Ventricular pacing

I’m on my 4th pacemaker with 23 year old leads.  It is a DDDR.  The atrial lead usually paces 98%  of the time until recently, as it is wearing out.   Now the ventricular lead is taking over and it is extremely uncomfortable when it kicks in and I get very dizzy with chest pain and have to sit down until the atrial lead kicks in.   I also feel very weak.  My B/P also goes up 20 pts or so systolic.   What can be done.

will see cardio next week

 

2 Comments

new leads

by Tracey_E - 2018-09-01 21:31:53

Sounds like it's time for a new lead! It also sounds like maybe it switched modes, when we get near the endof battery life it can switch off some of the functions. 

Leads, the choices are cap off the bad one and add a new one, remove what's there and start fresh, or move it all to the other side. After 23 years, extracting would need to be done be a specialist and may or may not be complicated. My leads are from 1994 and I've already been told that when the time comes, it will be complicated and my ep (who is already very specialized and experienced with extraction) has said he'll be referring me to someone with even more experience with complicated cases. So, when I had a lead go bad a few years ago, I chose to add a new one and leave the old one alone. Every year they get better and better at extraction and maybe if I can hold off long enough, my next set of leads will be my last. So, procrastinate and leave well enough alone was my choice. Talk to your cardio about your options and risks. 

To Tracey E

by Rodlyn - 2018-09-04 14:34:20

thank you so much for advice!

im communicating now with cardio md

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I, too, am feeling tons better since my implant.