3 ms·

UK ICD-user here. So three weeks ago I had a severe ventricular fibrillation episode - I fell unconscious, had bystander defibrillation, air ambulance to hospit

UK ICD-user here. So three weeks ago I had a severe ventricular fibrillation episode - I fell unconscious, had bystander defibrillation, air ambulance to hospital and two days later had an ICD fitted just below my left collar bone and was out of hospital the next day. I use an iPhone 12Pro. The advice I was given was don't hold any phone closer than six inches away from the device- so holding it to my right ear is fine. Mag fields right next to the device can stop it sensing or in rare circumstances can cause a factory reset. The biggest EM hazards in my house are the induction hobs on my cooker - these are worse than the phone. On full power I have to keep at least 60cm away from them or they will blind / alarm the ICD. So I am more concerned about them than the phone. [Edit] Other hazards are drills held close to my chest and even the capes used by hair-dressers that have magnetic clasps to stay shut. Standing right next to the speakers at a concert is also not-advised.

philjohn 5y ago
Hope you're doing better now after the ICD! My 81 year old father had one fitted a few months ago and it's been pretty much life changing (once he was allowed out of the hospital, they managed to nick his lung, which was a whole big thing). Was going to say induction hobs - that's a huge one, especially as gas is eventually phased out and they become the defacto hob type. NHS recommendation[1] is, as you said, 6 inches for most mobile phones, but no special callout for the 12. Apple goes further[2] and says 12 inches when wirelessly charging, which also makes sense. [1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pacemaker-implantation/recovery/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pacemaker-implantation/recover... [2] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT211900 https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT211900
- KineticLensman 5y ago
  > Hope you're doing better now after the ICD! Thank you! I'm just 60 and was (I believed) in good health. My VF episode was a glitch in my heart's conduction cycle, and the various tests I received show that my heart is physically healthy. So I feel 'perfectly okay' apart the almost dying thing. My biggest health issue now is the cracked risks from the superbly enthusiastic CPR I received, but the pain from coughing and moving awkwardly is a small price to pay.

philjohn 5y ago

Hope you're doing better now after the ICD! My 81 year old father had one fitted a few months ago and it's been pretty much life changing (once he was allowed out of the hospital, they managed to nick his lung, which was a whole big thing). Was going to say induction hobs - that's a huge one, especially as gas is eventually phased out and they become the defacto hob type. NHS recommendation[1] is, as you said, 6 inches for most mobile phones, but no special callout for the 12. Apple goes further[2] and says 12 inches when wirelessly charging, which also makes sense. [1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pacemaker-implantation/recovery/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pacemaker-implantation/recover... [2] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT211900 https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT211900

KineticLensman 5y ago
> Hope you're doing better now after the ICD! Thank you! I'm just 60 and was (I believed) in good health. My VF episode was a glitch in my heart's conduction cycle, and the various tests I received show that my heart is physically healthy. So I feel 'perfectly okay' apart the almost dying thing. My biggest health issue now is the cracked risks from the superbly enthusiastic CPR I received, but the pain from coughing and moving awkwardly is a small price to pay.