New battery

Hello. I am pacemaker dependent and will be getting a new battery on Monday the 17th. what i would like to know is there anyone here that is dependent and have had there battery replaced, if so can you tell me how they switch out the old one with the new one and keep your heart beating while they do it. i am totally dependent with no underlying rhythm so i am just a little concerned, I'm sure the Dr will be glad to tell me when i go in the hospital on Monday but i just thought i would ask to see if anyone else has gone thru this.
Thanks in advance.

7 Comments

New battery

by parshooter - 2011-10-16 05:10:19

Thanks everyone for all the input, i feel much better now after hearing from all of you out there. Thanks again.

external

by Tracey_E - 2011-10-16 08:10:01

They put two big pads on me before they changed out the battery, I think that was the external pm. I know I asked the first time but I don't really remember details! I got my 4th last year and didn't ask. I'm 100% paced with a very low underlying rate.

The amount of time between when they disconnect the old one and connect the new one is very short, the temp pm is just there for backup if for some reason they get delayed. They have the new one programmed, tested, and all ready to go, tho, by the time they disconnect the old one.

No worries, love! :)

by SheWhoFeels - 2011-10-16 10:10:43

Hey there,

I am pacer dependent too and had a generator change in 2005. Others have mentioned the pads for external pacing, but as far as very quick, it really is! If your leads are in good shape, they just detach them from your generator and plug them into the new one. My ventricular lead fractured when they went to change my generator so the external pacer kept me Alive while they placed a new V lead. Don't worry sweetie, they are prepared to respond to any complications! ;)

Hi Parshooter

by janetinak - 2011-10-16 12:10:40

I am 100% dependent as have had an AV node ablation (2000) & as I understand it my ventricles beat at about 40/min. & I am on my 3rd PM. Got this one 8/23/11. I know that there was a detailed answer on how it is done on here (go to Search button on top right this page & it may come up). Any how I was told by the PM tech who was in the room that my EP was able to switch my PM out without dropping a heartbeat. So I know it can be done & I have had no problems with all 2 repalcements.

Hope this helps,Sure you will get more responses,

Janet

Temporary External Pacemaker

by J.B. - 2011-10-16 12:10:43

A temporary external pacemaker will be used to keep your ticker ticking. You will need to ask your doctor just how they connect the temporary unit.

Very Simple

by ElectricFrank - 2011-10-17 02:10:29

I asked the same question of the cardiologist before my replacements since I also am 100% dependent. His procedure is to open the pocket and remove the old pacer still connected to the leads. He then places the new pacer, which is programmed to a fixed rate ventricle only pacing mode, on my chest next to the old one. Then its just a matter of pulling the ventricle lead our of the old one and plugging it into to new one. Typically a beat or two is skipped which is no big deal. My only follow up question was "have you ever dropped the new one on the floor during the changeover". I asked that in OR and brought the house down.

By the way I chose to remain totally awake during the procedure with no sedatives. The whole OR part couldn't have taken more than an hour and was very easy. It was done in the outpatient dept and I was ready to leave after getting a post antibiotic drip.

A suggestion you might mention to the doc is to program you new pacer with the same settings as the old one rather than using the factory settings. Otherwise you can wind up going through a few weeks with less than optimum settings before the first checkup.

As someone mentioned above there are a bunch of us who have described our experiences here on the site. Do a search on pacer or battery replacement for some interesting reading.

best wishes,

frank

New Battery

by San_Lupan - 2011-10-17 12:10:37

It was really comforting to read these posts. I am still several years out before I will need a new battery and I have no underlying heart beat. This has been a real concern of mine. While I know they are ready for almost anything that can happen, I guess nothing really can prepare us for the battery change. Good luck and know that they know what they are doing.

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