I am glad I found this site. Because, I see everyone had the same fears I had. I got my ICD end of August 2006. I had one(small) shock last June because of Atrial Fibrillation. My heart started racing while I was making breakfast and I had a quick which made me blank out for a hot seconds and it was loud.

My pacemaker battery is dying and I will need a new battery soon. So, instead of checking it at home every 3 months I now have to monitor it weekly. My doc is surprised the battery is low since I only had a partial shock last year. My grandmother got an ICD 2 years before me and her battery is completely fine.

I was told that when the battery gets very low that the ICD will alarm to let you know its time to change it. Don't panic because even when it beeps you have enough time to get it changed.

When I first got my ICD I was anxious, depressed and felt deformed but once it shocked me to save me I feel more secure. Besides, I rather have the ICD working before I'd have to die on my husband 3 times and had to be resuscitated each time.

Hang in there it gets better! And to the one that said its clicking mine did that too when I first got it. I don't know if it stopped or if I got used to the sound at night. Mines also felt like it was moving around inside when I first got it,

To get the battery switched out should be easier than getting a new ICD/Pacemaker it's a Same Day Surgery so we get to go home!!!

Stay Positive everyone and have a heat beating week~

 

 

I meant to say "Heart Beating Week"

~Have a good one~

 

If getting a new one is a 10, in my opinion replacements are a 3 or 4. Easy!!

Are you pacing also? That can run your battery down sooner. Or your grandmother might have a different model, or different settings, or sometimes it just makes no sense at all, lol.

LOVE your attitude towards the shocks. It's nice to know it's doing what it's supposed to.

 

Note, you do not get a new battery, you get a whole new unit. It is a sealed unit so battery cannot be replaced.

Thomas

 

I thought it was a whole replacement. I saw someone getting one on TV the other day and it grossed me out. Getting it was not easy because 3 weeks after it malfunctioned and I had to do it all over again. To me it hurts like heck especially getting it done again while you're still sore from the first one!

It took me quite awhile to get used to it. Not looking forward to the replacement but what can you do?

Yes, I am pacing also~

 

Check your manual you should have an audible beeping pattern, there are patterns, like morese code. Different beep patterns mean different things......I've had mine Defib. since 12/2007 and have been zapped Five times including testing and paced out of dozens of events...and my battery is still doing good so far.......check your manual about the beep patterns..........like 3 beeps and pause, or 4 slow beeps with a pause between each beep, and so on.......good luck.......

 

Sorry it took me so long to get back on here. But, Yes Zombie there is a beeping sound. I finally got to hear the beeping sound at Docs today. He put a magnet over the ICD and I heard a faint beep. I don't think I would hear it if it did beep. Even the Nurse had to put her ear to my chest to hear it. LOL. Anyway, my batteries is dying its been a lil over 4 years I thought it would last 10 years............and my Grandma's ICD is still going strong :-)