ICD beeps while out of country

  • by Cody7
  • 2018-09-09 14:27:22
  • ICDs
  • 1239 views
  • 4 comments

Hello all, I have a Medtronic ICD I got 2 years ago and I’ve never had an arrhythmia, or a shock. I just arrived in Bologna, Italy which I was super excited for as it’s my first time out of country, so of course on my first day my ICD beeps for the first time ever. I called my DR and couldn’t really understand him that clearly. He said it probably was nothing but could be a bad lead or something about voltage but we needed to query the device, although he said it could wait until I was back. I don’t have my monitor with me, I’ve called Medtronic but they’re closed, and none of the bologna offices numbers worked. Does anyone have any experience with the possible causes of the beeping or any advice? I could go to the hospital here but it will bankrupt me. 


4 Comments

Bleepin' pacemaker!

by AgentX86 - 2018-09-09 19:16:37

Were it I, I'd do my best to contact Medtronic.  They should be able to take care of you and get an interrogation back to your EP.

Try the US embasy?

by BOBTHOM - 2018-09-10 00:31:34

Maybe the US Embasy could assist?  They may know of a doctor or clinic that could do the upload even if for a small fee.  Never hurts to ask.

So, what happened??

by BOBTHOM - 2018-09-19 12:17:28

Just wondering what happened with this.  Its sad that people would come and ask for help and then not provide an update so that others might learn from the situation.

Same problem

by Benjijohn - 2018-10-25 13:14:31

the same thing happened to me. I had around a year of battery left when I heard a buzzing sound from my chest(at first I thought it was my cell phone vibrating)

in any case, I called my doctor and he told me that it was a warning sign meaning that there was something wrong with my icd

it turned out to be the battery.

Hope this helps

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