Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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LV lead stimulating phrenic nerve

Last October I was involved in a head-on collision. I was shaken but seemingly okay and went to the ER to be physically examined. The triage nurse took my vitals and noticed my resting heart rate was 160. They rushed me into trauma and took EKG and reported I was experiencing SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) and that my readings also showed I had LBBB (left bundle branch block). They first attempted to treat the SVT by pushing drugs to pause my heart and try to coax it into a normal rhythm. Wh...

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Hello

I'm a 64-year-old male, with arrythmias but still able to exercise regularly until 5 weeks ago, when I suddenly became exercise-intolerant (couldn't do more than about 4 minutes at a brisk walk before needing to stop). A stress echocardiogram diagnosed a LBBB, with ef at 22%, and a pacemaker was recommended. A St. Jude CRT-D was installed (right shoulder, under the skin) 3 days ago, and I went home the next day.

So far, the shoulder has been quite sore, but manageable with hydrocodone...

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poor healing

Hi Guys,
I am 36 old and have had a pacemaker since I was 2. I had at least 12 surgeries and pacemaker changes for all different reasons (wire issues, battery finishing before the time, mysterious stop), during my first years I had the PM in my stomach and when I was around 16 the doctor decided to implant it at my right shoulder.

I had my last pm replacement in February, which was the fourth one at the same place. After 3 weeks of the surgery the scar was looking great,...

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new patient

I am having a dual chamber pacemaker put in on June 20th and am very nervous and scared. I have a fast and irregular heart beat. They are also doing an ablation with the pacemaker too.

Can anyone tell me what it is like, what will happen afterwards, what type of a floor I will go to. What it was like for them. Anything will help. Please.

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2nd Pacemaker...More Pain

I had my initial pacemaker & 2 leads implanted in 2004. I just had it replaced yesterday at 7 AM. I was released and sent home at 11 AM. I believe that I was (and still am) experiencing more pain this time around than I did back in 2004. Both the 2004 and this new pacemaker were placed under the muscle. I had quite a bit of difficulty getting about 2 hrs. of sleep last night and was just wondering if this pain & discomfort is to be expected? I have been taking ibuprofen every 4 hrs. for pain,...

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pacemaker

while using a blanket when sleeping , I perspire around the area of the pacemaker/defibrillator but not on the rest of the
body.

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JUST GOT A PACEMAKER AND AN ABLATION. NEED ADVICE

Ihe last 4 weeks I got Medtronic pacemaker and last week I got
a ablation. My concerns are1. I never had hypertension before all this and now my readings are all over the place. and usually they are high. Abover 140/90. Pulse is stable at 84ish. I am still having problems having shortness of breath. I will not see the Dr. for another 3 to 4 weeks.

Is this a normal reaction to the implants. I am now on 10 mg. of Zestril.
Will all of this pass. Has anyone out there...

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Possible Thoracic Outlet After OR

My husband had insertion of ICD a week ago and is experiecing severe pain around insertion site and shoulder area. His hand is darker than the other one when he sits at rest. The longer he is upright the worse the pain is. When he lies down the pain is gone. Is this normal right after surgery?

Thanks Di

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How Long to Recover? Getting Frustrated

Please indulge my making another post but am quite frustrated. On May 2nd, I had two leads lasered out of my heart chambers and my PM replaced with the new MRI compatible. I developed pericardial effusion (fluid in the pericardium sac surrounding the heart) and dangerously low blood pressure so I went to ICU. The fluid abated and 2 1/2 weeks later the incision was revised. I had to have my voltage lowered from 4 v. to 2 v. because I was feeling it. While my BP is now normal (for me anyway) a...

