I have a pacemaker fitted 9 years ago I am concerned about the battery not being checked. They keep canceling my appointments with phone mg

[robert7]

Anyone else keep getting pacemaker check cancelled mine been in 11 years how can they check battery life etc with a phone call? Not happy being fobed off

[10gingercats]

I have not got a pacemaker but was interested in your question. It appears the batteries are not replaced .The whole of the pacemaker is replaced.if this so you could apply to any hospital for this to be done.....where they have time and a technician to do it.Or you might go private if nothing is avail. on the nhs.?

[Eadaoin in reply to 10gingercats]

Replacing a pacemaker generator is done as an in- patient. It is a day procedure done in a Catheter Lab. Although the replacement is straightforward it still requires several hours of recovery after the sedation. There is careful monitoring throughout. The pacemaker wires are not moved and they remain inside the heart. It would be up to a Consultant if he thought a transfer of one of his patients to another hospital for this invasive procedure would be helpful.

[10gingercats in reply to Eadaoin]

Thank you. It sounded to me as if the hospital Robert7 was 'attached' to was not responding very well so if he is the uk you can go to any hospital for a procedure if they are able to do it.

[Eadaoin in reply to 10gingercats]

10gingercats An interesting thought but I don’t see myself as a patient who is ‘attached to’ a particular NHS hospital. It’s more like being ‘under the care of’ a Consultant there. My medical records are stored there, including my pacemaker annual check records. If I had a problem I would ask to speak to the pacing team for reassurance.

[Mickey16]

Hi robert7, Have you spoken to your GP? Maybe a call through to him and talk through your concerns. He/she should follow this up with a letter to the hospital. Is your pacemaker the type where the information from your pacemaker is downloadable over the phone? Which may be the reason the hospital is satisfied of your current status. I think I would clarify all this with the GP first.

Hope this helps.

[pottypete1]

Bit of a concern.

My EP would like to fit one to help my conductivity problems but I am worried about relying on a mechanical device and also I have skin allergies and am frightened that I might get urticaria. So far I have resisted this option.

I think you should definitely talk to your GP to get some action or the least some reliable assurances.

Pete

[Dickydon in reply to pottypete1]

Not sure if you have one, but the Hammersmith hospital provided me with a wireless device to remote monitor my Boston two lead pacemaker. Easy setup and sits on a table in my lounge and it transmits data from Pacemaker to the hospital via their supplied wireless usb drive. Just needs mains access and job done. It gives them all the info they need without me having to go in to get checked. As my Pacemaker clinic appointment was cancelled during the lockdown period. The only need for me to go in if something physical happens to my pacemaker. And I was told the my battery has 13yrs on its battery.

[pottypete1 in reply to Dickydon]

No I don't have one yet. I have been resisting it mainly because I have an aversion to being reliant on a mechanical device and also because between 2013 & 2017 I had the most awful urticaria whenever I came into contact with heart monitor electrodes.

Thank you for the info all the same it is amazing how technology has improved.

Pete

[Dickydon in reply to pottypete1]

That’s a shame; as annoying all these gadgets and bits n pieces are, some can be extremely useful. I understand your Urticaria problem brought on by these gadgets at least you’re aware of the source of that problem.

About 20yrs ago, I had a chronic bout of Idiopathic (unknown cause) Urticaria that lasted for six months solid everyday through the summer too and my job as a location tv cameraman, was most often unbearable juxtaposing job with Urticaria. However, the Urticaria stoped just like it started - suddenly.

Your only solution now seems is to get your GP to liaise with the pacing clinic and to muster up why the cancellations as the cause for concern could be stressful. Good luck.

[pottypete1 in reply to Dickydon]

As I said I do not have a pacemaker it was robert7 that started this thread s he is becoming worried. He has had his pacemaker insitu for 11 years and is worried about the battery.

Pete

[Eadaoin]

I’ve had a pacemaker for 12 years. My generator was replaced when I was having something else done last year. I knew my battery was getting low and they agreed to save me coming back in for it later. I suggest you phone and ask to speak to a pm technician or to an electrophysiologist at your hospital and get him/her to tell you how much battery life was left at your last check (a year ago?) and say you are getting very anxious. They will be able to put your mind at rest from your record and/or arrange for the replacement if it is urgent. It will depend on how much your pm has been on.

[CDreamer in reply to Eadaoin]

My thoughts exactly. At our hospital the PM Physiologists are very helpful and you can ask to speak with one of the cardiac physiologists at any time, they usually will bring you in within a few days for a standard check and then if they think you require any treatment they will triage you to the consultant.

I was due for routine screening of mine in June but obviously in the current situation, the appointment was cancelled but as I had a revision for a wire replacement last June I’m not concerned.

[opal11uk]

Hi, yes I have had mine cancelled due to the current situation however although the life of a battery is 10 years it does depend on how often it is used, i.e. how often the pacemaker kicks in, mine is very infrequent if at all so that extends the life of the battery. This is what I was told by my cardio so help it helps.

[fantasyfanuk]

Hi, I was contacted by my pacer clinic this week to say they are providing monitoring devices to have at home, since they can’t bring anyone in for normal check up appointments. Maybe your hospital is considering something similar? Sorry I can’t help with battery life question as my first one was changed to a different type of device in December after only two years with a standard one. I do know though that my battery life didn’t seem to go down much at each check despite it working 99% of the time. Agree with the advice to speak to the hospital and hope all goes well for you.

[Jennyquilt0]

I got my pacemaker check this week in Fort william and my friend got his check in in Inverness this week, so the Highland ones are back.

[Hooper65]

You could ring your consultants secretary and ask her to point out that you haven't had a check in 10yrs, that's a very long time, have you not had other checks over that time? Most have an alarm set so that when the batteries are low you will hear a beeping, even then they usually still have enough energy for another 3months. You need to get it checked.

[Clarrie]

I had a pacemaker fitted on 1 June and was given a home monitor so hospital can keep a check on the pacemaker. Perhaps you could ask if you could have a home monitor.

[tunybgur]

My wife was given a Medtronic MyCareLink patient monitor by the hospital to use at home.

She holds the monitor over her pacemaker and it carries out a recording of the data. She then returns it to the transmitter which sends the data over a phone link to the hospital.

The hospital tells her when they need a reading, but she still has to have to odd face to face to check other things.

Maybe you should ask if you can have one of these?

[jowalk6]

It's really bad if you haven't had a check in 10 years. My old ICD I had fitted at Blackpool Hospital and had to go every 3 then 6 months to have it read. 18 months ago I had a new one fitted that is a defin and a pacemaker. I have a monitor at home now in my bedroom so one appointment will be at hospital the next home read. You should have had a lot of checks in 10 years

[Rosemaryb1349]

I got a call from my Pacemaker Dept 2 weeks ago offering me an annual checkup which I accepted. They were able to tell me that I have approx 6.5 years of life left in mine so I suggest you call your pacemaker Dept and get some guidance.