?

My interrogation had shown a battery life of 8 to 10 (9). This seems a like too much life since I'm Pacino 90.3% of the time. With requiring that much pacing, doesn't that mean I am dependent. On it?

7 Comments

battery life

by Tracey_E - 2013-05-15 10:05:05

Battery life is only partially determined by how much we pace. It's also affected by the extra features we use, how much juice we need to get the signal through (they set it at the lowest amount we can get by with), the safety features you need. And some of them just have bigger batteries than others.

How dependent you are depends on how low your rate is with it turned off. My rate is in the 20's without the pm, I pace 100%, so I consider myself dependent. Doesn't really matter if we are or not, it's there when we need it.

TraceyE is right!

by Many Blessings - 2013-05-15 10:05:42

She's exactly right! I forgot to mention that. At my last PM check, they also noticed my heart is getting worse (nothing to do with my PM). When that happens (I'm told), the PM has to work even harder (mine is a CRT-P) and sometimes the juice needs to be turned up to help things along.

Good job bringing that up Tracey!

My Experience

by Many Blessings - 2013-05-15 12:05:37

Hi Billylittle,

I'm not sure when you received your PM, but I've had my CRT-P (with AV Node ablation) for just a little over a year now. I am 100% paced and 100% dependent because of the AV Node ablation.

For my first few interrogations (I was having them monthly at first), my battery life showed about the same as yours. Each interrogation thereafter, it came down a more. My EP doc said this is normal, and warned me from the start, not to get too excited when it showed a high battery life, because it would go down each time I had a check (which is every 3 months now). They were right.

It has now stayed about the same for the last 2 checks. It is now says it's at about 5-6 years. I was told it would stay at this number for maybe the next 8 months or so, then start declining again. They said this is normal for 100% paced & dependent.

My PM tech showed me a graph on her computer when she was doing my last interrogation that shows where the battery life "should" be at from here on out for the rest of the battery life's expectancy. I have a St. Jude CRT-P. I'm not sure if the other manufacturers have this feature on their computers or not, but you might want to ask.

I'm not sure what others have been told or experienced (I have read from one extreme to the other), so I'm not sure what is "the norm" or if there actually is a "norm".

I'm interested to read what others have to say, but for me, what I was told by my EP doc & PM tech, they have been right on so far.

Keep reading what others have to say, and ask your PM tech or EP doc at your next check up, just out of curiosity. It may just matter on the individual and what their underlying heart problems are. I wish I could tell you more, but I can only tell you what I'm being told.

Hope this helps some!

Tracey

by Many Blessings - 2013-05-16 10:05:45

Mine was set pretty low and we've just kept it there. Since my heart function is worsening again, and the PM knows it needs to work harder (it's doing great), they said they would like to crank it up some so it actually can, thinking it might help me feel even better. But, that would cause the battery life to shorten considerably. I've chosen to keep it where it's at until I really don't feel well. We're going to discuss it again at my next check up. I've been hiking quite a bit lately (and overdoing it somewhat), which is why I have some trouble after I get back home. Then, I go back to feeling good again. Until I don't feel good, I'm keeping it as is. I get nervous when they mess with my settings, since I've had a couple of bad changes in the past. What do you think?

Tammy

by Tracey_E - 2013-05-16 12:05:08

I learned all about turning the juice up and down when I had a lead go bad! They cranked it way up so it would still work, but the battery was dead at 4 years instead of the 8-10 it should have lasted.

They often turn it up when the pm is new so the scar tissue can build up and the heart can get used to pacing. Then at our first check up they see how low they can take it and still get the signal through. This is why if you look at the report in the hospital it will often show a shorter life than one you'd get 3 months later.

settings

by Tracey_E - 2013-05-17 08:05:29

Do what makes you feel good. I don't worry much about battery life since changes are so easy. When my lead went bad, it still worked when they cranked it up so I chose to keep it when I had my next replacement. I knew the new battery wouldn't last as long but I was more interested in putting off the lead replacement as long as possible than how often the battery needed replaced. The lead got worse and that next battery only lasted 2 years! That time I got a new battery and a new lead. So me? I'd try it at the higher setting and see if I felt better. If yes, I wouldn't think twice about the shorter battery life.

Will Do Tracey!

by Many Blessings - 2013-05-22 11:05:53

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a try. I have an appointment next month.

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