Battery life and telephone checks

Hi--I have a Medtronic Versa which was replaced in May 2009. I sent a recent telephone transmission via the Medtronic Carelink system. My cardiology nurse called back and said everything looked OK and that I have 3 1/2 years left on the battery. I was told when the pacemaker was implanted that it had a 7-8 year battery life. My first pacemaker was a Guidant that lasted 7 years. I was shocked by the short battery life they said I had left, my question is how accurate is it when you send your pacer report over the telephone? Why should the battery life on this fairly new pacer model be so short? It is just a pacemaker, not an ICD.....

4 Comments

Not long enough!

by cbaker - 2010-04-14 10:04:46

Your recent reading means your PM is set to last less than 4 1/2 years total. Yes, that seems short. I'd call the RN back and ask why the life expectancy seems so short. They may be able to adjust settings. Ask how much you're being paced, etc. -- ask WHY it seems to have a short expectation. If you don't get any answers, I'd call Medtronic.

Battery life

by ElectricFrank - 2010-04-15 01:04:59

The projected battery life depends on how much of the time you are pacing, whether one or both chambers are paced, and the pacing voltage needed to assure reliable pacing. These can change over time.

Ask the nurse to send you a copy of the Carelink Report. I have a standing arrangement to get all reports so I can track any changes.

The 7-8 yr battery life only happens under very ideal conditions. My last Medronic Kappa lasted 5 yrs.

frank

battery life

by thomast - 2010-04-15 04:04:18

My CRT pacemaker with ICD lasted 52 months, it was changed out last Oct. It just depends on how much it is used.

Thomas

Battery

by Beckes76 - 2010-04-16 03:04:50

Every battery is different. My 1st lasted not quite 5 years. My 2nd lasted 7 1/2 and my 3rd lasted 8 1/2. I am on my 4th and it has been good for 4 1/2 so far. Just got it transmitted over the phone and they told me that it just barely decreased from the lst time I transmitted it 6 months ago. Mine is also a medtronic device.They always under estimate the battery. My last few months of my old one they really looked at it very closely. It scared me when I needed it replaced with in two weeks but the time before they gave me two months to get it replaced. It all depends. Call them again and ask what the reading are and if it had changed a whole lot from the time before.

Becky

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