battery life, not expected!

I have a Medtronic azure xt since April of 2020. when I discovered that my HR dropped down to 45bpm after some heavy yard work. My latest remote scan, on the 18th of this month showed "normal device function". What suprised me was the battery status :OK , with remaining longevity @ 10 years, 9 months. I was under the assumption that they lasted 7 to 10 years. I'm already 2.4 years into the battery. I called Medtronic and to my suprise the rep. said my model has a 13-year life span. She also said that if a person was "pacemaker dependent" it might only last 7years. So, when I see my cardioaligist I'm going to ask him if my pacemaker is pacing me 24/7 or just when I need its help.      Thanks for reading this, I appreciate your comments    Kevin

5 Comments

12+ years

by jonnypacker - 2022-08-23 18:04:15

I'm 100% paced and my Medtronic just got me 12+ years. The one before that got me 10. Be encouraged! Best of health!

Don’t worry in advance 😉

by Lavender - 2022-08-23 18:09:27

When I got my pacemaker, I was told I had 7-12 years. A year later, I was told I have six years left. I'm 100% dependent. It doesn't matter-as long as I have battery life left today and long enough to get a new one into me when it's at the end.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Battery lifetime

by AgentX86 - 2022-08-23 22:55:07

The gas gauge on pacemakers is broken.  There is no good way to tell really how much juice is left just by measuring  during the middle of its life.  It's just a guess.  As it gets closer to EOL, the estimated charge left gets more accurate. You know it's enough, everything is working properly, and not to sweat the small stuff. 

You should get a full pacemaker report (all settings) every time you see the device tech.  It will have all of this information in it.  It might have made it into your visit's notes.  You have a right to all of this information.

Good advice

by KF - 2022-08-24 11:30:09

Thanks so much for your input and information. I still remember April 22,2020, when the cardiologist said, "you need a pacemaker, you have to go now to the hospital"! I was shocked but like you all so kindly suggested , just live and be thankful for each day. Hopefully I will see my two granddaughters walk down the aisle.

one thing to ignore

by dwelch - 2022-09-03 22:17:12

Unless the units are in months or weeks, ingore that part of the report.   The estimate is just wrong, and at least in your case it is wrong in a good direction.. I get one and one year in it is saying things like 4.5 years left, stuff like that.  Ignore it, ignore it, ignore it.

It lasts as long as it lasts, and technically it is not possible to even know.   Your consumption can change over the life of that device, just like gas in the gas tank, no two engines are the same and no two right feet are the same on the gas pedal.  And from when you bought the car to when you get rid of it the milage and your right foot and other things change....

When that number gets within a few years the doc might start doing more checks, but you can be doing 6 month or 3 or 2 month phone checks for years waiting for it to drop off.  With these take home boxes it can potentially keep an eye on it...

No worries, just ignore it even if the doc points it out.   They know it is bogus too...

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

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