Bi-V/AICD change out

So quick question about a generator change out. So I went to the dr back the 1st week of August and they said I had 3 months left on my battery and it will be singing either any day now or months from now. Here we are over a month later and I'm still waiting. I'm just confused because I thought your device gets changed out at 3 months. My last one went unexpect. into EOL after 2.5 years due to a defective battery so this is very much new to me. Any advice would be appreciated. Also did anyone have symptoms when the device hit that mode? I've heard of the devices going into default settings and this was confirmed by my MD, just curious who expirienced this. Thanks everyone!!

4 Comments

Amazing

by AgentX86 - 2019-09-17 22:14:45

If you need a defibrillator, why in hell would they allow it to go EOL?  If it has to save every microjoule by shutting down some minor software functions, it's certainly not going to have the joules needed for a Jesus jolt.  That's nuts.

3 months

by Tracey_E - 2019-09-18 09:55:46

It depends what they mean by changing out at 3 months. There's elective replacement mode (ERI), where it's fully functional which lasts about 3 months, after that is end of service (EOS) which is limited pacing function. They could have meant 3 months to ERI which means 3 months + 3 month cushion (the time it's in ERI).   Some insurance won't cover it until it's EOS, some doctors wait until it switches modes. I would ask them if you are in elective replacement mode yet, and if it will be done while it's still elective replacement or if they wait for eos. If they say wait for eos, find out if that's their policy or your insurance. If it's them, push to do it sooner. 

And 3 months is just a guess. Once they told me I had 3-6 months and I was good for another year, another time they said 3-6 months, then a month later I was in elective replacement. It's not like a gas guage where you know how many miles until it'll leave you on the side of the road. 

I'm 99% sure the icd will still fire during eos. Pacing function cuts back, that's it. If we pace a lot we will feel like crud but it keeps us safe. 

waiting game

by lachalupa - 2019-09-18 17:32:53

Thank you all for the info. When I asked if it was 3 months to ERI or EOS I didn't get a direct answer which is frustrating. He just said it said 3 months, could be any day or 7 months from now. That doesn't help when I need to plan my home life and work life around this change out. Just a quick vent as I know how blessed I am by this thing. Again thanks for the tips, I guess I will just wait for it to sing and then I can move on with my life, lol. 

time to push?

by Tracey_E - 2019-09-18 20:59:46

Who's telling you this? If it's not the doctor, I would try to get with them rather than a tech or nurse. Very specifically ask if you are in elective replacement mode, if they are waiting until it cuts back function.  Tell them you want to plan when to get it done because you need to schedule the down time. I've done this, said I either want to do it before spring break or wait til summer. Once I said I wanted it done so I'd have time to heal before vacation or it would have to wait until after. They weren't confident it would wait until after so we did it a month before. My doctor has always worked with me.  I'm on #5, btw. 

You know you're wired when...

Your device acts like a police scanner.

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