Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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First Replacement

My son, 32, is scheduled for his first battery replacement today.  He has a dual chamber St. Jude, placed in February of 2015. In 2014 he became catastrophically ill with a misdiagnosed case of endocarditis resulting in two valve replacements (aortic and mitral) and as collateral damage a right below the knee amputation, He has made a remarkable recovery, finished three degrees, runs, and is an accomplished equestrian.  Understandably deer in the headlights today, Thanks for the sup...

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Battery duration

I had a check back in April when my cardio said I have minimum 6 months and max 18 months in my battery. This is a medtronics PM 100% paced.

In October he said I had min 6 months and max 11 months which did not make sense to me so I checked with a different hospital and cardiologist. The second cardio told me min 12 months and max 18 months. He also said the PM would buzz when battery getting low. I am trying to figure out the 'true' story and will visit my cardio again on...

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Battery Low

I have three leads on my PM and after only 4 years, I was told my battery is low and need a new PM. I have Medtronic and I am just sadden that my battery didn't last very long. Now they keep bringing me in to check when they need to do the surgery and the readings keep saying, it's not ready. I am truly perplexed about the whole situation. I guess I just have to keep getting it checked. If anyone else is having the same problem, please let me know how you handled the situation. Thank...

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Battery life St Jude PM2240

I've had a dual lead St Jude PM2240 since 2014. Every time I see the tech my pacemaker shows that is still has 10 years battery life! It is oacing 80% of the time. That is the case since the day I got it. Obviously that cannot be. Has anyone else experienced this?

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Faulty pacemaker

I've just received a letter to say the pacemaker that I had inserted in May this  year 2022  (my second replacement) is faulty.    Apparently risk is low.   On doing some research I discovered this was known in March 2021.  I am curious as to why these pacemakers are still being used  ( Abbot Assurity and Endurity ) 

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Intertogation report

My last report has the comment "abnormality seen on lead(s)" that's it. Everything else on the report I am happy with. No phone calls from Dr or clinic. Have left a message with Dr office just wondered if anyone knows if this can show on one interrogation and not the next? Thks in advance for any comments. I feel fine🤷‍♀️

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Battery life coming to an end

My pacemaker was implanted in 2010 and they said it had about 10 years on the battery. We're at 12 years now and the transmission report shows 5 months of battery life. My concern is that we live 30 minutes outside of a rural town (12 bed hospital) and how to plan for the possibility of it failing while I'm home. The hospital that would replace it is two hours from my home. We also live in snow country and five months from now is winter so that's another concern. Initially in 2010...

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Extend Battery Life

Perhaps a foolish question but...is there anything someone can do to extend the battery life of their pacer? (More exercise? Lose weight? etc) Or is your heart just going to do what it is going to do? I've had my current pacer for 6 years. The reason I have it is total heart block.

Thanks.

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Movement of lead

So at my 3 year pacerversary I started having transient loss of conduction.  So I would vpace. That was in AAIRD<=>DDDR MODE MVP ON.

So they switched me to DDDR MODE MVP OFF

then I was getting a lot of vpacing, at a higher rate but not my upper limit, 3 months ago it started getting faster. So after a year of complaints it was PMT. I was always curious though, if nothing was wrong with my av node, why the vpacing. So they lowered the minimum on my pvarp from 250 to...

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MRI Conditional PACEMAKERS

Does anyone know anything about MRI conditional pacemakers and what brands are MRI's friendly?

thanks

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Pacemaker replacement

Hi everyone!!

It has been a while since I was here, I just wanted to hear from the experienced ones about PM replacment and recovery time. 

Tomorrow I will have a new one, after 8 years! I must say I am so grateful for this site, It gave me so much peace of mind when I just had it implanted. 
I hope I hear from you and your experiences!

love

Pilar

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battery life, not expected!

