hi everyone
can anyone tell me how i can get the current state/life of my battery. i have a st judes entity pacemaker that was implanted five and a half years ago. at present i am waiting to have the pm repositioned due to it moving and causing severe pain and limited movement. i am having the surgery at a different hospital to where i have my pacemaker checks. the consultant doing the surgery asked me to get a pm check and find out how long the battery life is left i.e. three months or two years for example as this would determine when he did the surgery. however the pm technition at my local hospital has told me she cant tell me the battery status only that i havent used it much. the cardiologist at my local hospital said the pm technition should be able to check somehow! im getting fed up because i need to know how long the battery life is left cas i really neeeed this pm repositioned. can any of you good folks help. i live in England. thanks.

 

 

I also have a St. Judes PM. When you go in for your pacemaker check they should be able to tell you how much estimated battery you have left. If you run into any problems you should try calling St.Judes and ask them if there is any one that can tell you the remaining battery life. It would be nice to know for you do that when you have it repositioned you would be able to have it replaced at the same time if necessary. Good Luck.


Britt<3

 

Hi Belly321
Firstly let me say I am UK too!
When you have your 6 monthly checks at the pm clinic and the lay the paddle over your shoulder the technician CAN tell how much battery life you have left (within a little). To say they can not tell is pure twaddle. If you need to know be persistant, keeping phoning, get your GP involved, ask your cardiologist to talk to the technician and request an appointment, if he needs to know he can request the info he needs.

It sounds to me like politics are coming into it here.

You will have to get tough. If necessary camp out in the pm clinic until somebody gives you the answer.

I wish you luck and a expediate answer to your problems.

Regards
Chrissie

 

I have a Medtronic PM, not a St Jude, and I live in the U.S. not the U.K. so my thoughts may not apply. However, if I were you, I'd call St. Jude back, ask them to confirm again that your model of PM has the ability to give information regarding remaining battery life, ask if the printouts show that data, and ask for the name of the person at St. Jude that you are speaking with. Then, as Britt and Chrissie suggest, call the doctor's office back, ask to speak to a nurse (or someone other than the technician who doesn't know what she is talking about) and tell them what St. Jude has told you. My doctor's office gives me a copy of my printout at every check up, and it says right on the printout "estimated battery life remaining: 9-10 years". This is absurd that you are being put through such a hassle! Best wishes for an answer and for the surgery!
Take care, CathrynB

 

Hi Belly321,
I, like CathrynB live in the states. Every time I visit my pacemaker lady, besides doing any "tune-up", I am given a print-out of a whole bunch of stuff (most of which I don't understand) which includes battery life.
I think talking with your cardiologist should get you the information you want.
Be persistent!!!!
Peace,
Richan