Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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Possible Lead Replacement

I am a 53 year old woman who has AV block. I've had a dual-chamber Medtronic PM with first implant in 1983 and am going on surgery #6. The first 4 years were rough: infection, erosion, lead replacement. in 1987 I found a great doc and that PM lasted 12 years. I had it replaced by him again in 1999 and it lasted 10 years. My current PM was put in by another doc in 2009 but needs to be replaced already. The leads are are 27 years old but according to the Medtronic reps who check it, the lead...

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BV

I have a dual chamber pacemaker. I had a 3rd lead added when my ventricle lead broke a while back. They left the broken lead in. Upon pacer check the tech showed me an odd (as she called it) reading. Instead of the usual "vp"(ventricle paced) on the bottom, it showed "BV" across the strip. Anyone ever have episodes like this recorded on their pacer and is it possible my broken lead is picking up signal?

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CRT-P lead adhesion

Hello all,
I've been on the pacemaker club forums for about 13 years and have always been comfortable with knowledge Vs pacer issues. However, I've only the two original leads from my 2001 pacer implanted which both have the routine "corkscrew" attachment into my heart. I recently had a St Judes CRT-P implanted and the new 3rd lead does not "corkscrew" into the heart like the others. It's just sitting in the vein as designed. My question is this: How long does it take for the vein wa...

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Lead Help!

Does anyone have an issue with a dual lead PM feeling when the bottom lead kicks on? Its like getting kicked in the diaphragm when mine kicks on. Is this normal? I just moved and my new cardiologist is trying to tell me its not possible but my old one told me its normal in young adults/children ( I am only 27).

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Pacemaker

Is an air compressor considered a power tool and does it interfere with a pacemaker?

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New pacemaker

Anyone heard of the new pacemaker that's the size of an antibiotic? Seemingly inserted in a patient in the UK and there are no leads as it fits right into the heart.

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LEAD EXTRACTON OPTION

I NEED SOME HELP ABOUT A DECISION ABOUT LEAD EXTRACTION PACEMAKER CLUB!

2 WEEKS AGO I HAD TO HAVE MY PACEMAKER REMOVED ON THE LEFT AND REPLACED ON THE RIGHT WITH 2 NEW LEADS DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING LEAD/LIMITED ROOM ON THE LEFT. ANOTHER EXPERIENCED EP RECOMMENDED THAT I HAVE THE LEADS REMOVED (2) OF WHICH ARE 31 YEARS OLD AND (1) 13 YEARS OLD. THIS PROCEDURE WOULD BE EFFECTIVE AT THIS POINT, BUT I FEEL THIS IS NECESSARY AS I WOULD BE 15-30 YEARS OLDER AND I AM 48.WHAT WOULD YOU DO...

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Cooked Spaghetti?

A website says PM leads are the size of cooked spaghetti. Wow. Without restricting normal blood flow in the veins?

Is the lead "screwed in" to the outside of the atrial, as someone told me? Are any attached to the inside of the heart? How?

It is difficult to imagine a doctor turning one end the spaghetti - even if it is stiff- so that after 30 inches of twists and turns it firmly attaches the other end to a muscle.

Is there a website that describes the mechani...

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Nanogenerator to empower pacemaker

Encouraging news for the heart patients. In near future generator can supply power to ensure smooth functioning of cardiac pacemaker. Chinese scientists have recently developed a nanogenerator which can power a cardiac pacemaker with electricity generated by a patient's breathing. At present the accuracy of a cardiac pacemaker depends absolutely on batteries.

The nanogenerator system was developed by the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems. It includes an implantable nanog...

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Clotting due to too many wires

All,

I'm on my 3rd bi-V pacer with ICD. Recently had a blood clot due to too many wires in my SVC (3 active with the current pacer, one inactive from the first pacer). Recommendation was to remove the "dead" wire and reposition one of the others to the outside of my heart. However, my doc is wanting to avoid risk of removing dead wire (scarred into heart wall) and using blood thinner. I'm in favor of moving the wires. Thoughts?