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Sub-Muscular Pacemaker Implant

Has anyone had a submuscular implant, who could share their recovery experience? I just had my PM implanted yesterday. My EP implanted it submuscular for cosmetic reasons, and he did an amazing job. I know the recovery will take longer than just under the skin, but would like to hear others' experience. I'm tentatively scheduled to return to work (non physical job) on 5/31 and trying to see if this is reasonable.
Thanks,
Dawn

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New Pacemaker - shifted in chest

Hi all - I can't tell you how relieved I am to find this site. I am a 52 year-old woman and I had to have a pacemaker implanted on Cinco de Mayo (May 5) because of a Bradycardia episode. I had a similar episode two years ago, but medical staff didn't witness it and couldn't diagnose why I had passed out a couple of times. This time, I went to the ER as soon as I started feeling weird and I passed out in triage as they tried to take my temperature. The Bradycardia happened again several times and...

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Lenghty Surgery

I will be having a serious lenghty surgery scheduled for June 2 2011. Will my heart doctor okay this surgery with my pacemaker which I had implanted 5-2007. The surgery is approximtely 6 hours long. The doctors doing the surgery have contacted my heart doctor for approval. I am very concerned about this.

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Thunder and Lightning!

Hi

As a new pacemaker individual I was wondering if thunder and lightning affects our pacemakers. Probably a ridiculous question but I don't want to take any risks ;-)

Sylvia

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Sore butt!

Hi all
I've just had a pacemaker installed as a Sacral Nerve Stimulator. So basically mine is implanted in my butt! So now the swelling has gone down I find it quite uncomfortable.

Is this normal? I'd be interested to hear about other experiences.

Thanks

MarkT

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Strange Sensation

Hi folks, has been a week today since my 2nd ICD implant. I have been told that I only pace in upper chambers although have never felt anything. However I have noticed to completely different sensations over the last few days.

1) occasionally a regular kinda twitch just about inch above nipple height which I am guessing is pacing?

2 a strange stinging sensation, only happens very occasionally but feels slightly unpleasant in approx the same location.

(nb. the 2...

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rishi

I had may pacemaker put in about three weeks ago, after 13 years I had a complete av heart block, but over the years, by some miracle, my av node had repaired itself.  I spoke to my PM Tech and he advised to have it changed just in case.  This depressed me.  So I had it done.  I had no problems after the opperation.  I had funny feelings on my left 2 fingers; is this because of my operation or is my nerve inflamed?  Will this go away?  I am...

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Fear of the Unknown - Reassurance

I just wanted to let folks know who may be facing surgery for the first time that it wasn't as bad as I had feared. I'm on Day 13 of my recovery, and I return to work tomorrow morning, bright and early:). So far, so good. I posted two pictures, one the morning immediately following implant, and one from today. The purpose of the pics and this quick post is only to reassure those who may be facing the same thing I was facing two Sunday nights ago. I was terrified, and there's really nothing...

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Incision Revision???

HI, Just had my 2nd PM impanted on May 2nd. My other posts describe a bout with pericardial effusion (now abating well) and issues with my EP. I decided to switch EP's and 1st give the same group a try but another location in the metroplex in which I live. This new EP saw I was upset with a rediculous amount of "puckering" in the new incision - not even scar tissue has developed yet. I told him I was not ready yet to wear turtlenecks in the summer :-0 He's agreed to redo the incision (next...

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Heart Palpitations

My mother is 87 and just received a Medtronic pacemaker about 3 weeks ago for sick sinus syndrome. She no longer has fainting spells but is experiencing heart palpitations/racing heart beat up to 115 beats per minute which lasts about 15 minutes each episode. This usually occurs upon exertion. We have told her that she can't do much of anything for about 3 more weeks as that is what they told her after surgery. She has gone to emergency but they just end up sending her home. We have called th...

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Recovery... the long and winding road

Was doing some computer cleanup and found a letter I had wrote mostly to myself over a year ago. Updated it and figured I would post it here for those it might help

Mortality: That funny thing that slaps you in the face when you suddenly realize that you are not immortal and that your body will not last forever. Worse than that it is that thing that reminds you that you have things left you wanted to do.

Mortality slapped me in the face almost a year ago when after my se...

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You know you're wired when...

The mortgage on your device is more than your house.

Member Quotes

I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.