Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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potentially damaged leads?

hi all! for context i have an s-icd that i've had since march 2022. 

i was carrying some heavy groceries down the hallway for my mom this afternoon, and felt a strange tearing feeling inside of my lower chest near where one of my incisions was. ever since then i've felt sore and uncomfortable whenever i move my arm or my torso certain ways... it feels almost like a slight stabbing sensation, not enough for me to say ow but enough for me to be uncomfortable. my doc...

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Lead dislodge

I just found out one of my leads has dislodged, after going to er 3 different times, then finally my EP dr . They can't get me in til the 20th to fixe it. However, I am wondering what should I do to make symptoms better until then. 

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Noise in Lead

Hi Everyone, 

I went to my EP for a regular visit and he found out (other than my PM had again traveled under my arm) that there was noise in one of my leads, and he was concerned because I'm 100% paced in this lead.

Since then a week later I had a few late evening vasovagal episodes and this last week I can't function after 9:00. I just need to go to bed.  I let the doctor know, but he put me on medication to make my BP go higher and cannot take after 3:00. ...

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Feeling good

In April I had to have my 3rd pacemaker operation since January 2020. I had been informed by the pacemaker clinic that my rv and ra leads were failing and draining the battery. 
I have a CRT pacemaker. The third lead was working normally.

I had spells of feeling unwell since last year and I was sent for an echocardiogram.I have a mitral valve prolapse which I have had for over a year.

I thought that because I have a bedside monitor anything untoward would be picked up. A...

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MRI and pacemaker

Hello all,

I received my pacemaker 7 years ago this summer.   I expect that possibly later this year I would have to have my pacemaker and/or battery replaced.

Recently I have had ACDF surgery for cervical radiculopathy.  I also have lots of other spine issues including my lumbar spine.  Because with my current PM I could not have an MRI, I had to make do with CT scans and a myelogram.   My spine surgeon (and a 2nd opinion) basically said that was eno...

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Lead slack or lead migration?????????something.

Got my pacemaker almost 4 years ago. Last few(well 8) months have been having problems. Lots of noise on my 12 lead ecg., chest pain when I raise my arm on PM side. A lot of ventricular fusion beats(PM and own heart beating at same time) with no block... about 4 weeks ago, I started having ventricular bigeminy and afib but also a flutter. Non of these episodes are recording, I do catch them on my kardia 6lead and they are confirmed. So, I was curious and went back and looked at my xray from d...

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Post implant

this is my third pacemaker in almost 30 years. I am 10 day post implant for my new device. I still have swelling and pain that wakes me up at night. It also is difficult to turn my head, it feels like the skin is pulling. I know that the doctors had to go through a lot of scar tissue and scaring and that will make healing difficult and longer than before. But this is waking me up at night, so I'm not sleeping well. I think I need to give it more time and just relax and let it heal, but I...

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Biotronik Battery

I had my battery changed last week Thursday from St Jude to Biotronik with a home monitor.  My St Jude leads are fine.  I have been hearing tiny clicking sounds which are more audible when I am lying down.   Not all the time, only towards the end of my sleep, and not so much when I am standing up.  I stopped using my home monitor just to observe but the crackling sound is still there.  Thanks guys.  It's a great feeling to have you out there.

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How soon to lift weights

Just had my pacemaker battery changed after 14 years and was wondering how long do you

have to wait to lift weights again? I did not get my wires changed. Also is it normal for the area around the pacemaker site to be swollen and very tender? I dont remember being this swollen

the first go round. Thanks for any input

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Pacemaker change

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the group and would appreciate any advice/comments.

It's time for a PM change and I was given two options. The auxiliary of the subclavian vein currently has two leads, and one of the leads is not functioning as it is supposed to. Option 1 is to place another lead which will be a third lead in the vein which could potentially cause occlusion (blockage) in the future, and Option 2 is to laser extraction of both...

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Pacemaker dependent and battery getting low

It's getting close! I am on my 5th pacemaker, the current one was placed on valentines day 2013. So it's made it 9 years, by far the longest I've had one last. I am pacemaker dependent with no underlying heart rate. I'm getting super nervous that my battery will run out soon. My last one went into EOL 7 days after they told me I had 6 months left. Felt horrible but they got it replaced quickly. This one has said I'm down to 6 months since November. For the last 2 months it...

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Living in hope

Following my last post'No longer a success story' I received an appointment on Monday for Thursday 14th to get my lead replacement.

The surgeon said that the previous leads failure were caused by the subclavian approach.

If you want more information look up Subclavian crush syndrome. Basically it causes leads to fracture and insulation breaches to develop by compression of a lead between the first rib and clavicle.

My surgeon managed to extract the two fail...

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New to PM

How do you monitor your PM? Throught phone app or through a stand alone monitor box? I have Medtronics. I have option of either. Just wanted to find out which one was better. Thanks!

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No longer a success story

I received a call from the pacemaker clinic yesterday saying that my monitor was showing abnormal readings. I attended the clinic today and was told that the leads in the rv and ra were not working properly and were running down the battery. I have a CRT pacemaker which I received in May 20 after my dual lead pacemaker caused lv systolic dysfunction. I received it in January 20 due to Bradycardia.

The EP doctor turned off the rv and ra leads and left the lv lead. I was told it was...

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Leads and MRI's

I had a Boston Sci pacemaker removed in Feb 2022 replaced with a Boston Sci ICD  Vigilant. However, I have 2 Boston Sci leads and 1 Medtronic. Have been refused an Mri of my head and neck because of this when all are supposed to be compatible. Never told why the use of different leads. Any ideas?

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Struggling with the thought of my battery running out

I often feel like I don't have enough time, as if my batteries will run out and I won't be able to have them replaced on time. It doesn't feel good. 

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Upgrade to an ICD

I have learned I have an LMNA pathogenic genetic variant, which can cause bradyarrhythmias (already have) dilated cardiomyopathy (already have cardiomyopathy) and sudden cardiac death. I recieved a CRT-P device 3 years ago that left me with subclavian vein stenosis. 

I presume  that if my EP suggests an upgrade to an ICD, that the new leads will have to be inserted via the other subclavian vein. Would she then put the ICD on the same side as my pacer, or would it have to be im...

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Wire has pinching pain

Hi my pm was really installed too close to my shoulder where it moves up when I raise my hand. Since I had a hematoma on the 2nd day of my installation, am scared I moved the wire. My pm was installed Feb 2020, but today I can feel some pain under my breast pinching na pain. I can say it's the wire since that is where the lag time i had some twitching on that area and they fixed it by adjusting the set bpm 60 at least.  Is there any chance the lead pulle...

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Impact of MRI on Leads

How do they prevent the leads from wanting to be pulled out of the heart when in an MRI?

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Battery 0% and ERI before Pacemaker change????

I have had a pacemaker for over 30 years, since my late 20s. I have a Medtronic Percepta MRI Bi-Ventricular pacemaker which I am totally dependant on. The pacemakers last about 3 years between changes.

For the last 22 years I have had the same Cardiac Specialist, who has takne very good care of me, but who is now retired. During my time with him, he replaced the pacemakers when they reported there was about a month before reading 0% - once the reading reported 3 months battery life left...

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Member Quotes

To tell you the truth I never even give it a second thought. While growing up it never stopped me from doing anything and to this day my girlfriend or my kids need to remind me that I have one!