Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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International travel when battery is getting old

I had my St Judes pacemaker installed in March 2011.  My cardiologist says the battery should be OK for another couple of years, although 7 years was the suggested duration at the time of installation.  At what point should I plan to restrict international travel, especially to 3rd world or developing countries?

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Battery Replacement

I went to my electro/cardio physician in eary April. They scheduled me for a battery change in June. at an off site surgery center. I was told since they will just be exchanging the PM unit it would be a short outpatient surgery. I have it done. It took about 20  minutes tops. I was put into a twilight anesthesia. I never really was out completely. I was pushed out they checked and set the pm gave me a small pain shot and sent me home. I was there with waiting room, hookup, surgery and d...

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Lead being changed, what to expect?

Hello everyone! I was planning on writing a cheerfull "everythings OK" note after my 3rd annual PM chek, but it turnes out one of my leads is broken and needs to be changed. The doctors have decided to extract the old one since I´m only 33. Can someone tell me what to expect during this surgery and afterwards? Anything I should chek in advance? I´m in Europe and most probably I will be awake during the surgery, like during the implant. That´s how we do it here :/ D...

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tricuspid valve dysfunction

I strongly suggeset everyone on this forum with a 2 lead pacemaker at least scan an online article on tricuspid valve dysfunction. http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/accj/69/18/2331.full.pdf. You will be surprised to learn about the number and seriousness of issues around the interference of PM leads with the triscuspid valve assembly. Based on my experience, some of the issues raised in earlier posts are likely derived from valve problems caused by PM leads.

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Heart Monitor

The Schoche Arm Band Monitor works well.

The Garminn chest strap was no longer working because  I have a CRD with three leads.

Someone refered me to the arm band and now I have all my results on the Garminn.

Thank You.

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Pacemaker leads

Because of paroxIsmal AF I got the first pacemaker in 2002 and the second one in 2914. shortly after the second implant I had symptoms like lightheadedness an general bad feeling and was diagnosed with NERD which is non erosive. I have been taking protonpump inhibitors since. Ca.4 months ago I started having the strangest episodes of churning feelings like something moving around right below the sternum and feeling like fainting. This lasts always not even  a minute b...

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V lead failure

I’m a newbie.  73 years old, healthy except for node failure....no other cardiac problems.  Month ago had a VT incident...heart rate of 230 for a full minute.  Echo cardiogram and stress test...all ok.  Then a couple of weeks later had to call 911.  Passed out and chest pounding and BP way way high...240/130.  Finally the replaced both A lead and V lead.  Question is...would failure of V lead cause high BP?  Epinephrine into blood stream and no wa...

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Leads

I received this note today regarding my PM & its battery (I'm the owner of a 3-lead Medtronic VIVA XT CRT-D PM): " When you saw your EP in January he made an statement in his plan that when the time came for generator change he would send you to the surgeons for an epicardial lead placement. One of your leads is not giving the best signal and is causing increased drain on battery life."    ---  What can I look forward to?  When the A-V Node abla...

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Leads

I received this note today regarding my PM & its battery (I'm the owner of a 3-lead Medtronic VIVA XT CRT-D PM): " When you saw your EP in January he made an statement in his plan that when the time came for generator change he would send you to the surgeons for an epicardial lead placement. One of your leads is not giving the best signal and is causing increased drain on battery life."    ---  What can I look forward to?  When the A-V Node abla...

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battery life

I have to keep the donut magnet on till I can get into the Doctor. This is keeping my heart rate at 100 bpm. Will this drain my battery? Also keeping the magnet on, does this interfere with information being recorded on my pacer during this time? I have a Boston Scientific and am pacer dependent. Will it cause R & T phenomienon or other issues to my heart.?

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Questions about having pacemaker long-term, leads, malignant vasovagal syndrome

Hello all,

Brand new to this forum. I'm currently 33 years old, and had my initial transplant when I was 10. I had the battery replaced at 18, and after dealing with depression and neglect (and lack of insurance), I'm trying to get things back on track.

I have a pacemaker to treat malignant vasovagal syndrome, which was leading to high grade av block, very unpredictable fainting and increasingly seizures. It started when I was under a year old, and continued til I was abou...

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Battery Life?

I didn't need an alarm clock this AM.........................PM base lit up like a Xmas tree and emitted a British Police car siren sound just before 8AM! I couldn't find anything in the Medtronic  VIVA CRT-D manual that explains this event but, I assume it's the "low battery" warning indicator.  Anyone know how much battery life (as in days) is remaining?

--Dave--

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3rd degree heartblock

Hey All, 

I am 37y/o female who has congenital 3rd degree heart block. Dx in utero. My mother has lupus and that’s why I have heart block. I have no structure or “pumping” EF problems. I rec’d my pacer at the age of 18 so I would not go below 40Bpm while sleeping. Pacer was on demand only (VVI) meaning it would be used if I hit 39. I’ve never passed out, dizziness etc. I’m very active run 2miles 3 days a week etc. I have had my device upgraded tw...

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See approx 1.5 in outline of wire under skin next to pacemaker

Hi.  I had a dual chamber pacemaker implanted 4 months ago after a total heart block which happened during Open Heart Surgery.  Then, during the Implant Surgery, I developed some atrial fribrillation which I was treated for and seems to be under control at this point.  

Shortly after my implant surgery, I felt "pinching" next to my left armpit near the pacemaker when I leaned forward.  It felt like wires pinching me.  I told my doctor, but after a few...

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Leads

What is the average time it takes before the leads, that are screwed into the heart, form scare tissue and heal. I am an avid billiards player and I’m concern that my bridge hand is on the same side as my pacemaker. With that extended stretching forward and above or at shoulder height might be too much on the leads???    

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Cost of lead extraction in the US

I live in East Europe, and my doctors are considering changing my leads of almost 7 years. There is a chance that my leads had some production problems and there is a good chance that they may malfunction at some point 

My doctors do not want to take that chance as my icd has fired and saved my life a couple of times in the past

Although my doctors repeatedly told me that leaving the exsisting leads inside my body will not cause major risks, ...

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Popping feeling inside my heart

I had ICD implanted 2 weeks ago . Occasionally I had episodes of popping feeling inside my heart with short of breath. Anybody had any similar experience?

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Lead replacement recovery

Hi all, 

I'm new on here and relatively new to the pacemaker deal. I just have a couple questions and I wanted some opinions. I just had my pacemaker placed this year at the end of July, and I guess there was something wrong with where the lead(s) were placed or they have moved and so I have an appointment coming up to go in and move or replace them. I was just wondering what the recovery was for this type of thing. I know the recovery after getting the actual pacemaker, a...

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battery reading

Looking at my Interrogation Report for my Biotronik device and it says Battery: BOS.  Wondering what that means?

 

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Feels like wire is shorting out

This is my 3rd defibrillator.  This one was implanted 2016. It is still very uncomfortable. I can fill the wires just under the skin. Everything has checked out ok. I saw my former doctors in Oklahoma and was told that the generator might need to be reset or the pocket sewn up more. Any thoughts? It was implanted in Alabama .

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You know you're wired when...

You have a T-shirt that reads “Wired4Sound”.

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!