Re: Guidant from MSNBC

[Georgia]

Re: Guidant from MSNBC

Found this on MSN:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13190594/

How scary is that???

 

[joanne6]

Very scarey

Very scarey

It is unbelieveable that the big companies, even medical, care so little about human life.

 

[Ross]

It's all about stocks and profits. They should take the CEO, through his butt out without any golden parachute and continue on down the line.

 

[twinmaker]

When my Medtronic defibrillator was recalled last year (with far less problems than were associated with the Guidant product) a letter was sent to my doctor who in turn notified me. All patients with the affected models were required to come into the office and meet with the cardio and then separately with a representative of Medtronic. All patients were given a choice of being monitored closely depending on their condition and the cardio's recommendation or having the defibrillator replaced. Ultimately, it was the patient's decision. I chose to go ahead and have mine replaced immediately. Once you are diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia, you come to depend a lot on a defibrillator...not only physically but psychologically. In over two years, my defibrillator has never had to give me the "big jolt", but I've come to depend on it in case I do need it. My first pacemaker was a Guidant and I'm glad that it's gone. I can't believe that Guidant was so lax with people's lives. But I guess that's "Big Business"...at least in Guidant's case. LINDA

 

[RonP]

Guidant Defibrillators

Guidant Defibrillators

I found that article you posted from MSNBC very interesting on the Guidant defibrillators. I have one of those they've recalled , the Vitality AVT, and, so far, I've done nothing about it.

If you folks were in my shoes, would you have it replaced immediately? I received no recall letter from the company and my doctor states not to worry about it as he's keeping an eye on it for me.

I can't afford any more medical bills so we'll see what happens.

Opinions appreciated.

 

[twinmaker]

Ron, as you see in my message, I had mine replaced although it was a Medtronic and not a Guidant. The problem with the Medtronic defib. was a POSSIBLE rapid battery depletion. Medtronic paid a certain amount toward the reimplantation of a new defib. My insurance paid some. I didn't pay anything. Have you spoken with a Guidant representative? What is Guidant offering to do? I know the problem with the Guidant defib. is a lot worse than the problem with the Medtronic. How do you feel about "just being followed with your doctor"? How often does your defib. go off...in other words, how often has it fired to get your heart going again? Mine has never gone off in over two years, but I need to know that it will if need be. Psychologically, it's very important to me, not to mention the physical part. I would at least find out what Guidant will do for you financially. Depending on how you feel about lawsuits, there are PLENTY of attorneys ready to jump on this problem with Guidant. In a case like this, I'd expect Guidant to cover all your expenses. Just my opinions. LINDA

 

[RonP]

Guidant Defibrillators

Guidant Defibrillators

Linda:

Guidant just wants to provide a replacement with the patient being responsible for the surgical costs. How nice of them! My first Guidant was replaced because of broken wires and a dead battery only 4 Yrs 4 Mths after getting it. Now the second one is on recall. I am frustrated completely. The pacemaker runs about 65-75% of the time. My heart has quit 7 times already; I've had seven cardiac arrests.

Ron P.

 

[Georgia]

Ron, this isn't something I have to deal with; however, if I were banking on a machine and there's a recall, I'd certainly trade it in. If I had a car that had brakes that might fail, I wouldn't rely on my mechanic checking them every so often.

Machines do fail; but prior warning would make me want to improve the odds.

And unless your doctor is attached at the hip, how the dickens is he going to help if the defibrillator fails? I don't think there's a warning chirp or beep on the mechanism to signal its impending failure.

If I were you I'd get a surgeon and a lawyer.

As an editorial comment, I just don't understand how Guidant is getting away with providing only a new defibrillator, with the expense of the reoperation going to the patient (or insurer). And why are the insurers tolerating this? Insurers bellache about every little iota of extra coverage required by the government, but they're letting Guidant call the shots on thousands and thousands of dollars' extra expense. It's very mysterious to me . . .

 

[twinmaker]

Georgia, I agree with you. My insurance paid quite a bit for my reoperation. At the time I wondered why in the world they would do so. Of course, with my husband's company, we are self insured so I guess these costs are passed on to the employees (or patients). I guess that's what happens with all of this...the insured people end up paying more for premiums. I guess I figured that if our insurance wanted to take Medtronic to court to get them to pay, they could. It would probably cost our company more in the long run with legal fees though. But believe me, with everything that wasn't picked up by my insurance, I was on the phone with Medtronic, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant the cost. People who depend on defibrillators are really stuck between a rock and a hard place with these recalls. Our very lives depend on these machines. And Ron, it sounds like you really need to get yours replaced. It has gone off so many times already. I really hope you can get someone to listen to you and help you in this situation. Your only option may be an attorney. LINDA

 

[M&M]

Hi RonP, I have the Guidant 1861 recall model. My EP gave me a call and had me and several other ICD patients in regarding the recalled models. I was the only one with the 1861 recalled model.

My EP said he would be willing to replace it if I felt strongly that I didn't want anymore. HE also advised me that the risk of a defect in mine was very slim -and there was a possiblity of infection from the surgery and so forth. I thought about it and decided to keep it. I've had very good luck with my Guidant and I have run so many races and it never failed a beat. So, I thought - I don't know that a Medtronic wouldn't give me more probability of failure. They have also had many recalls - only they were much more upfront with the patients which is better than Guidant was. You know what it all comes down to I kept my model - Guidant stocks went UP, UP and UP and sold for a pretty penny !!! I think if given the same situation - and knowing what I know - I would still keep my recalled model. But I was very scared for a very long time and although things have settled down and I feel safer - I will NEVER buy another Guidant product again. I just think the business is sleezy and although they were bought out (Boston Scientific) - I still won't allow a model of theirs installed in me ever again.

Just my opinion. But I know many other patients got they're recalled models replaced. I took my EP's recommendation to keep it. The battery is still going strong and unfortunately I'm coming on 5 years with this thing and the battery was suppose to be dead a year ago - so I guess I can't say anything bad about the longevity of this model !!! Unfortunately !!! It has done wonderfully as far as being keeping me athletic. I feel we are fortunate to have the technology today compared to what they had in previous years with ICD's. So, I hate to complain. But the price of lives that was put at risk is unthinkable and I think the CEO's of Guidant should have been thrown in jail and they say crime doesn't pay !!! Yea right !!! the Guidant stocks sold for a bundle. Until they start throwing these CEO's in jail - this type of business will continue. Look at oil prices !!! I wonder 'WHO' is making money on that and how many lives are at risk and I bet they don't care.. I think whoever owns oil stocks should think twice about their 'profit'. But I doubt that they will. Just my opinon.

M&M