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New pacemaker

Hi, just had my 2nd pacemaker changed yesterday. Went in at 11am, taken to theatre at 3.45 out at 4.15 and sent home at 5. All went well, usual soreness but not enough to take pain meds. Although it was quicker than the last change this one was more unpleasant. Turned old one Down and heart rate went to 30bpm, once he unplugged the old one was when it got horrible and felt as if I was at about 10bpm, everything went uncomfortable till I got meds to speed up my heart. Went the opposite then...

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new lead

I am having my pm switched out next Tuesday due to the battery expiring (not me) The Dr. said he is going to be putting an additional lead which dictates that I stay in the hospital overnight. Dr. says additional lead will increase my energy level. Any Thoughts on this?

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Replacement timeline

Hello,

I am 32 and have congenital complete heart block. My first PM was implanted in 1998 and it was replaced in 2007. After my last telephonic transmission, I was told that I have 9-35 months battery life remaining and that replacement will likely occur closer to 9 months than 35.

Can anyone tell me how much notice you had before your replacement surgery? Neither my husband or I can remember how much notice I received last time, and I have been thinking about it a lot...

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pacemaker and lead extraction

Hi everyone

Just wondering if anyone has have a complete removal of a pacemaker and leads, I am in the process of a test of my pacemaker being set at 30 with the objective of accessing whether I need a pacemaker. if it turns out ok then the complete removal of pacemaker and both leads. The pacemaker is currently 11 years and 7 months which is nearing the end of battery life. I have had a successful ablation 6 years ago - however I now need a MRI scan as it is possible that I have...

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Turning off Ventricular Lead

Hello everyone,
Just seem to be running into some kind of block when exercising. This has happened when I swim, run, walk uphill., and on a stress test. Feelings of skipped beats, pauses, and what appears to be the heart working much "harder" Doctor. At Cleveland Clinic had my Ventricular Lead turned off before the stress test and I was successful with 135+ bpm....but high blood pressure 230/130 at the end.. Two days later on a treadmill felt the Pauses and skips all over again. Res...

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lead has become dislodge

Has any one had trouble with their leads from their ICD/CRT-D?
this will be a two part question
I know I haven't been on for while again, been seem on going problems, today my heart dr. told me that my lead is rubbing on my heart, which in turn I have been having really low blood pressure last 3 to 4 weeks, last Thursday my bp was 88/54, today at the heart drs. office, it was 83/24; and like this last Thursday unable to read blood pressure on my left side or my left arm. How much da...

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Pacemaker battery in EoL

My battery on my St. Jude pacemaker is in EOL and has been since May 13th. Just wanted to know if anyone has had the same issue. I have felt terrible since it went into EOL, very fatigue, can't walk any distance without getting very short of breath, and when I stand sometimes feel like I'm going to pass out. Hot feelings, nauseated, light headed. Has anybody experienced the same thing.

I was suppose to have it replaced today but my PT was 3.3 so I am rescheduled for Thur.

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Use of arm on operative side

Hi to All,

This is my first post although I have been scouring this site for ages both before and after my PM implant 4 weeks ago.

One question that I am a bit confused about is there seems to be a length of time difference for not lifting your arm above your head after fitment between what U.S. recipients are told and what I was told over here in Australia.

Over here the time for not lifting your arm on the operative side is 4 weeks. In the U.S. it seems to be 6...

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Screech sound

I have a Saint Jude 2 lead pacemaker it is about 4 months old. I just heard a screech sound and I believe it came from the pacemaker. Has anyone experienced this?

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what if

Have been reading about possible electromagnetic (EMP) attack against the US could destroy all power grids sending us into the dark. No more surgeries to replace our batteries on our pacemakers. Wonder how long we could go without replacement if we had to.

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