Battery life always the same??

My daughter had her pacemaker (medtronic) placed 4 years ago. We go in to EP every 6 months. She is paced 100%. Every time a tech gives us a battery life estimate, it is always the same number: 9 years.  It was 9 years of estimated battery life remaining 4 years ago & it was 9 years last month too.

I asked a tech about it & she kind of laughed it off. Has anyone else had this experience where the number was the same for a long period of time?   I realize it’s an "estimate"...what has been your experience with the "reality"?

Thanks

5 Comments

My techs have told me that PM

by janetinak - 2013-01-24 01:01:00

battery life stays same & may drop suddenly. And mine has done that. When it starts going down I get to go into office every month. Last one waited around on monthly check-up for 8 months, hah. Oh well, as long as get some warning I feel OK with that.

Janet (100% paced too)

Battery life report

by ElectricFrank - 2013-01-24 02:01:26

Battery life can only be reasonably estimated if the pacing is regular. In my case with 100% AV block I am pacing my ventricles 100% of the time so it is easy to calculate and estimate. For someone with intermittent block or
SSS where there is more demand pacing it can be nearly impossible.

An extreme example is the pacer removed for replacement which is sitting on my desk. It was removed in Jan 2010 with only a few months remaining. I checked it a few weeks ago and it is still pacing away. With out a heart connected to it each pace uses very little current.

frank

Battery Replacement

by SMITTY - 2013-01-24 07:01:13

Hello,

I'll not try to add to the technical information you have received about PM battery replacements. I will, based my experience, give you a hint of what to watch for. Let me add right here there is PLENTY of notice when it is time to replace the battery regardless of what you are told during check ups.

A pacemaker does not give an audible alarm when the battery gets low. When the battery power reaches certain level known as EOL (End of Life) or the PM goes into ERM (Elective Replacement Mode) or one called a VVI there is enough battery power left to safely operate the PM for at least three months.

We will know when this level of battery power is reached as the PM shifts from being an on demand PM to a full time PM. As a full time PM it will make your heart beat at a constant 65 BPM, regardless of the settings it may have. When this happened to mine which is also a Medtronic, I knew it without a doubt. The low setting on mine was 80 and one morning I got up with a constant heart rate of 65 with a some irregular beats thrown in for good measure. It got my attention immediately.

Fortunately for me I had read what would happens when the battery reaches EOL, ERM or VVI. While it was not painful, it was uncomfortable enough to cause me to call the dr. office ASAP. I was told to it was probably a low battery and to come in for a checkup. The low battery was confirmed and I was scheduled for a new PM the next day.

The thing is, don't be concerned about being left without a working PM because of a the battery. Our PMs have enough safety features we will not be left out in the cold without any warning the battery on your PM is reaching the end of its life.

Good luck,

Smitty


Battery life

by donr - 2013-01-24 12:01:45

Mom: Mine backed down from about 7 yrs to Zero nice & linearly with the calendar. Finally missed the projected date for ERT by three days. Predicted Tues, actually reached it on the preceding Sat. Not too shabby in my book.

I had a Medtronic, also.

Don

One problem with waiting for EOL

by ElectricFrank - 2013-01-25 01:01:10

The change to a fixed 65bpm HR is fine if you are the more common paced person, who is only mildly active. For those of us who are still able to carry on an active life having my HR drop to 65 when I'm Jeeping or hiking at 10,000' it might be a bit of a chore to get to help.

So in reading this thread take into consideration what it would be like to have a 65 HR anytime during your range of activities.

frank

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