Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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How long should the scar be painful?

Hi,

I had my pacemaker on the 2nd January this year, my scar is still quite painful, and the area where the battery is, is also quite sore.

I just want to know if this is normal? I have been back at the gym now for almost 4 weeks, I am doing weights, but nothing that causes pain.

Thanks,

Amy.

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Pacemaker reposition for a man

Hello.

Im 37 years old, am about to have my pacemaker repositioned under the muscle as presently under the skin it has moved and it almost popped out.

I was wondering will i be able to feel it or see any bumps once done.

I am 6ft 1 and normal build.

Im guessing if you push on it you will always be able to feel it, but I am unsure what to expect as a Man with a fairly thin chest.

Thanks in advance fro the advice,

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Waiting for pace and ablate

HI

First post I am awaiting a date for me to have a Pacemaker fitted and then 2 months later to have my sinus node removed to make me pacemaker dependent. I have a lung condition also so exercise is out, should I see an improvement to how I feel straight away or does it take time?

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Pacemaker Implant Size Related Pain and Discomfort

Hi folks,

Just reaching out to see if anyone can relate to or offer support with something I'm experiencing with my most recent pacer replacement.

Has anyone experienced pain/discomfort with body movement due to the size of their pacer? Specifically with the pacer rubbing/jutting into ribs and collarbone or having to "reach around it?" Has anyone been able to get their pacer replaced for these reasons?

I am eight days post-op from getting my third pacer implanted...

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2 Weeks Post-Op

Just checking in! I'm currently 2 weeks post-op with my third PM. I was 17 when I had my first one placed. My second was placed in Nov2013 but had to be replaced due to lead failure and now at 27 I have my third.

I had a check up today to look at incisions and they're looking great! I had the abdominal PM taken out and the leads capped. I chose to have a sub-pec PM placed and the whole surgery took about 4.5hours with a night in the hospital.

I was lucky enough to get...

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Mum recently got a pacemaker, went quite smooth!

Hi all,

My mother is 59 years old and was advised to get a Pacemaker as her heart rate was up and down (to mid 30's).

Last Friday she got her Pacemaker inserted. The procedure took about 1.5 hours as she was the last one in. The surgery went extremely well with no complications whatsoever. There is no lump or anything apart from a small incision on the left of her chest. Seems to have been put in place quite well

The surgery was done via local anesthetic. When s...

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Pain during pacemaker implant operation

Hi everyone, I am doing well after 18 months but I am thinking back again to the actual op (which I had to have twice due to a loose lead!) and how PAINFUL & UNCOMFORTABLE it was!!! I thought I would feel some tugging but I felt I was being wrenched open...both ops! I can tolerate pain well but did have a little scream and everyone looked shocked, gave me more sedative and I think doc injected me with more of the local anaesthetic BUT still no relief!

Anyone else experienced this? Wha...

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exhaustion question

My pacemaker has been in place almost a month now. I'm sleeping probably 18 hours a day. Each day I tell myself, today I'm going to get moving, but an hour on my feet I crawl back into bed and sleep another 4 hours of absolutely exhausted sleep.
Today I slept until 2 pm. Took a relaxed slow paced walk for 40 minutes, came home, couldn't stay upright, and slept until 9:30 pm. I've been up an hour, worn out and am going to sleep again a few minutes. Last year at this time I coul...

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Pacemaker slides onto collar bone

I have had my new pacemaker for one week now. The healing process seems to be going well. I am a thin lady, so it is going to show. And I seem to have a larger one than some I've read about on here. That is not a bother to me. It is located right below my collar bone and, so far, protrudes out more than my collar bone. What I do wonder about is how the pm rolls up and onto my collar bone when I raise my elbow. Is this normal? It kind of hurts my collar bone... Being very new with this, I real...

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Pacemaker bandage

Recently had a pacemaker replacement (leads were ok). I was instructed to leave the sealed-by-tape bandage on for a week and no showers for a week. The sealed bandage is still on after 4 days but shouldn't the bandage be changed? Also, is there a way to shower w/o getting the site wet?

