Over the last few weeks, I started to develop symptoms again, mostly in my left hand. I decided to check my DBS battery and it said ERI. At first, I thought this meant it was dead but then I looked into it and it seemed like it was still working but the battery was running low.
Last Tuesday I saw my neurologist and he confirmed my battery was dying and I needed to schedule surgery ASAP. They managed to get me in pretty quickly, and yesterday morning, I went in to have it replaced.
I was concerned because it has only been a little over a year since I had it replaced. I do not want to do this every year! My first battery lasted 3 years!
The neurosurgeon and the rep from Medtronic both talked to me about my settings. They said they are very high and they are concerned that the leads in my head could be misplaced. This would cause the DBS to not work 100% effectively.
If my symptoms don't improve, they want to do an MRI to check the leads in my head. If they are in the wrong spot, I will need to have the whole DBS replaced. That includes a shaved head! I am praying this isn't the problem! They also gave me a lot of information about getting a rechargeable battery next time. Those usually last about 9 years.
After my surgery, they tried putting my settings at a much lower voltage so I wouldn't get "overstimulated" with a new battery. I had a lot of spasms and they had to go right back up to 9.5V. They did change my handheld device so that if I have problems, I can lower my own settings. Today, I am feeling ok. I am a little sore but nothing terrible and my foot is straightened but my hand is not. Only time will tell if it works!
Last Tuesday I saw my neurologist and he confirmed my battery was dying and I needed to schedule surgery ASAP. They managed to get me in pretty quickly, and yesterday morning, I went in to have it replaced.
I was concerned because it has only been a little over a year since I had it replaced. I do not want to do this every year! My first battery lasted 3 years!
The neurosurgeon and the rep from Medtronic both talked to me about my settings. They said they are very high and they are concerned that the leads in my head could be misplaced. This would cause the DBS to not work 100% effectively.
If my symptoms don't improve, they want to do an MRI to check the leads in my head. If they are in the wrong spot, I will need to have the whole DBS replaced. That includes a shaved head! I am praying this isn't the problem! They also gave me a lot of information about getting a rechargeable battery next time. Those usually last about 9 years.
After my surgery, they tried putting my settings at a much lower voltage so I wouldn't get "overstimulated" with a new battery. I had a lot of spasms and they had to go right back up to 9.5V. They did change my handheld device so that if I have problems, I can lower my own settings. Today, I am feeling ok. I am a little sore but nothing terrible and my foot is straightened but my hand is not. Only time will tell if it works!
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