Battery replacement

know about here

by dwelch - 2019-11-19 22:28:53

So there may be some USA vs Austrailia differences that I dont know about.

My first docs and now my rule is new leads you stay the night.  Very rare to need new leads, so it should be a same day in and out.  

Just like your first one the go to the hostpital the get ready stuff, the getting to the operating room, get on the table, something to calm you and then you are out and wake up when its all over, except they may keep you until the stuff wears off and you are able to be taken home, cant drive/walk yourself home.  

The rest of it is all the same as before with some tiny exceptions.  The thing hurts, cant sleep for days/weeks, cant wash your hair with both hands, all that.  Im able to drive in a couple of days but usually wait a few more than that, depends on the day of the week of the surgery as to when I go back to work and start driving (after a few days the last few devices mid week surgery go to work on monday, maybe start driving on the weekend).  YMMV may vary, but it is almost identical to your first one. 

But you have been through it at least once so you know what that experience is.  You do not have all the first pacer anxiety.  You should still have the few week visit then the few month visit then the annual or whatever happened on your first device with visits in your country/health insurance.  They ideally dont need to tweak the device on either of those first two visits ideally the device was prepped pre-surgery or day of to match your current settings.  Changing brands is fine, mismatched brands for leads and devices is fine, but if they switch brands on you that might need a tweak of the device, but that is what those visits are for, no worries.  You are now a many year pacemaker veteran so other than the shoulder pain stuff you should know what your normal feels like and not normal so if there is something not normal call them, go in and have them interrogate it.

Short answer it is no differen than the first other than 1) you go home same day ideally 2) you have been through this before so the anxiety is not there....and thats it.  No sleep, pain management, healing.

Battery replacement

by marguerite41 - 2019-11-20 03:32:35

Thankyou

replacements

by Tracey_E - 2019-11-20 09:18:23

Replacements are super easy! I'm on #5. If I get an early appointment, I'm home fixing my own lunch. They usually go in the same place, and scar tissue is usually a bit numb so this time around it won't hurt as much as the first time. Most of the restrictions the first time were from the leads, so if you aren't getting new leads then none of the arm restrictions. Mostly it's just taking care of the incision. Good luck!