Changing of pacemaker battery?

Question

If the Dr says my pacemaker battery needs to be changed. (which I understand means I need a new pacemaker) and I say no way, what will happen to me?

Answer 1

bozo,

To replace the battery you will need a whole new pacemaker. It comes as a sealed unit and must be replaced as one. The leads, however, probably will not. The doctor will check them to make sure that they still work, and if they do, then only the pacemaker will be replaced.

What will happen if you don't have it replaced depends on why you have the pacemaker to begin with. Does yours just pace, or does it defibrillate, too?

If, like me, your case was bradycardia and you do not replace your pacemaker, then at some point your heart will slow down, the pacemaker will not have the power it needs to pace your heart, your heart will stop, and you will die. Short and simple. At some point your pacemaker is keeping you alive. If it runs down it won't be able to do that.

You might not want that to happen. I suspect that your family wouldn't, either.

Mine is new, only three months old now, but I'm young enough that I know that I will have to have it replaced a few times before I'm through with it. But I know that when I need a new one I won't have any questions about it. I'm going into the hospital and let them replace it.

Now, why wouldn't you want yours replaced? Because of the few months of not being able to put your left hand over your head? It can't be because you can't play rugby or use a jackhammer any more. So what's the reason?

While I'm still working to restore my strength now--I went to an archery range and found that I can't quite draw my longbow now, but I'm working on it and soon I will be--I think that it's worth it. I play with my kids, sing along with the radio in the car (and don't care that I have suddenly discovered a taste for country music which I have never had. I'm enjoying it), and I laugh a lot more than I did, because while I'm alive because of this battery in my chest, I am alive, by George, and aim to do all I can while I am. I will die eventually, but not now. No way--not now.

Thank you, Dr Garwhal and cardiology.

Answer 2

Pacemaker Battery Replacement

Answer 3

Pacemaker Battery Change

Answer 4

you don't need a whole new pacemaker. Just a battery, unless your pacemaker is very outdated. The doctor uses an interrogation machine to check the pacemaker to see how it is working and if it needs a battery. The average battery last 9 yrs depending on how pacemaker dependent you are.
The procedure is local freezing and an incision to put in a new battery.Here in canada, we use medtronic pacemaker made in Texas.
Out of interest, did you know a Canadian invented the pacemaker?

Answer 5

Occassionally whatever condition that required you to need a pacemaker corrects itself...but truthfully this is very rare.

The most common reason for a pacemaker is too slow a heart rate OR something called tachy/brady syndrome (too little medication, your heart runs out of control; too much medication, your heart beats every three seconds). So as another respondant correctly said - the battery will eventually run out. Whatever condition it was treating - well, you'll be back to square one - which probably means at least, passing out and maybe worse.

The entire unit DOES need to be changed (It is sealed and can not be opened unless you live in Canada and things are apparently different up there), but the leads going to the heart often do not require changing. So the pack next to your collar bone will be changed out. It is a simpler procedure than the original implantation.

Good luck.

Answer 6

It will go dead and stop working. Dead battery, no worky.

I do not think it is an entire new pacemaker. It is probably a minor surgery to get to the pacemaker and switch out the batteries.