EOL/ERM

Had a PM check up in July and was told I had 12 to 14 months left. Well for the past three weeks I have had a constant 64 BPM at rest (low set point @ 60bpm for 10 years), I sent doctor list of numbers (BP) and an immediate appt was set up for Monday 12.9.13.
My breathing got compromised, I got very weak, lightheaded etc. Basicaly non-functional! A trip to ER indicated that I went into EOL on October 22,2013 and I am now scheduled for a replacement on Tuesday along with replacement of a compromised ventrical lead.
The only thing that is certain here is that there is no certainty
Someone stated that when a PM was failing that the PM beats per minute would DROP (mine did not drop but went up and stuck at 64bpm.
I have a metronic DDD duel chamber that has ALWAYS done its job without fail.
I got no beeps,etc just original symptoms of needing a pacer to start with.
My point is this: NO TWO people are alike and will react the same way EVER as the same pacer will not act the same for two persons. Bottom line, if it don't feel right it probably ain't right so call your DOCTOR and check it out.
I didn't want a PM and Lead change for Christmas but I guess it's the BEST one I could ever get.
This will make number 3 for me (with nary a problem with the first two!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Cecil

1 Comments

replacements

by Tracey_E - 2013-12-07 08:12:42

When they go EOL, the pm will pace at a steady rate. All the extra features that make it responsive so that it goes up and down as needed are turned off when it hits EOL. If your rate without the pm is very low, you'll have a steady hr at 60 or whatever it's programmed to. If you beat some on your own, you'll experience what you did, feel like you did before the pm and the pm will only kick in below the set rate.

When a lead is compromised, it can drain the battery quickly because they crank it up to get the signal through. When it happened to me, they made the analogy of running the air conditioner with the window open. The house will still cool but your power bill will be sky high. Since it was working, I chose to keep the bad lead until the battery died so I knew the lead needed replaced several years before I got it taken care of. When it got down to the end, I was also told 6-12 months, was in ERI less than two weeks later.

You will still have a good Christmas! Are they adding the new lead on top of what's there or extracting? I was able to add, definitely the easiest way to go if you can do it that way. Restrictions are the same as the first implant because the new lead needs time to settle but recovery is faster, more like the replacement was. Good luck!!

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