Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

Post Message!

New to the site

Hi! I am new to the site. I just found you guys today! :) I am a 33 year old mother of 3 with a pacemaker. I had it implanted in 2001 and have not been feeling well at all. I called the doctor and went in for a PM check today and I am about 6 weeks into VVI mode and have about 40 days left on this battery. I am nervous about having a replacement done. I would love any advice, stories, ect. on how it works, and the true recovery time (not the one the doctor always seems to give :) ).
Like I...

Read More...

Pacemaker Surgery Left Lead Read

I am almost 81 years old. I recently had pacemaker surgery that took longer than expected. The doctor said it usually takes 1-3 times to get a good read on the left ventricle, but it took him 25 times. He said it was very tricky to get a read. Is this because of my age?

I feel nauseous all over. I can't find anything on the internet to explain to me what it really means when it takes 25 times to get a read. I'm assuming it does not mean anything, but I would like to put my mind to res...

Read More...

Battery life

When I was 2 years old i was diagnosed with long QT syndrom. Soon after I had a Minix 8341m implanted. The battery on it lasted a total of 13 years! My doctor told me that the battery would have lasted longer, but I had out grown the leads.

Read More...

Battery Life

I have a Guidant AICD that was implanted in June of 2002. Since it was put in it has gone off 3 times due to the settings being to low.
Nothing like having a jolt while you are paddling out in big surf...
I was sitting on the couch yesterday morning when I heard my first beeps. 7 years 4 months on the battery.
I hope they knock you out when they replace it and test it. For those of you that have never felt your device discharge, it is NOT a good feeling.

Read More...

battery life

I have seen several posting latly on battery life, so thought I would add mine. My Crt Pm/ ICD was implanted may of 05. I transmitt it in every 3 months, and see the EP once a year. I always get a copy of the results. I started plotting the battery voltage from the start. When I saw the EP may of 09, I showed a copy of my plot that showed the battery would reach ERI in late Sept. He said I was the first patient to bring him a plot of battery voltage. Anyway, I was right, about the middle of Sep...

Read More...

This Shouldn't have happened!

Was cycling 2 weeks ago when I had a major dizzy spell accompanied by irregular hr and PAC's. Made it home but went to see my Dr. the next day. When interrogating my pm his jaw dropped. I had gone into "safe mode". That occurs after entering the ERI (elective replacement interval) on my pm. The problem is, I was inbetween regular (6mo) checkups and had been assured (as always) that I was "good to go" until next time and probably had another couple years left on my battery. It will be 9 yo next m...

Read More...

General Question

I have a Medtronic Thera dual PM. Does anybody else have the same one as me. This is my fourth one since 1984. A classmate of mine told me about this website. I wish I knew about this site a long time ago. One of the things that bother me is that when I tell people I have a PM they look at me funny. Especially when I was younger. I was only 7 years old when I got my first one put in. In HS my teacher was talking about PM for some strange reason and he kept on telling everybody that when...

Read More...

KDR 700 series Medtronic pacemaker ERI mode

Kappa KDR 700 series pacemakers

Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI)
The Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI) is set when the battery
voltage drops below a certain limit. Listed below are the
nonmagnet and magnet modes at ERI.
From the point that the ERI is set, the pacemaker will operate at
ERI conditions for approximately three months for typical
pacemaker configurations during the normal operating life. At the end of three months, erratic pacing will...

Read More...

Firearm Recoil

Hello everyone:

I have been wearing a PM now for 1-1/2 years, I often wonder of the effects the recoil from a large bore rifle (Sharps 45-110) would have on the leads placed in my heart. Will the jolt tear the leads from the walls of my heart. Yesterday I asked the PM Tech this question who replied I had nothing to worry about. He cautioned me though to never place the butt of the rifle on my left shoulder where the PM is planted.

Has anyone one heard of an event that woul...

Read More...

Dodgy lead - help needed

My husband has had a pacemaker since 1992 for Sick Sinus syndrome, with 2 replacements. The leads are the originals: Pacesetter St Jude. He had previously (around 5 years ago) had a dx of A fib, for which he was given beta blockers and flecanaide. It later appeared that these symptoms had been being caused by a dodgy pacemaker and he has been meds and symptom free for 2 years since the insertion of his newest pacemaker.

Last week, however he was admitted to hospital with chest pai...

Read More...

replacement ICD

CHECK THE ST JUDE WEBSITE OR GOOGLE IT FOR A PROPER EXPLANATION

Read More...

low battery

My reading was 2.55 and the doctor said I have another year before replacement. It will be one of those St Jude wireless jobs.

Read More...

broken leads

Anyone know what this feels like ?
was helping someone move house last weekend and have felt strange since with lots more strange heart rates

not wanting to get checked out incase its nothing.
just need some advice

ta

Read More...

Adapta DR battery life

I had my first PM implanted in Feb. 1996. The battery lasted 11 years. It was replaced with a Medtronics Adapta DR in Jan 2007. At the time I was told all about the improvements made to the new pacemakers including a longer battery life. I was surprised last week when I was told that the battery life on my new PM was about 4 years!! I now have to get it replaced in about 2 years. I was told by my tech. that she had a patiant in the week before that had his implanted 3 months AFTER mine and...

Read More...

Opinion poll

Hi there!

Just curious: What would you prefer: longer battery life or better technology?

I have had this discussion with my EP, and I told him that since I'm pretty young (28) and need features like the rate response a lot, I would trade a newer technology to a longer battery life. There still is so much technologic progress, and if I'd have a battery that lasts for example 20 years, I will not benefit from this progress for quite a long time. He said this was an interesti...

Read More...

lead problems

I had my pacemaker implanted Oct.23,2008 and ended up in the ER Nov. 2 with severe chest pains. I was put ICU and had to have a lead reattached the next day. At my checkup Aug. 11 this year, my doc sends me for chest x-ray because my #'s were not the same as the 3 month check-up, plus I didn't feel well. Both of my leads had to replaced on Aug.24, seems my PM had slipped. Now, my 3 week check-up, he says my #'s still off, but manageable if all stays same.Have had 3 surgeries in 10 month. Help: H...

Read More...

pace-maker

what are the benifits of getting a pace-maker put in,more energy,pep,etc.?

Read More...

battery lasted less than 2 years

Haven't posted in a while because my rhythym problems were "cured" by an av node ablation last year. I've been doing great ever since (at least on the pacemaker side - my CHF is another issue)

At my PM check a couple of weeks ago the tech asked me why one of the leads was turned up so high. Turns out nobody knows why, but it's been that way since January (when I had a right heart cath- which shouldn't have impacted my pm). She turned it back down and hoped that the battery would...

Read More...

Leads became Disconnected

I had my first pacemaker surgery on 7/23/09 and everything seemed to be going well until 8/09/09 when leads apparently became disconnected and the pacemaker began "firing" constantly instead of when my heart rate drop. The lead was apparently stimulating my diaphram. I was taken back into the hospital to have new leads attached. Has anyone ever hhad this happen to them? The second surgeon explained that it was nothing that I had done and said that he was putting in longer leads. In the mean...

Read More...

Lead replacement for my daughter (7) first time...

Hi evryone, I have been a member for a while but it is the first time i post. Thank you in advance for your comments!!

My daughter is 7 years old she was born with many CHD 's she had a full repair when she was 5 months old but her heart can't beat fast enough 34 bpm so in 2007 they put in a pacemaker and she has been doing well ever since but recently she has been complaining about a sore by her pacemaker. It is in her right brest muscel. Today I checked her over and found i could fe...

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.