An implantable medical device includes a radio-frequency (RF) telemetry circuit and a power connection module through which the RF telemetry circuit is connected to an energy source such as a battery. The power connection module connects power from the energy source to at least one portion of the RF telemetry circuit when a user initiates an RF telemetry session. After the RF telemetry session is completed, the power connection module shuts off the at least one portion of the RF telemetry circuit. Power-on examples include a wireless telemetry activation signal received by a low power radio receiver in the implantable device, a physical motion detected by an activity sensor in the implantable device, an activation of an inductive telemetry circuit in the implantable device, a magnetic field detected by a magnetic field detector in the implantable device, and/or a telemetry activation signal detected by a sensing circuit included in the implantable device. Power-off examples include a wireless termination signal received by the implantable device, a delay timeout following the RF telemetry session, and/or a signal received by an inductive telemetry circuit in the implantable device.