I have a Medtronic azure xt since April of 2020. when I discovered that my HR dropped down to 45bpm after some heavy yard work. My latest remote scan, on the 18th of this month showed "normal device function". What suprised me was the battery status :OK , with remaining longevity @ 10 years, 9 months. I was under the assumption that they lasted 7 to 10 years. I'm already 2.4 years into the battery. I called Medtronic and to my suprise the rep. said my model has a 13-year life sp...

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Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Pacemaker

My battery went into ERI mode two weeks ago so today was the day to get my device replaced. I'm 43, 100% pacemaker dependent, have had a pacer since 1982, my leads are 29 years old, my ejection fraction is in the mid 40's, which is typically where it's been most of my life. My doctor threw me a curveball literally 5 minutes before I was to be wheeled back to the operating room. He discussed my EF and how it may be beneficial to add a third lead to synchronize my heart rh...

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one lead not hooked up

hi all,

im new here, and thankful for this site,...its good to get  other patients opinions,...i have a 3 lead pacemaker, since 2015, and my dr, says almost time to change battery,....im very worried cause i had a huge hemotoma after implanted after open heart surgery for valve repair,because i went into complete heart block...but since then always wonder and ask if its ok that a third lead is not attached, my dr, kept trying to say there were only 2 leads, and i wonder if i would...

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Device exchange

I had my Medtronic Sure Scan pacemaker/ICD replaced for battery.  The EP reported something she said she has not ever seen in 20 years.  My device was coated in a yellow goo inside the pocket.  She sent it out for a culture.  I have not been having any pain, itching or rash around pacemarker site.  Has anyone on here every heard if this.I do have silicone breast implant, wondered if they may have leaked into pocket?  I will forward any info to EP. She is a top do...

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Intramuscular Pacer

Hi all,

I am due for my fourth generator change next year.

I have had a pacer since I was 12 and I'm 36 now. I have two questions:

 

1: has anyone ever had abandoned leads extracted? If so how long had they been abandoned and where/who did the procedure? 

I have leads on the left side abandoned for 24 years. Unfortunately all the bulk up on my chest has recently been giving me more discomfort than usual in my shoulder area. Think it's due &...

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Newbie - Lead Doesn‘t Have Enough Slack?

Hello,

I got my Biotronik dual-chamber pacemaker on July 20th this year. The scar has healed up fairly well now.

Yesterday I experienced some neck and chest pain, and decided to go to the hospital to be on the safe side. (I felt like there was a "gurgling" sensation as well when my heart would beat, so I panicked a bit.)

They checked me out at the hospital and the pain eventually subsided. They didn't see anything that might be causing the pain, but they d...

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New Ventricular Lead Placement Methods

Here is a "state of the art" article I found very interesting. It has a great diagram. 

Despite the title it covers both His bundle pacing as well as LBB pacing.

https://www.aerjournal.com/articles/his-purkinje-conduction-system-pacing-state-art-2020

Gemita/Lavender/Good dog/AgentX86/crustyg and others what do you guys think of this article? See  fine diagram below!

https://assets.radcliffecardiology.com/s3fs-public/article/2020-12/figure1...

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Ventricular Lead Placement

Hello everyone there has been some great discussion from our experienced members on the pros and cons of where the ventricular lead is placed: RV Apex, septal, HIS bundle, para Hisian, LBB, possibly more. Let's assemble a knowledge base and make an easily searchable thread for the future by simply looking for "ventricular lead placement". Please, everyone with something to share, please add your great insights into the pros and cons of the several sites ...

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30+ year old leads?

Anybody here have or know of someone who has leads over 30 years old? Mine are 29 years old so I was certain that they would change them this time around but they said they were working fine so they felt no need to change them. I am 100% pacemaker dependent, so it makes me a little nervous to continue riding on these leads. I am in ERI so will be getting a replacement in the next two weeks.

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

The experience of having a couple of lengths of wire fed into your heart muscle and an electronic 'box' tucked under the skin is not an insignificant event, but you will survive.