Battery life warnings

clinic

by Tracey_E - 2019-02-07 10:27:20

I've always relied on the clinic, and I'm on my 5th. When it gets close to ERI, I go in once a month. Well, I used to, now I have a home monitor so I guess I won't have to do that this time. But I've never had an alarm go off. Check more frequently, then schedule as soon as it goes into elective replacement. I've never had it switch to EOS, which is when it has reduced function. 

Warning

by ericnz - 2019-02-07 20:11:06

Thanks for the comments. I got in touch with Biotronics via Australia and they connected me with their New Zealand rep. Aparently there is no audible alarm for low battery and I will be relying on my Clinic asTracy_E does.

Low battery warning

by LondonAndy - 2019-02-09 15:00:20

Hi Eric

Obviously the clinic should be aware when the battery is getting fairly low, but I too was curious about my Medtronic, and so I asked at my first annual checkup what would I feel if the battery was low (accepting that this is unlikely).  He put my pacemaker into "end of life mode" (for the pacemaker, not me!) and said to walk slowly down the corridor.  My heart felt heavy, as bascially the pacemaker goes into a minimum function mode, packing at a standard rate and no 'rate response' or other features operating.  You might want to ask your tech person at your next checkup if the Biotronic would be similar?  I was just curious, it is not something I worry about.

Warning

by ericnz - 2019-02-09 16:27:06

Thanks Andy, I will do just that. I too was just really curious about the end llife of the battery.

take your pulse

by dwelch - 2019-02-12 03:51:18

I am also on number five.  Two of which I rode into the safety mode or whatever term you want to use.  It locks you at a rate like 65bpm.  You may not know it, I didnt for a while, but was having issues climbing stairs at work, out of breath, etc.  Shorter answer you can take your pulse (always count out a full minute no shortcuts), if it never changes and is in that 65 range then you still have months left on the battery but worth a call to the doc.  Basically if you feel weak because your heart is not keeping up, that is an indication you are in control of noticing. 

My first doc, and this was over 20 years ago, had me come in every 6 months instead of every 1, no phone box.  Until the "hmm,  what are you doing next week"

My next doc, phone box between visits, dont think that doc/practice could afford the monthly tests, so it was more like 6 months in office and phone box checks in between those last few years on that device.

My current doc, monthly phone checks as we approached end of battery life on the device.

Device 4 we took out early to put in a biventrical.  Am likely to lose this doc that I really really like over stupid health insurance battles between the leading insurers in town.  So will see what the future brings, am like on year two on this device have a long way to go before we are within range.

I had no idea these things make noise or that some of them do, none of mine have.