No knowledge new member

I am not sure where to start. My name is Kreth, I am now 66 years old. First stent in 2003, second one 2005 or 2006? I had My little buddy, Nascar, [implanted in 2008] who keeps my heart doing what it is supposed to, due to electrical system deciding not to work. As you are reading you wil note I know nothing about "Nascar". You might say I am stupid as a stick with lack of knowledge. They rarely tell me anything other than Nascar is working fine. A year ago they told me the battery had 9 months to a year. Each visit they change the months...Do they know when it will go? I am concerned. I think I may ask for copies of my records and print outs on Nascar. [He is a Medtronic Versa something]. You all know so much. I am very impressed.
BTW, I am type 2 diabetic on 5 shots a day. I have COPD and Asthama.
Any thoughts or ideas? Thank you, Kreth [I guess my name does not tell you I am a lady]

3 Comments

Glad you found us!

by Grateful Heart - 2013-04-18 03:04:24

It sounds like you've learned a lot already! Keep reading and asking questions, there is so much information here.

Grateful Heart

Welcome!

by uvagershwin - 2013-04-18 09:04:43

Welcome to our group, Kreth!

Usually, they can know about when the battery is going, but sometimes it can change, even drastically. For example, when I was 4 they told my parents that I still had a couple years left. A few months later, I needed the battery replaced ASAP because it was completely dead! I had black circles under my eyes from lack of blood flow and oxygen! It was replaced and lasted 4 years. That one was replaced in 2003 when I was 8, and they told me it was supposed to last 8 years... next month I will have had it for 10 years, and they anticipate another 4.5 years still! So sometimes, they really don't know. I'm now 18 and am *hoping* to get through undergraduate schooling with this pacer. ;)

Definitely ask for your records, and please ask them to explain things to you! Make them explain until you do understand; they work for you, so they need to meet your expectations. It's also important to keep all those follow-up appointments and pacer checks, especially as it gets closer to "the time."

Best of luck and feel free to message me if you want to chat :)

Sydney

Vrooooooooom!!!!!

by donr - 2013-04-18 10:04:44

Kreth: Welcome aboard.

My experience w/ PM batteries.

My little buddy (& yours) has a built in capability of checking its expected life. It will vary, literally from day to day, since the load the PM puts on the battery varies from day to day. Every day, it silently checks itself out & stores the information till it is downloaded by your Cardio.

Generally speaking, the PM is very good at predicting life expectancy. Mine bounced around a bit at first, then I snapped a lead & it went berserk in its predictions, then after they replaced the lead, it started being very nice - it backed down on life expectancy month for month right along w/ the calendar.

That went on for at least three years. Then it got down to 3 months predicted life. They had me come in every 30 days then. The PM finally said it had 30 days left.

The PM went into the EOL (End of life Mode) on a Saturday at 12:20 PM. It was predicted to do that the next TUESDAY. At that point, I had about 90 days of life left in the battery. They replaced the PM & its integral battery on the Thurs after it hit EOL.

What is EOL mode? The PM shuts down ALL functions EXCEPT pacing. No monitoring, etc. It paces you at (Usually, depending on make) 65 beats per minute. For me, very uncomfortable & tiring, since I normally live at 75 BPM as my lower rate.

Talk to your cardio about EOL & how it will work. You will know when it happens, I assure you.

Any more questions, ask away!

Don

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