Elective Replacement Indicator

I'm 31 with a Medtronic 1 lead pacemaker. I drop my PWaves.
Went in today she said I have 8 months left of battery but replacement might not be in 8 months they have to wait for the Elective Replacement Indicator. Kind of annoying because she couldn't give me a time frame.

Does anyone have experience with knowing when and what the time frame is?

1 Comments

that's normal

by Tracey_E - 2015-01-05 02:01:22

It's frustrating, but that's perfectly normal. Batteries aren't like a tank of gas that runs down gradually and you can predict how many miles are left. The best they can do is watch the impedance to start to change and guess from there. Once it goes to ERI, you have a 3 month window to get it done.

I was told at my last check that I have 12-18 months left so I'm guessing next spring ('16) but it could be next winter, could be as long as next summer. This is my 4th device. The others have lasted as little as one month (a lead was bad and drained the juice) to over a year when they told me 6 months. Other than the one time when I needed the lead, I was able to plan it at my convenience. Do it on a Friday morning, home fixing my own lunch, back at work Monday.

Replacements are super easy, nowhere near as complicated as the first. The soreness from the first comes from making the pocket, the restrictions come from the new leads. When they just replace the device, it's quick and easy, recovery is just keeping the incision dry.

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