Most Recent Messages in Batteries & Leads

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Artifact... fracture?

Hi. So I'm having some slight anxiety over my pacer and the noise picked up at my last visit, and this place seems to calm some worries at times so....

My yearly pacer check, they found noise, so artifact on the output. I am on my 2nd pacer, implanted.2022, I have 8.9 years left on the battery. The cardiologist said the noise could be tissue build up or a lead fracture possibly. The leads are original, so placed 12 years ago, and he told me the average life span of a lead is roughly...

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Atrial Amplitude/Capture Management problem conclusion - Will be fixed tomorrow

Just a quick follow-up on my problem. I spoke with the Nurse Supervisor in the PM Clinic at the CC this morning. Given it was a Monday morning and she was obviously very busy, I did not think it appropriate to take a lot of her time trying to get better educated on the Atrial Capture Management feature at her expense. Besides, I found a great explanation that helped on the Medtronic website (see note at the end with the URL). However, I did explain the problem and why it concerned me so much....

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Atrial Lead Amplitude Update - Mystery Problem Solved

 

I've found the problem with the help from everyone - Thank you so much!!! There are likely a bunch of typos here, because I was up half the night thinking and working on this! Sorry for that!

I have sifted through all my previous interrogations for my atrial lead going back 5 years. I built a spreadsheet so that I can cover all the bases. I appreciate all the help including Piglet that I have yet to respond to. Thanks! Actually, agentX86 was correct. The problem for the...

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Atrial Lead Amplitude

Those of you that are familiar with my story are aware that last month I underwent an unsuccessful attempt to implant a CRT. In an effort to avoid extraction of my old leads (37 years old & 29 yrs. old) we decided to simply change-out the generator. That decision was based primarily on the fact that My EF is low, but stable and I am non-symptomatic. Additionally, the existing leads although very old, were functionally normal. My previous battery life was about 9 years and my new battery l...

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Outgrowth of leads

Hello everyone! Im new to this club, but I already found it very helpful, so I decided to ask some questions about leads. Firstly, I will quickly sum up my situation. At age of 10 I had implanted my first ICD. Now I am 18 years old, and a about year ago, I noticed my leads to be pinched under my clavicle; it is annoying and sometimes painful, especially when I move my arm. Device and leads are otherwise working correctly. I wonder, if anyone else has same situati...

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Automatic safety switch from bipolar to unipolar

An automatic safety switch from bipolar to unipolar occurred on Feb 22, 2024 due to an RV Pace Impedance measurement of >3000 Ω.

Anyone have this?  Do you know is it temporary or does it switch back automatically?  Boston Sci showed a procedure for the tech to test, so guessing maybe it stays this way until they interrogate it.

Granted this is my May 1987 lead, it will be 37 years old next month.  Sounds like I am getting leads removed and/or moving over to...

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Replacement on 4/22

Hello!  Long time no post!  At any rate, I have had my Medtronic Adapta for 15 years as of yesterday and am scheduled for replacement on 4/22.  This is my first replacement.  My only question is if anyone has gotten pushback when requesting to keep their old pacemaker?  I have always wanted to keep mine (jokingly saying I want to hang it from my rear view mirror in my car) - but wondering if this is an easy request to be granted.  I figure, it's mine so I sho...

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100% pa.ced and getting ready for pace maker replacement

I am a few weeks away from gettng my 9+ year old  Medtronic replaced.  I am 100% paced and my  electriophysiologist said he will have to run a lead from an external pace maker through my groin to keep my heart beating. 
Have any members had this done? How does this procedure work and where and how is the lead terminated to keep the heart beating.

                  Rodger zawodniak
 

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HOW LOW DOES BATTERY NEED TO BE BEFORE REPLACED?

I am being monitored monthly and sending my info in every week through the home monitor.  My doctor said that insurance will not cover until my battery is depleted to a certain point.  I am now at 2.5 months left of battery life.  I use my pacer 50% of the time.

Does anyone know how far depleted does the battery need to be?  It's like a guessing game.  I just want to kind of know.  I have never had it replaced before.

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Alcohol ablation

Getting ready for my first battery change out on my CRTD in the next month.  I had an ablation last December and now my electrophysiologist want to do an alcohol ablation since my PVCs are coming back.  Has anyone ever had one?  Thanks!

