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Mixed messages
- by danw64
- 2012-11-21 09:11:40
- Batteries & Leads
- 1326 views
- 1 comments
I have a single lead pacemaker that works then needed. AV block notice then I had a spinal cord injury in 1980. First one implanted 1980. 2nd one 1991, 3rd 2001. So two years ago I had the pm interrogated (I think thats the word) and the saint jude rep said it was like new. the doctor walks in later and said it needs to be changed soon. i said no. i believe the battery level was 2.8. So I went last Nov. and the reading was the same. The cardiologist said nothing about replacing. He even told me I forgot6 when, maybe 2008 that my heart was doing more of the work than the pm. He even lowered the rate from 72 to 70 eight years ago. The doctor that implanted in 2001 told me I can get a life span out of it anywhere from 10 to 15 years from this new one. So my question is then I visit him, (not the same 2001 doctor) Dec.and he and might say it's time to change, do I tell him you need to convince me?
1 Comments
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by boxxed - 2012-11-21 11:11:55
If you reach ERI you reach ERI. If that's the case it's time to change. Especially if when you say you're an AV Block, you're a 3rd degree block patient. That could potentially mean you are pacemaker dependent. Even then a physician tends to move fast when ERI is reached.
10-15 years seems pretty optimistic, depending on how often you need pacing. If a person has a device for rare bouts of syncope and are As-Vs 99.9% of the time, they could end up definitely @ 10-15 years (VVI 40 ICD shockboxes that never pace also come to mind). For an AV block patient? I'm not too sure about 10-15 years.
2.8V with an SJM device 2 years ago could run pretty low by the time you see him in December depending on usage and programmed outputs. How often do you pace?
All I can say is, from the other side...if a physician says it's time to change, it's probably time to change and there probably isn't anything disingenuous about it. Insurance will not cover it (outside of some circumstances) if it's done before ERI.