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how soon before you feel better?

My pacer has been in 3 weeks now. The chronic headaches I had before it was placed are gone. My toes are no longer bluish so I see some changes. But, I'm sleeping non stop because I feel so incredibly weak and tired. Granted I began to feel really bad the last few months to the point I knew something was terribly wrong. I expected though that putting the pacer in fixed the problem and I should be up and moving and not so fatigued and exhausted. I used to be an extremely active person, I f...

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Location relative to muscle

Hello, I'm having my first pm installed in a couple of days. I'm a 62 year old female. My doctor offered me the option of installing the pm underneath muscle, rather than just under the skin, so it's less visible. He said that there would be just a little more discomfort while the site recovers, but because I am lean this would be less visible. Has anyone opted for this? thank you, M.

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surgery after om implant

Can anyone tell me what happens is you need surgery with a general anaesthetic eg gallbladder operation when you already have a pm fitted. Is it just a case of paying special attention to you during surgery or does the device have to be switched off.
I'm pacemaker dependant and got my third device fitted Last year and had a bad time for a few months post op with palpitations and getting it programmed correctly. I may be due to get gallbladder op and dont relish the prospect of going thru...

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So Appreciate Your Responses

You are wonderful!! I so appreciate all of your comments/experiences with bras and with sleeping those first weeks. Like one of the responders, I don't know what to expect. Never even THOUGHT about the bra thing until I got online. Did not expect a lot of pain either but I guess there is a fair amount of discomfort. How long did it last? What are the biggest lifestyle changes you have had to make? Does using a cell phone or iPad cause you problems? What has been unexpected? How is the pacemaker...

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What bras work??

Can I get some suggestions for what bras work after a pacemaker is installed? I don't know exactly where the pacemaker even goes. My surgery is 4/3. I am big-busted and older, so I do need support for comfort, appearance and so that I don't damage the site. I doubt strapless bras will work very well on an old lady! What kinds of bras have you found? Do the straps need to be far apart, wide, underwire, no wire? I'm at a loss. The only people I know with pacemakers are men. Also, were how were you...

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total replacement

Howdy,
I am to have a complete pacemaker replacement. I have an infected lead. I have tried to get information on Dr. A, G. Deam in Louisville (Jewish) but with no luck. His office is not helpful.
I am about ready do cancel my appointment with him and go to Cleveland Clinic.
Any advice?/

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Pierced lung

My surgery is scheduled for 4/25. I have been logging on the website almost every day for encouragment and any information I can obtain. For the most part I feel much better after logging on and reading everyone's stories. I keep hearing people say that their lung was pierced during the surgery. Is this common? I'm going back to work after four days so I am praying for a speedy recovery. Thanks.

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Are PVC's Ever Serious?

Hello Friends ~
It has been since November 7, 2013 that I received my pm. I had the initial PVC's that I believe come on just after pm implantation (correct me if that is incorrect). PVC's started again yesterday and stopped after awhile and now I am having them again. It has been about an hour and a half...no pain, no shortness of breath. If this is not serious is it just that i will experience them from time to time? I had them before the pm but now I seem to have them more often....

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Getting pacemaker in the morning

Hi so glad to find you. I am in the hospital recovering from about of Afib. My pulse has been 30 at rest and so they are putting in the unit in the morning The doc said its sick sinus syndrome. During my conversion 12 hous later my heart stopped for 8 seconds. I never want that to happen again. My doc said I have to be on coumadin for the rest ofmy life and solatol which could be responsible for the slow pulse. I am really scared

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Tight feeling around pacemaker

Hello I just recently had surgery last Tuesday, this is my second pacemaker the first was placed in my arm pit, it was causing me problem so they changed my pacemaker and it's site it's now under my collar bone. But now every once in a while I feel this tightening in my chest around my incision site it's weird it's not really painful just odd. Has anyone ever experienced this before?!
Thanks!

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I'm 43 and have had my pacemaker four weeks today. I'm looking forward to living another 50 years and this marvelous device inside me will help me do that.