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Transvenous (Laser) RV Lead Extraction

Have a faulty RV lead, that needs fixing, ugh.  Hoping to hear from others who have had this done. 

I am a 72 YO female, basically in good health, with 1st PM implanted in 2011 (dual-chamber St. Jude's), and now #2 PM (from 2018 - Boston Medical - Accolade DR L301, with original St. J leads).

Options are challenging due to:

1) existing subclavian vein stenosis at original site (due to scar tissue; procedure to open it up failed and now collateral veins have dev...

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report on 1.4.2024

I just received a detailed report of the 1.4.2024 remote interrogation.  Kinda wish I didn't get this because it makes me not really trust the whole healthcare/insurance system. (2nd time in my life I have felt this way)

 It says I had 3 months left on the battery and 23 days later it switched to ERI. Then I had to wait 12 days for the surgery with weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and inability to take care of myself. 

Have yet to find the wri...

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Experience with extraction

Hi Indy77, Sorry to hear you have to be dealing with this stress and worry.  I would be worried with extracting a lead that old also.  I had a lead extraction done, but it was for a fractured lead that had only been in for about 5 years.  It came out ok, but I also have a clotting disorder, but sounds like the opposite of your problem.  I tend to clot to easily.  So after they extracted the lead, I clotted my entire subclavian, innominate and even into my jugular...

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Lead extraction 28 year old leads

Hi all,

Congenital complete heart Block patient, 46 years old, female. I am currently on my 3rd device, a medtronic crt-p. Currently have estimated 9 months left on device. Original implant for this one was 2014. I am paced 100% in ventricle and between 50-60% in atria- so very dependent. 

My Original right ventricular lead had to be switched from bipolar to unipolar about 4-5 years ago due to "zapping" feelings. General feeling was that it was due to age wearing th...

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Replacing RVL CTR-P

Hello Everyone

I am a 46 year old female. I had a Complete Heart Block in August, shortly after a significant medical event which occurred three weeks prior. I hemorrhaged after a routine hemmerhoid surgery and required several blood transfusions. It is not know whether there is any relationship between the two events. 
 

It has been determined that my RVL is working too hard and is draining the battery life of the pacemaker. It is thought that this is because...

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Documentation of Medtronic ERI program changes

I was advised that Medtronic has changed the new devices so that they do not revert to 100% Ventricular pacing "only" (VVI) before replacement is permitted by  insurance. However, I have not been able to locate documentation that directly reflects this in a clear and concise statement. Although. I did find the following information that I believe pretty clearly documents it. I hope that someone smarter than me can help and comment on this. It is obviously ve...

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tomorrow is surgery day!

Hi all, thank you for your encouragement while I have been navigating the last 12 days of ERI.  

Before the mode switch, I was going to Iyengar yoga 4 times a week, walking 2-3 miles 2 times a week, kayaking, biking and painting. I am active and so ready to be back at everything I love to do. 

How long do you think recovery will be for me?  Only the PM is being replaced, leads stay in - yeah!

- Will I be able to go kayaking on Feb. 23rd?

- Will I be able...

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Dead Battery

Hi I have had an IED since 2005 first one was  Boston Scietific That was recalled over a month after it was implanted. Four years later I had it removed and a Medtronic device installed shortly after that my fidelis lead was recalled. In 2019 I was told that my battery was nearing end of life and the device would need to be replaced. I thought long and hard in the 14 years I had a device it never had to deliver therapy not once zero. Along came COVID 19 and I postponed having the de...

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Can’t believe I feel so awful

Hey there, so I'm 5 days from surgery to replace my 12 year old battery. It's been 7 days since my pacemaker switched to ERI. Nurse  said I would have shortness of breath and won't feel good. I wish I had had better information about what that really meant. I am learning how to cope with the following:

weakness and getting easily fatigued from walking around the house, taking care of my cat and self, eating and showering. 

SOB and dizziness are constant...

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It's time to replace the battery - yeah!

Well, I did feel the change to the ERI mode.  It happened on Saturday evening.  I did the mobile check and reached out to my EP nurse this morning.  I'll get to schedule tomorrow.  

So weird that on December 20, 2023, technician said I had 5 months and couldn't get replaced yet and today it's been confirmed.

Happy to have all of you to talk to and have real truthful conversations.  I'll follow up after surgery.

Natalie

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

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I live an extremely normal life now and my device does NOT hinder me in any way.