Past its sell by date

Heart block- St Jude- pacemaker July 2003 and still going. Now being checked every 2 months. Due Knee Replacement Surgery in April. Told in 2003 the battery had a 7 year life but its still going. Is this the NHS getting the last drop of blood out of my stone or good economics ?

6 Comments

Past it sell by date

by St Jude - 2012-01-16 01:01:25

Ian MC
You're the expert !
I am cynical of the NHS
It was the greatest when I joined in 1964
but maybe you know better.
I am saying a British made Pacemaker would help our balance of payments deficit.
The Tories running the NHS ?
Any chance to undermine it and they will !
But don't just ask me, ask the Nurses next time you go or your GP unless he has a private practice on the side.
Nothing was free friend.
I paid in all my life which is how it should be.
Free at the time of need.

I was told in Dec that I was approaching

by janetinak - 2012-01-16 02:01:22

ERT & finallly in Juky it poped up/went into the ERT zone & it got replaced in a few wks. Told by Boston Scientific that it has about 90 datys after going into ERT.

And I agree with Frank. See if you can get it done prior to TKR., My PM suprised everybody by needing replacement 8 months after my TKR's. It was a lead issue & PM only lasted 2+ yrs. Let us konw how it goes.

Janet

Not a good answer

by IAN MC - 2012-01-16 02:01:39

St Jude

- I don't claim to be an expert but all of my experiences in the NHS have been good except for some drs who were less than satisfactory (and I have been in the NHS since it was created)

- I asked my wife who is a NHS nurse ..she agrees with my sentiments

- I played golf with a GP today..he is very pro NHS but believes that certain parts of the NHS would benefit from being privatised. he does not do any private work himself.

- I see from your CV that you are into politics and have decided that Tories are bad for the NHS. I believe in facts rather than political prejudices.I suspect that you would not alter your views regardless of facts

- yes a British made PM would help our balance of payments but by an insignificant amount .

Best of luck with your knee op .I'm sure that the NHS will do a great job.

Ian

Battery life

by ElectricFrank - 2012-01-16 02:01:54

The battery life is just an estimate. The actual life depends on settings, what options you are using, etc. At each checkup there is a new estimate of remaining time.

I would suggest pushing for a replacement before the knee surgery. You have enough happening with that surgery, recovery, and rehab. I wouldn't want to have pacer replacement surgery dumped on me in the middle of it.

frank

Past its sell by date

by St Jude - 2012-01-16 07:01:56

Thanks Frank and Janet. As you know the Pacemaker clicks in when my pulse drops below 60. It was put in when I had a pulse of 40. So I agree the life of the battery will depend on its use. So I am depending on an American company Boston Scientific, Lincoln Hospital Lincolnshire and the Minister of Health Andrew Lansley.
So pity we in Britain don't produce pacemakers. I am having my knee done at Sheffield a Centre of Excellence and I wouldn't trust the NHS with Andrew LLansley or his friends who want to Privatise it. I am piggy in the middle and so are all of us.
Yes I would like a new pacemaker before April when I expect to get my knee done. I will tell them at the clinic next month I have it good authority Frank and Janet.
Still I am 69 this year and only dying slowly.

Do you live in a different UK to me ?

by IAN MC - 2012-01-16 12:01:26

Hello St Jude
I am also from the UK and simply do not understand your cynicism towards our National Health Service.

I am so sad when I read posts from our American friends stating that they can't afford to have a PM checkup ...you can ring up any time and have a checkup free. I notice you state that you are being checked every 2 months ...free;no insurance claims needed ! You had a PM fitted free! Obviously our health service is paid for via our taxes but people like us are real winners with our NHS

You are having your knee done at a UK centre of excellence. You would not get better treatment anywhere in the world,

What difference does it make whether your PM is made in the UK or not ... not a scrap of difference ..they are probably all made in China anyway.

Your statement that Andrew Lansley " wants to privatise the NHS" is nonsense. Listen to what he is saying and he is certainly not saying that.

Rule Brittania

Ian

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for gaining an extra ounce or two.

Member Quotes

My pacemaker was installed in 1998 and I have not felt better. The mental part is the toughest.