Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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Lead Life


I was just wonding what other's experience has been with lead replacement. I have guidant leads that were implanted 8 years ago and I'm 100% paced (the device has been changed). I have had no problems with the devices or leads despite the long history of recalls that happened a few years ago. I am just wonding how long they typically last.

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Battery at EOL: How much reserve?

I have a Medtronic Thera i DR PM implanted 10 years ago. Two weeks ago, my monthly telephone check revealed that the battery voltage was low and the PM was in reset mode (correct term)? That same day, I felt "funny in the head" and a bit light headed, so I knew that the battery voltage had just dropped. Now I find that I need to be careful about exerting myself, else I get light headed.

My question: How much time do I have before I reach a critical situation when the battery drops...

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When to change

Hello
I’ve had a pacemaker now for six years and have regular test on the battery life etc.
What I hope somebody out there knows is?
How do they know when to change, what triggers the decision
And how long after do they actually change it
Being totally dependent on my PM I am obviously quit interested

Stuart

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Dislodged Leads

Hello everyone. My 37 year old husband had a pacemaker put in on 11/19/08. He had some complications a month later and on 12/23 he had a second surgery to reattach the a-lead. This weekend he has started back with the same complications, jerking of the chest and shoulder. It is back to the dr tomorrow and seems like it will be the same thing because the symptoms are exactly alike. He has followed the drs directions to a T. Still in the arm mobilizer. I just wondered if anyone knows why th...

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strange feeling

Hey have any of you experienced a strange itching feeling up around the device and leads. I am a rather thin person and out of the blue sometimes the area around the can and leads begins to itch, if I rub around the area I feel as though I will either pass out or throw up.

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new member with q's

HI I am48 yrs old and scheduled for my 2nd pm surgery in 3 yrs. I was diagnosed w/complete LBBB in feb 05. my cardiologist was pretty non chalant and basically siad to go home and deal... I changed Drs pretty qiuck. By Oct 05 I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and scheduled for my pm nov 4 2005. felt much better and got on with mylife for a while ... thenlast year I was told I have one of the recalled leads from medtronics, MY dr who is a great surgeon, not so good at bedside manners.. T...

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my time is up

Greetings, all. I've been powered by a Medtronic PM almost 11 years. I do believe it has finally "flipped". I have wondered how/if i would know and my question has been answered - I feel like *&^$. Get winded very quickly and have to sit down and pant like a dog. I thought I would get it replaced in 2009, deductible issues, but i know i cannot wait now that I feel this way. I went to CVS and did the blood pressure machine. Every time my pulse was 67, the other numbers varied, so I have di...

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Defective battery leads!

Hi There,

My first Pacemaker implant was in 2003 and during interrogation; the doctors or the Tech would see some noise plotted for the upper chamber wire. In Feb of 2008, I started to feel palpitations and it sounded like (bum bum bum then Buuuuum). I told my Doctor the gave me beta blockers thinking I needed medicine to lower the pressure!!. I could not sleep at nights since the bang bangs would make me up at night.

In July08, the pacemaker report indicated &ldquo...

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Clavicle Crush

My pacemaker technician mentioned the possibility that I am experiencing a "clavicle crush."  Has anybody ever heard this term before?  I can’t find much research on this topic. Would appreciate some feedback.

She said that my clavicle is putting pressure on my top lead wire and causing the wire "insulation" to pull and weaken, effecting my pacer settings. She switched my settings from bipolar to unipolar and says she thinks this will make a differe...

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can any one help

my husband has a mitral valve replacemant and a pacemaker fitted the pm ws fitted 8 weeks ago since then he is convinced that the leads have moved or are moving he gets this pain were it feels like the lead is moving up and down has any one else felt this or how can you tell if the lead has moved thank you a very consernd wife of a pm member

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I keep getting 'kicked' by my pacemaker

I am just wondering if anyone else has had this happen

Every now and again 1 - 4 times a day I get a jolt in what I presume is my diaphragm - it jolts me about 3 times in a row. It has no correlation to exercise -
Has anyone else had this?
My nearest Cardiologist is 5 hours away and I don't feel like running to him if it is harmless

Nicky

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site around the pacemaker hurts

Hey there,
I have had my pacemaker for about 5 years now and recently have been feeling some dull pain/discomfert around the pace maker, sometimes i get pains in my left arm and some chest pain.. what could this mean? bad lead or need to change the pm? help please

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Battery not working correctly

Hello, I have had a guidant pacer since 2000. At the phone and dr appts the battery reading would at first show full. Then after about 5 years it started to go down and was about half. Then suddenly it showed full battery again. I was told that this was "natural" if a gas tank does that you know something is wrong. Any way I kept after everyone and they would say look at the printout it is full don't worry about it. To make a long story short. Eventually, a guidant tech actually saw tha...

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leads moving?

Hi All,
It has been many months since I have checked here. Life has been going so smothly concerning my pacemaker surgery last Nov and then my replacement lead surgery in May. Nothing like feeling really awful for a time to be able to realize when you feel great!
But last week I started to notice 2 things that I didn't notice before. The "extra" lead wire that is located above my pacemaker has become very prominant . Since I had 2 surgeries and therefore 2 scars the area above the p...

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chat

arabella ill wait in chat room

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I'm having problems with my pacemaker

I have been told that everything is o.k. But I am stil having pain in my chest. Sometimes if seem like someone is squeeking my heart. Other times it seems like someone stabing it. The heart montor says ok, chest x-rays say ok, blood test says ok, but ekg says ok, except it always reads abnormal. When I'm hook up to a heart montior is show my heart working,but when the pacer kicks off, my heart rate drops low. My blood pressure goes up and down all the time, but mostly up. I have no insura...

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Cracked lead wire

Hi All,

First time I'm writing.

I went for a regular pacemaker (Medtronic, ~ six years old) check and was told that there was a break in the lead to the ventrical.
Anybody have a problem was broken leads? Thanks.
Jackie

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Pacemakers life

I have been told by three different people how long my pacer will last. I have been from 2 too 3 too 5 more years. I'm confused I have had it since 2003.At one time they said it worked half the time and now one third of the time. Bruce53

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Heartbeats may be used to power PMs?

Has anyone seen this?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081110/sc_nm/us_heart_pacemaker_4

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Replacement Battery Worries

I have had my current PM for 8 and a half years. I have my annual check up coming up this week, and I'm starting to get a little worried about them talking about a replacement. I have gone through the last 8 or so years without any worries or cares about it, but now it has hit me like a runaway train!

I'm starting to find that maybe the anxiety about it is making me feel unwell, and I'm feeling tired and short of breath. Short of energy and generally irritable. I'm usually full of bou...

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Member Quotes

It is just over 10 years since a dual lead device was implanted for complete heart block. It has worked perfectly and I have traveled well near two million miles internationally since then.