Not Sure what to do

I have a Guidant pacemaker model 1297 installed in 2003 on the "warning list" not on the recall list.The guidant leads are models 4087 and 4457. It is due shortly for a battery change and I am considering just ignoring it and forgetting about the whole thing. It was installed for seizure control for epilepsy which never really worked anyway. They said my heart stopped causing the seizures. Now medication does a better job and the pacemaker seems useless.

4 Comments

pauses

by Tracey_E - 2013-10-01 01:10:13

20 seconds is significant! Ask specifically how many times it paced. Your percentage is probably less than 1% so at first glance it may look like it never kicks in, but even once is enough.

re: leads, just my opinion but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Not all of the recalled ones have problems.

have a Dr Appt

by JJHPA - 2013-10-01 11:10:22

Thanks for the input, I have an appt soon and I will ask your questions about pacing. Last time I went I was only given info on percent - used 50% of the battery in 7 years. Can't be using much.

do you pace?

by Tracey_E - 2013-10-01 11:10:24

I would get a copy of your last pm interrogation report and see if it has paced. You should be able to tell exactly how many times it kicked in since the last check. Don't go by percentages, in your case that number will be miniscule, look for how many beats it paced. If you are not pacing at all and the meds are helping, then it doesn't make much sense to replace it. If you are pacing, then a new battery is probably a good idea. No med will prevent your heart from stopping, if that is what caused the seizures.

Original Reason for device input

by JJHPA - 2013-10-01 12:10:33

I forget to mention the initial reason for the input of the pacemaker. I was admitted to the hospital for epilepsy monitoring and while hooked up to all the equipment they said my heart stopped for 20 seconds and 11 seconds causing the seizures. Started up again all by itself. I asked the doctor -What starts it up again and he said GOD.

You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

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