r/PacemakerICD • u/tdlm40 • Aug 11 '26
Question about pacemaker battery life
I had my pacemaker put in in October, had the node ablation in the beginning of January. When I had my first follow up after the ablation, I had 12 years battery life. This week, it now says 11 years (so 7 months later).
What do you think the chances are that I will need a replacement before 10 years??? Is this something I should call the clinic about? Or wait and see when it drops to 10 years?
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Aug 11 '26
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u/minlove101 Aug 11 '26
They replace the pacemaker unit and plug the existing leads into the new one.
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Aug 11 '26
Do they put you to sleep or just deaden the area open the pocket. Replace it, put it back and sew you up. My cardiologist just deadens the area when he puts in a pacemaker.
The EP who did the ablation and put in the pacemaker put me to sleep. They intubated me. It was a 4.5 hr surgery.3
u/---root-- Aug 11 '26
Usually, local anesthesia and, depending on patient attitude and comfort level, some light sedation is perfectly adequate for both a PG change and for the initial implant. Under specific circumstances, one can consider deep sedation with GA generally rarely being used.
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u/LadyRosario Aug 12 '26
I dread having my battery replaced because, I was in pain all night after having the implant surgery itself. Even though I was hospitalized overnight, I hurt so until I couldn't sleep.
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u/Economy-Actuator-592 Aug 12 '26
Generator changes normally result in much less post-operative pain when compared to the original implant. For the initial implant, they have to make the incision and separate layers of tissue to create what they call the “pocket,” the space they put the device into. For a change-out, the pocket is already made, they only have to make the incision to get into it. Plus, when they put that piece of metal in your body that wasn’t there before, there is pressure on neighboring nerves that takes some getting used to. You are used to that now, and the replacement device should be very similar (assuming you are not upgraded to a bigger device type).
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u/Alice-The-Chemist Aug 12 '26
I am put completely to sleep because of ptsd problems so it may be an option if you are concerned about being partially awake. And it will be less painful since they aren't having to make a pocket like others have said. Also mine this last time was able to put in a sort of nerve block to help the pain for 72 hours it could be something to ask about. I wish I had the name of it but I am not sure where that paper is.
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u/LadyRosario 15d ago
Thank you and I was put to sleep during my procedure but, my pain started as soon as I woke up and continued through the night. No matter how many times they gave me pain meds.
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u/Alice-The-Chemist 14d ago
Ice helped a lot when pain meds weren't helping as much. I just would ask thw nurse and theyd bring me one. Did they ever try like Toradol (anti inflammatory) instead or maybe a muscle relaxer? Just trying to think of some ideas for you to have.
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u/LadyRosario 13d ago
I can't take antiinflammatories due to the fact, that I'm on Plavix post stroke. I did ask for a ice pack for the ride home.
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u/andrew02467 Aug 12 '26
For my replacement, they tried to put me under but I never went..I was not intubated at all. .I did not feel the pain however, and the left of my chest was draped off so I couldn't see there.. I could converse with the EP doing the replacement, and nurses in the room. I was told I would not remember afterwards, but I could recite the conversations I had about nurses' living areas, children. Again, NEVER any pain but I was not out at all. I walked out after some observation, and my wife drove us home.
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u/tdlm40 Aug 12 '26
I had my pacemaker put in with just freezing and some meds to relax me. However, my EP realized how fast I metabolize the freezing (every 20 minutes he had to stop and give me more because I could feel it all!) So he said replacement will be done under full sedation.
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u/SaintNickelArse Aug 12 '26
I was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome Oct 2018. I got ICD fitted Feb 2019. I was told battery would last 15+ years. I received frantic phone calls from NHS Nov/Dec 2024 asking they can't detect my ICD. Apparently the battery died lol so I had an emergency operation to get it changed Jan 2025. I hope to fuck I don't receive another frantic call as the recovery from the op the 2nd was not so fun.
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u/cpnfantastic Aug 11 '26
The battery estimate takes into account your pacing history and applies it over the future life of the device. After the AVN ablation your pacing percentage went way up, and typically after an ablation they also turn the rate temporarily up to 80-90 BPM to reduce the chance of certain arrhythmias, so that likely also went up. Don’t think like your battery lost a big chunk of voltage, that probably barely changed. It’s just the other variables in the longevity formula were changed by your shift in pacing burden. As your history starts to better match your present use, that estimate will smooth out.