Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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High resistance leads

Hi all,
AS stated earlier, I got my last pm last Wednesday and the issue of short battery life was addressed in some way by an impedance change. I could not get my head around this as my doc and the Medtronic rep tried to explain. I spoke with someone in the pacer clinic yesterday. She had overheard the talk about this and admitted she too did not understand what they were doing to make this change. Of course, it all has to do with ohm law but we could not figure out how it was accomplishe...

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lead problem

Hi everyone, I have joined the pm club after finding it online whilst looking for information about 'worn' leads. I had a pm implanted 8 years ago and have been absolutley fine until my annual check-up yesterday. One of the leads of my dual chamber pm is not working correctly. It has been re-set and I need to go back in 6 months to see if the problem is cured or has returned - in which case they may decide to replace one of the leads. Has anyone experienced this and should I be worried? I h...

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Surgery over..hoping for longer time

Hi all,
Got my 15th Medtronic pm last Wednesday. Surgery went well. All 4 leads checked out fine. The last pm only lasted 7 months. They upped the upper chambers from 7.5 to 8 and the two lower chambers stayed at 5. They did change the "impedance", saying they thought this would give me a few more months than the last one. Does anyone know exactly how that works? Overall, pain for the first few days but feeling okay, short of b/p running 211/114 (this is not really abnormal for me thoug...

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chest pressures

anyone with a pacer notice constant pressure in upper chest area? Seems to originate in area of PM. Not sore to the touch but like an internal issue. Just curious to know. I've had PM for over 20 years and never noticed this before. Have a lead issue wondering if it could be coming from that?
Happy EASTER to all!!
Thanks,
Cecil

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Short circut

Hi I'm Ruth H and have had my pacemaker for the past 5 years. About 2 years ago during the night i got a sharp jab in my side. Didn't know what or where it came from. But since then I've had this pain occurring more frequently lately. Just seen my heart Dr recently and he said it could be that my lead from the pacemaker is actually way down in the corner of the ventricle and when it sparks it shorting to my diaphragm which in turn is causing the bang I'm feeling. Said it could be fixed by going...

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defibrillator and pacemaker

I just got home from the hospital. I said, got home! Yet, I was electricuted for no reason except a company allowed leads they new at the time they were being put in me--KILLED PEOPLE! I was relxed and on my couch just april 31st at 2:18 pm chatting to a friend about rebuilding his motor on his boat --When whaam Oh my god! did I get struck by lightning? Oh my god and whaam again in less thaan a minute I got another of a shock much higher than has killed many before me! Oh my GOd! I shouted...

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broken lead

Good morning friends!

I have a broken lead wire on a two lead PM (was discovered in early Dec, 2011).  Nothing done about it yet!   I’m not PM dependent.

But I just had a thought that hit me like a bomb! I had 2 stents put in on August 28, 2011. If this wire was broken then wouldn’t at that time - wouldn’t it have shown up on the X-ray during the procedure?  Break was discovered during REGULAR PM check up in December 2011. There a...

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is any one??

please my friends let me know that do u know some one or any one from this club to do surgery(replaced PM) for several times??4 surgery or 5???and after how long leads should change??

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Getting my 15th pacemaker

Hi all, I am new to this group and am so thankful I found it. Mine is a long story (I won't bore you with the whole thing) but it comes down to this: I am getting my 15th nsinc biventricular PM on Wednesday. I have been thru ablation therapy 3 times, on the transplant list for nearly 2 years, went blind from taking Coreg (retina specialist offered to get me a "dog"). I have 4 leads (each chamber). My last pacer lasted 7 months, the most I have ever gotten out of a pm is 12 months. I have super...

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leads dislodgement?

Hi! I've had my current pacemaker for more than a year, but since yesterday I've been feeling something weird in my chest. I woke up this morning with this heaviness and pulling sensation. This is a first for me, and I was wondering if this could represent a problem with one of my three leads. For those of you who have experienced dislodgement of leads, what did you feel?

Thanks!
Meredith

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problems with dislodging

I received a pacemaker in Feb. 2011. In August, I fell out of bed and then started feeling bad. I had surgery in Nov. 2011 and the doctor found the pacemaker was flipping and the leads were getting wrapped around it. I started feeling bad again in February and had surgery again in March 2012 because one of the leads wasn't working. I think it became discodged. Does anyone go to a Chiropractor? I think maybe the pushing and tugging he does could be the cause of the problems. I have no idea...

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seven year battery

I had my PM implanted in 2005 and it is still running perfect, I feel well and hardly notice it. I am 83 year old male.
Are 7 years normal for battery life or can I expect a replacement on my forthcoming checkup.
With my ager I am a bit worriedover the process.
Thanks anyone
Dave

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Notification

Does anyone in the group have a Medtronics Pace maker Model P1501DR? If so, have you been contacted by Medtronics about possible problems with this specific model?
Joe

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Lead changing

My 17 year old son received a pacemaker when he was 13. I inquired about having the new MRI compatable pacemaker. His DR informed me that it was not a good idea, as the leads are not compatable with the new MRI pacemaker. She informed me the chances of a real problem changing the leads are great and would not advise any changes. I believe she quoted a 5% chance of a serious issue or death. I just don't understand!!! My son is 17 and I basically took from her explanation that he'll have the...

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MRI Safe PM and Leads

I am scheduled to get my first PM next month. I've read that most new PMs now-a-days are safe to use in MRIs, but that the leads are the problem.

I asked my EP if I should get the MRI safe leads, and she said that because I'm so young (30) she would rather not use new, less tested, leads. She wants to use what she knows is good and will last me a long time.

I understand her logic, as I don't really like being a guinea pig; but wanted to hear your opinions. I always though...

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Bad Lead Wires

Don - I don't live in GA, I live in Nebraska -- population 379. I Doctor at the Omaha Med Center, which is probably the best in Nebraska. That being said, I still question capabilities of surgeons, so definitely will be asking questions. I have 2 wires - first set of wires broke a long time ago - so wires and pacemaker were moved to the other side (left). Options - between existing wires if scar tissue allows; or on outside of heart. I return for a check up June 26th -- so I want to have al...

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are they out?

I had my pacemaker put in over a week ago. I have to say I am not in any pain hardly and i can sleep on my left side but I have struggled not putting my arm up. or is it just the elbow that counts? Is it more than likely my leads are out of place now?

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loose leads

I had my pacemaker installed in December, the lead came loose, had a sudden cardiac death, the leads have been replaced 3 times now due to them being pulled out. I wore a sling on my arm for 3 weeks to prevent it happening, then at night another week. I slept with my arm over my head so it gets pulled out that way. The lead has moved slightly, so Im waiting to see if I need surgery again. Anyone have any ideas to keep this from happening again?

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Pacemakers using the human heart’s own vibrations.


When Amin Karami and Daniel Inman, aerospace engineering researchers at the University of Michigan, began to work with materials which generate power from physical stress, they weren’t looking for a medical breakthrough. They were, in an endeavor more directly appropriate to their profession, looking to design a light unmanned aircraft which could be powered by the vibrations of its own wings. But as they looked at the properties of certain power-generating piezoelectric materials, they de...

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Recall

A couple of months ago I was told my cardiologist that St. Jude Medical had a recall on some of their devices due to a faulty lead. I'm thankful mine was not part of that recall. I was wondering if anyone out there had to have a lead replacement & what was the experience like? This is a very frightening thought.

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You know you're wired when...

Intel inside is your motto.

Member Quotes

My pacemaker is the best thing that every happened to me, had I not got it I would not be here today.