Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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Biotronik or St. Jude

I know these are both excellent PM's. Well, at least I'm familiar with St. Jude as that is what I have now.
I have been happy with it for the last five years...it's malfunctioning now along with my lead. I have it buried deep, so the thought of having both removed and implanted again is overwhelming to say the least,
I decided against Sorin as there just aren't enough reps around me. Not comfortable with that.
I am scheduled to get a new St. Jude next week after saying "no" to...

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Still angry

I watched my dad suffer all night after they put in a ICD. He said he hurt so bad, they gave him darvocet, really darvocet. 6 of them through the night, he was thowing up hard. I couldn’t get it through his nurses head, he was really sick. Was hot, could not walk 2 feet to a toliet to use the bathroom. Was falling out of a chair he was setting in. But the next day they came in that morning and checked the stupid ICD and said it was working fine. I told them how he was doing that night,...

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flipping pacemaker

I asked about this before quite awhile ago. I have lost a lot of weight and the pocket that my pacemaker is in didnt shrink with me so the pacemaker flips. It used to happen once in 3 or 4 months. I went to Doctor he took xray it looked fine. Now its flipping 3 or 4 times a night. I know I will have to go back to doctor I guess they have to make pocket smaller. Has this happened to anyone? I really dont want to have to do this. Of course my mind is wandering wondering with all the flipping...

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Worn pacing lead

Hello all

I woke up 3 weeks ago with chest pain and light headed, I'm on my second pacemaker I'm 43 years of age and when I had my first pacemaker fitted was in 2001 second one 2011 I've been check out and they found that when I'm lying down on my left side one of the wires don't function as it should been told it needs replacing worn wire, due to me being still very sporty, but they said the pain has nothing to do with the worn wire, anybody else has had this problem thanks john

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Scar tissue and pacer lead

Hello. I'm 35 years old. I got my 1st pacemaker on February 1st of this year. I have a Boston Scientific dual chamber pacemaker. I have scar tissue that developed over the end of the lead that goes to my bottom chamber. It's causing my pacemaker to emit too much energy just to pace the bottom chamber. As it stood, I would only have about 2 1/2 years of battery left. My doctor turned off the bottom lead, to conserve energy. I'm scheduled for surgery to replace that lead. Has anyone else g...

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Lead Replacement

Hello Everyone,
I am posting a question regarding lead replacement and the risks associated with it.

My father is supposed to get a pacer upgrade to a bi-ventricular pacer. He has a duel chamber pacer now.

They checked his veins on the left side of his heart to add the third lead and they are blocked. However the right side is good.

The doctor called to say that he wants to do it on the left side rather than the right. He wants to take out one of the lea...

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Fractured Lead

My ICD of 2007 started playing a tune 3 times today. Went to ED and the medtronics lead that was recalled a few years ago has now fractured. Has anyone had any exp in this procedure and also getting them to help pay the bills at hospital. Procedure will be done on Monday . etc.Thanks JC

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Replacement Cost of Dual Chamber Pacemaker

I presently have a two lead, St Jude Dual Chamber Pacemaker which was installed in 2001. The battery is running down so I need to replace the pacemaker. Since I do not have any insurance I am asking the for the following information.r

The cash price- (cost) of a St Jude Dual Chamber two lead Pacemake Do not need the leads to be replaced.

The approx cash price - (cost) of the pacemaker surgery...

If anyone can also direct me to a web site on this I would apprec...

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Battery in ERI Mode

Hello,
Been 100% dependent (complete heartblock) since 2006. Pacemaker finally went into ERI mode this weekend. I can definitely feel the change. Pulse stuck @ 65 BPM, seems like some other functions are off now too. Doctor says two or three weeks before it can be changed out. Is that a reasonable time frame? I'm supposed to be going away next week for a week.....To me that shouldn't be a problem but I do get winded a lot easier now however.......

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Pacemaker replacement

I have an appointment this week to discuss pacemaker replacement.,I have only one lead and have had it for 7 years. I assume it is in and out the same day. Is there anything I should ask my doctor when I see hime Tuesday

Thank you

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BATTERY VOLTAGE

I have a Medtronic EnRhythm PM and I am worried about what is considered a low battery voltage.
Where does the voltage usually begin when implanted and where is the voltage (approx) when the PM goes into ERM and then EOL? Thanks!

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Possible Lead Change - New location?

I have hit ERT and am scheduling my replacement. This will be my fourth replacement since I got my initial PM in 1993. My original PM was made by a company that is no longer in business and the PM and leads were proprietary to them only so the leads (still implanted since '93) are useless. My current leads are located on the right side of my chest and have been in place since 1998.

The surgeon has told me that he thinks there may be a possibility that he will have to put new leads...

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Endless battery?

I went for my first check up today after having my first PM implanted 8/5/13. Cardiologist said everything looks great. He mentioned that by the time I would need a replacement, technology will have advanced and the battery would last for the rest of my life. I didn't really ask him for any sources but he just sounded so confident. I tried to do a little "googling" but wasn't able to find anything on this technology he's talking about. Anyone heard of this before?

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PACEMAKER LOW BATTERY

Once the Elective Replacement Indicator says that your battery is running on fumes, how long would the battery continue to operate? For instance, if you are in Timbuktu and a telephone check says your battery is low, should you jump on the next plane or can you wait a few months before you get replaced?

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When I Sneeze...

When I Sneeze sitting down my pacemaker (in my stomach) moves. It is very old (I got it when I was about thirteen and I am now nineteen) and the second one to be in that pouch. It is no longer in use as I now have one in my chest. Does that happen to anyone else that the pacemaker moves when you sneeze?

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HAND HELD EKG MONITOR

Does any one know where I can buy a hand held ekg monitor that pace maker compatible? I just received on and the first things it said in the instructions was not to use with a pace maker. aj2147@yahoo.com

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pacemaker.defibulator

My husband has the device. He is in need of batteries being changed. His energy level is very low at this point. When it was checked in June we were told possibly replacement near Christmas. Now he has had two different vibrations 10 hours apart. He is in third stage CHF. The MD had a heck of a time getting the leads into the sweet spot back in 2009.

Needless to say neither one of us are looking forward to the procedure on the 22nd of this month.

Any words of advice?...

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My Battery is getting Weak

I had my first IDC implanted in 1999 and it lasted until 2006. I replaced it with a smaller one. The first one never did shock me until the battery was about depleted. Then, the second one shocked me a month after I got it from just flat footing a little at a festival. Anyway, I think a shock is hell on earth-just like a big horse ran up and kicked you. Mine went off about 3 times and I thought I would die. Now, this same one's battery is getting low. Have to be checked every 2 months. I dread...

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faulty atrial lead

Hello folks. I had an issue I wanted to share with you based on a faulty atrial sensing lead that I had since 2009. At that point I received my third pacer (dual chamber) and on occasion would have issues with my left pectoral muscle twitching right along with my pacer only if I laid on my left side. Needless to say I didn't sleep well. On my follow up to the pacer clinic I made the Pacer Tech aware of my problem. The Tech advised me that the atrial sensing lead was only sensing about 20 % of th...

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bad ventrical lead

found out I have a compromised bottom lead about 8 months ago and that was re-programed to basically take that lead out of picture. Leads have been in for 19 years! Anyone on here ever had leads that old removed and replaced or is going in on the opposite side standard procedure. Last check-up on 7/11/12 said Pm had about one (1) year left.
I've had two replacements and its program, insert and forget it until this lead issue. I've been taken from polar to unipolar (or vise versa ) a cou...

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