Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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Replacement....Medicare

I am on my second pacemaker, have now had it for eight years and battery still checking good. However the factory rep called in my readings and factory computer gives me an 8-15 month
battery life. My Doc says Medicare has a strict time limit and I am nowhere near it. I would like to have it replaced now. I hear from others that if Doc recommends, Medicare will ok. I am wondering if I am getting accurate info and that he does not to bother with it now. I do not want to wait for any s...

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I lost my old device!!!

I had my very first ever pacemaker, and I carried it with me everywhere as a good luck charm... the last time I had it was for a genetics test I took in school, and now I can't find it. :( I only have a plastic model now.

I tried to get my second device back from the hospital but they told me they could only give me a model because the real one was a bio hazard, and they keep them to check for problems etc.

anyway I'm super upset that I can't find my first one, I just nee...

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Extraction surgery complete!

Hi, I want to thank everyone for all the advice and encouragement I received from you. I had all 5 leads removed on march 8th and now have a whole new system in place. We had hoped only the newest leads (2 from 2000 and 1 from 2007) would need to be removed but complications required the originals from 1985 be removed as well. Even though there were complications everything turned out good. They went thru both sides of my chest and eventually had to remove them from the groin so needless to say...

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pacemaker leads

Can anyone tell me if they can see any problems with the leads when you have a pacemaker check.

Shelee

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recall

I was told that one of my leads, is on a recall list and that I will be notified in about one month, to have it replaced, and that there are 14 other persons with this lead that will have to come in and have it replaced, I have a St. Jude pacemaker..was wondering if any one else has had this happen

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Epicardial leads & rate response

Hey there!

I was wondering if anyone of you has epicardial pacemaker leads, and a rate response with minute-ventilation sensor (I have MV + accelerometer) that he/she needs a lot. Just asking because ever since my atrial pacer lead was switched to epicardial, the minute ventilation sensor has a problem, and is not adapting the rate well. I can hardly get above 100-110 bpm, no matter what I do. No one knows why. Pacer manufacturer says there are not a lot of experiences with epicardial...

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Mayo Clinic

Had appointments at the Mayo Clinic about a month ago. First saw the device team, who took one look at my protruding wires and said they thought they could help me if I stayed an extra day. Well, of course. They revised the pocket, flipped the pacer, and tucked the leads under it. Problem solved! And life is much better!

Also saw the heart failure clinic where they tweaked my meds. Dropped digoxin completely and within a few days the 24/7 visual aura was completely gone. Will m...

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going for surgery

Hi everyone crossed wires and insulation break here. I am going to Phoenix tomorrow for my lead extraction surgery. I will keep everone posted as to the procedure for anyone else facing it. I have noticed one strange thing. They do not require post-op testing, as in blood testing. I don't know why. I guess I'll find out.
Thank you everyone for the comments made on my first posting.
Grooven

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new crt-d

just had a new crt-d put in with three leads . two weeks ago . had a two lead in before back in 2008 . heart working to hard . no shortness of breath . walked 1.5 miles a day no problem . played 27 holes golf every sunday (road in cart) like i said just had this done due to heart failing . feel good out walking every day . anyone else had anything like this? like to no how you are doing .

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Doctors

I've just learned that I need to have lead extraction and am trying to get as much info as possible on the subject. I've had a medtronic pm since 1968. Can anyone tell me where to research doctors that perform this surgery?

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is this normal?

just got my ID card. I have a metronic adapta dual chamber PM and St. jude's leads. is it normal to "mix and match" the generator and leads? anybody know about this? I thought PM and leads should be the same. is it a cost factor?
thanks for 'filling' me in.
veronika

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Battery Died- Trust your instincts!

I did get a bubbling feeling....my heart slowed down and I feel lousy. I called the monitoring center and had them check it at home. The nurse told me the battery had grown stronger in the four weeks between the last check. I assured him that was not possible and asked to come in. He told me that if I were nervous then I should come in....( you are kidding me right?) I ended the call by scheduling a time and letting him know I wasn't nervous just certain the battery was gone. Needless to say whe...

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lead extraction

i have had a pacemaker since 1985. i was 23. in 2000 after a battery replacement i had some severe pains immediately after the replacement. turned out i had some faulty leads and went in for replacements. they kept the faulty ones in and added two working ones switching my pacemaker to my right side. in 2007 i went in for another battery replacement. again they found a faulty lead. they inserted a new one. still leaving the old ones in. now i have 5. well it has just been discovered only one l...

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How painful to prepare for MRI-comp?

Hi friends, I've been reading posts in this section but am still confused. I have ankylosing spondylitis/AS (a disease that affects my bones/connective tissue to bones) and have had 4 spinal surgeries so far. I've had this (only one) PM for about 6 years now; it is a Medtronic dual chamber for bradycardia due to heart block in the His bundle (from inflammation from my AS). My physicians/surgeons are constantly saying that I've had "too many" CT's (5 in last 3 months alone), and they are reluc...

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Leads Replacement

After my last visit to the doc my leads are found to be on their way out. I still have 2 years left on my 2nd pacemaker and settings were changed to make the leads last longer. My question--I have had at least 2 occasions where docs wanted an MRI. They still do. My pacemaker doc seems reluctant to changed leads to MRI safe leads now that MRI safe pacers are out. I know it's risky business to take out old leads, but I'd like some feedback from all of you.

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Medicare & PM replacement

I have researched with Medicare.gov, Google,Medicare 800# & my EP's office (thanks Donr for advice) & every one of them says that there are no new guidlines about PM replacement. The previous poster was told by a "nurse?" that her Dad had to wait until End of Life to get a replacement due to new Medicare rules. I am 100% dependent & waiting the Elective Replacement indicator to pop up. My EP's office's Medicare expert says that when that happens I will get "changed out" i.e., a new PM. Hope thi...

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Time for a new one

Hello Everyone ! Well its finally here. Got a phone check today, when I placed the magnet over pacemaker, it sounded slow. I thought something was different, I was right, nurse told me time for a new pacemaker ! So, an appointment next week. I had the "original" one for 8 years, not much usage. Originally went to Deborah Heart and Lung in New Jersey, now closer to home in North West Jersey. Anyway, how does the doctor determine what kind (brand) to put in ? Leads are already there. Also, wo...

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new medicare guidelines

I am frustrated about Medicare’s new guidelines, that apparently your pacemaker must be in end of life mode before it can be changed.  My father is 100 percent dependent on his pacemaker and he was due to have it replaced after 6 years.  So, it’s now 6 yrs old and the doctor had him come in to get things set up for the procedure last week, the nurse saw him and stated they wouldn’t be changing it until it went into EOL mode, we then asked how we would k...

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crossed wires and insulation break

Hi,
I'm new here. I have a 5 year old PM. My PM has had a problem for awhile now, speeding up, sometimes to 170. An Xray shows crossed wires at the top. They believe the wires are rubbing and causing an insulation break. How serious is this and how serious is the replacement surgery for the leads? My Cardiologist wants to send me to Phoenix 7 hours away. I wasn't on my game to ask why must I go to a special place. Can anyone help me understand?
Thank you

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Concerned about lead removal.

I had my p/maker fitted June 2005 due to a very low pulse rate followed by a heart block. I have read on the meditronic web site that they have produced an MRI 'friendly' pacemaker. I badly need MRI scans to assist with diagnosis of a lumbar spine problem and, sadly, a possible cancer problem. Does anyone know if my 2005 existing leads would have to be replaced should I request an MRI friendly pacemaker to be fitted. I understand lead removal/replacement is a serious business. Any views and advi...

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You know you're wired when...

The meaning of personal computer is taken a step further.

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.