have problems with charging batteries and using the mobile power unit. There must be others out there who can help us with an answer to this...

Hello, we are new to the VAD community. My husband received his VAD (Heartmate III pump) on August 5th. We live in a small town located 5 miles away from a much larger city, and 24 different home health care agencies refused to provide home health care services (blood draws for lab work) because we...

Link to Article about Data Recorder from Vienna: https://zmpbmt.meduniwien.ac.at/wissenschaft-forschung/cardiovascular-dynamics-artificial-organs/projects/vad-monitoring/ Link to Belly Band: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C24WY1D/?coliid=I1TNYOCUGLDJA2&colid=2E8W66B2JHK9W&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it...

Hello A dear friend of mine has just received and HVAD and will be coming home from hospital within a week. Some ladies and I are working on moving her bedroom downstairs and wanted to setup an area to store all the bandages, equipment and items needed for driveline management. What has been the...

My husband received his LVAD Oct 2016 and although there’s been lots of highs and lows - we are grateful for the time he’s gained and still gaining ! However he has a lot of phlegm (sorry) and respiratory secretions that are getting worse . Has anybody else experienced these symptoms, he’s kind of...

My husband got his LVAD June 2018. We JUST received the first invoice for dressing supplies and it was $3,443!! Our cost after insurance for Chloraprep is $202. A box of sterile gloves $75, Foley anchors (which are terrible and always come off but that's another story) are $62.00 The company is...