battery change and update

I went to my EP today and and my head is still spinning to find my battery is down to less than a month (looked at votage as well).  Last week I had 3 months, a couple of weeks before that was 2 months, so bouncing all over the place.  

I wil be upgraded to a CRTD from an ICD.  He wanted to do it tomorrow or Friday, but due to the anticoagulants I take, it will be done next Thursday or Friday.  It will be changed from Medtronic to St Jude/Abbott (that's who the hospital's contract is with).  My current device has lasted 5.25 years.

I had over 600 events, and 2 atrial flutter events, 1 receiving therapy from the ICD in the past couple of weeks.  He doesn't feel as though my vein will be able to handle another lead near my collar bone.  He will also probably need to make a new pocket and reposition the device and also will clean up the original scar.  Even though he secures the device to the muscle, the previous PM and now the ICD have moved laterally.  He closed the pocket with the last device change, but it didn't work.  He may have to move it to my right side....which I don't care.  My ICD has been hurting and aching for a couple of years.

I hope that this new device helps my heart failure, gets rid of my swelling, fixes the dyssynchony in my heart, and allows me to not be so short of breath, exhausted, and generally feeling better.  

3 Comments

Pacer upgrade

by Julros - 2022-01-13 01:19:32

Wow, Islandgirl, that is a lot to take in. I believe the majority of CRT patients do get an improvement with therapy. I know I did, from 50% to 55% and felt much better. 

It also sounds like your doc has listened to your concerns about the pocket moving on you, which is a plus. 

I am hoping your procedure goes smooth and that you are feeling better soon! 

Progress at last

by Gemita - 2022-01-13 06:41:06

Islandgirl, thank you so much for the update and I see at last you are going to get an upgrade which is such good news.  I too hope the cardiac resynchronization therapy works well for you and that you will soon notice a real difference and that your symptoms will improve as a result, particularly your arrhythmias.  

Good luck for your procedure and I hope your doctors are able to successfully position your new device and lead to give you the best possible chance for a better quality of life.

Did you get the results from your biopsy by the way?  Hope you are getting some helpful feedback.

Biopsy results and misc

by islandgirl - 2022-01-13 09:56:24

Thanks Gemita for asking. The results showed no amyloidosis nor other diseases like that including no active infection.  I forgot to ask about the remaining results--even though I had it written down I must have been too flustered. After he had left the room after 1 1/2 hrs with me, the nursing asst mentioned he didn't discuss the biopsies and she was going to have me wait. I just wanted to get out of there and I'm assuming nothing was evident with them. 
I'll be speaking to him before the procedure and will ask.  

You know you're wired when...

The mortgage on your device is more than your house.

Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker when I was 11. I never once thought I wasn't a 'normal kid' nor was I ever treated differently because of it. I could do everything all my friends were doing; I just happened to have a battery attached to my heart to help it work.