symptoms of PM Battery failure

I had my pacemaker installed in March 2003. I am 100% paced with a single lead medtronics PM. I was expecting my battery to fail last fall but my telephonic checkups did not indicate battery failure. I just had my most recent telephonic checkup on Jun 25, 2012 and everything was fine as I didn't hear from the pacemaker clinic. On June 28th I started having trouble with minor physical activities like walking, climbing a flight of stairs, etc. I can't get my breath and I nearly blackout. After a day of this, I decided to check my heart rate after physical activity (mowing the lawn with push mower) and I see that the rate never goes up. It stays right at 64bpm. Is this a symptom of battery failure? If so, why didn't the pm check three days earlier show something? This is the weekend, so I will check with my doctor on Monday.

5 Comments

Finally! A straight up answer.

by memmons9 - 2012-06-30 03:06:16

I appreciate your response. I is interesting to me that you got some indications like 30 days left on battery life. I went to the dr's office for PM checkup in April 2012 and she told me that I have between 1 and 15 months of battery left. This has been going on for a year now. I was hoping it would die last fall because I had my huge deductible paid and the insurance would pay it. No luck there. I was beginning to think it would go into next year. It seems odd to say that I am hoping this damn battery will die but there you are.

Thanks again for the information.
Mike

Because it wasn't there yet!

by donr - 2012-06-30 03:06:34

Yup! Your btry has now officially croaked & gone into EOL Mode. Loosely put, it has rolled over onto its back, but its legs are still wiggling. Get the to thine Cardio! You have about 90 days of misery if you don't.

I had essentially the same thing happen. I was expecting battery failure at any moment & had an appt to discuss replacement on a Tues.

I had a PM check in Dr's office the week before & Btry checked out w/ 30 days life left on it. At 12:20 on Sat it - unbeknownst to me - went into EOL mode, pacing me at 65 BPM. I felt crappy, really crappy. Finally on Mon the thought struck me that perhaps I'd gone into EOL. Had Wife check pulse. it was 66 by her count - close enough to 65 to convince me. Hotfooted it to Cardio's office & Sho'nuff, I was in EOL! Got new PM put in that Thurs.

It does not give you any warning when it goes into EOL - It just goes!

Don

replacements

by Tracey_E - 2012-06-30 09:06:34

It's such a pain when they make it go EOL before replacing! I'm lucky that my insurance will let me replace it before that so I have always chosen to do it early. But yeah, sounds like you went EOL, which usually means it's good for another 3 months, tho we generally feel bad enough we don't want to wait that long.

And EOL isn't officially dead, it just means it's down to its last legs and most of the features have been cut off. It will keep you safe at this point, but not feeling good if you are dependent.

Replacements are super easy.

I was told that the best way to check

by janetinak - 2012-07-01 03:07:21

EOL was at the office vs over the phone check. Actually I believe that Elective Replacement is wjhat my doc's office calls it for last 90 days then its EOL. I called Boston Scientific & ask what happens if go past EOL. Response was "We don't want to go there", hah.
And I agree the ERT period is lousy feeling with nothing higher than 60 BPM or so to conserve battery life. PM's are really smart.

Janet

Thanks

by memmons9 - 2012-07-01 08:07:39

Thanks Tracey and Janet for your input. As this is the start of July 4th week, and with my luck, I won't even be able to get in touch with my doctor for another week. So, I guess I will just have to sit down and stay there for a while.

You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

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