Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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ICD Implant and still feeling pain!

Hi there. I had my ICD implanted June 14, 2007 (about 2 and half weeks ago), and I am still feeling pain. It isn't sharp shooting, but it is a constant pressure...almost like someone is pushing down on a bruise. In order to make it look cosmetically better they put mine lower, so not sure if that is why I am feeling the pain. I just wanted to see if other felt this way and for how long they felt it. Tylenol and not moving for a long period of time helps. Also, I notice it gets worse as the day g...

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Please wear the stupid sling!!!

I am having two leads fixed tomorrow, so please wear the sling, even if they tell you its okay to "use your arm' after one week. I really tried my best to follow the instructions of the people who supposedly know best, but now I am having my doubts. both my doctor and the nurse that checks the device after the first week said use your arm, live your life. maybe they should know what that entails. i took their advice and know now that after just two weeks, a lead had come out, of course no one wo...

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Surgery

Hi i am having surgery on the 27th of this month and having a pacemaker fitted.
Does it hurt, can you feel them doing this??
Regards Daisy

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Type of pacemaker

Hi everyone, I've had questions about my type of pacemaker, and I think it's called a Medtronic Adapta and it has Rate-Drop Response, also it is dual-chamber, and I am at lower-limit of 60 bpm, so as soon as my heart tries to go to 59 it kicks in (I actually got to see/feel that happen on the monitor when I was at the hospital). The first night my heart dropped 22 times, and I'm sure it does that most nights. During the day I feel it kick in at least 5-6 times per day, and those are just the o...

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I'm back after surgery!!!

Hi all, I'm the 24-year old that had my PM implant surgery was last Friday morning June 8th and I am feeling great compared to before! I am sore of course kinda like some pulled muscles is what it feels like in my chest and shoulder on the left side. I guess that is normal. Having trouble laying down in bed too at night. I prop up with about 5 pillows under me and then an extra pillow under my left arm to prop it up. I have also been having trouble with my left breast.... sorry to be so blu...

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RECOVERY TIME

HI

I HAD POSTED A MESSAGE EARLIER STATING I HAD A PM IMPLANTED ON JUNE 24, 2007, SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAY 24, 2007. I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH RECOVERY. I STILL HAVE DAYS WHEN I DO NOT FEEL UP-TO-PAR. MY ENERGY LEVEL IS A LITTLE LOW. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BE PATIENT, IT MAY TAKE SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. THE PM IS WORKING GREAT. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BRADYCARDIA. IT WAS QUITE A SHOCK. MY PULSE WAS BETWEEN 44-48.

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Life after having PM

Hi All,

Will PM really make you do the activites that you havnt done for a long time because of your heart problem? My girlfriend, is now unconscious because she experienced shortness of breathing yesterday resulting to heart attack i guess,.. The Doctor recommends that she needs to have a PM,.. She has a cardiomyopathy.. does anyone of you have the same condition as her before? does it true that PM will add another 10 yrs for you to live? I guess this one will depend on you right?...

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I done flipped my pace maker..

Okay so here is the deal...this is kinda funny really. I was leaning over last week to hit a friend of mine with a book and I laid back down (we were on the beach) and I felt something funny in the area of my PM abut the same time my friend did this weird gasping sound. She pointed and I looked down and my PM wasn't laying flat...it was on it's side. *gringes* and yes...it hurt. I put my hand over it and it flipped back down. Not very gently I might add. It hurt but felt okay and I started laugh...

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Surgery scheduled!!!

Hi everyone,
So I had my consultation this morning and my dr. is going to let me wean off ALL of my meds which make me feel so terrible(YAYYYYY) so we will see how I feel the next few days with the drugs. My PM implant surgery is scheduled for this Friday morning, June 8th. I am now excited and all of the sudden my husband is nervous. I think that has partly to do with the fact that my parents are coming down to help out just for a couple days while I recover, so he has to deal with his...

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New to the group

I just had an ICD implanted on 5/30, and so far, so good. The pain was much less than I expected and the incision looks good, but I do have a lot of black and blue down my arm to my elbow. Normal?? I have been put on Amiodarone and that scares the hell out of me after reading the recent posts here and the possible side effects listed for the drug, it reminds me of the warnings on Draino.How dies one deal with seat belts riding over the device?

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PM Replacement question

hey guys i'm finally going through with the PM replacement this week... my question though is, can I go through this w/o any sedation? mine is epicardial.. can it be done?

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I'm new to the PM world...

Hi everyone! I am a 53 yr old woman who just had my first PM installed/implanted (?) on Tuesday, after going through 4 cardioversions, 3 Ablations, and 2 years of pure misery! I am still not sure I like being a Bionic Woman, but the humor I have read here in my first 1/2 hour on site, has helped tremendously! I feel lighter already.
My pacer is a St. Jude Victory 2 wire unit. I am paced 100% of the time right now, as my body tries to adjust to the device. It is smaller than I expected,...

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Home from the Hospital....

I wanted to let you know that I am home from the hospital in Burbank and have had quite a week. Let me start by reporting that I had lead extraction and pacemaker replacement due to multiple problems with my PM since the initial implantation in April 2005. This surgery was done by a wonderful physician that I would highly recommend if anyone is in need of this procedure. There was one very serious complication which was that I went in to a late stage cardiac tamponade (SP?) in that my heart w...

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my first

I am scheduled for a 3 wire on June 6th. I really have no idea what to expect. Most tell me it is easy. I have read a lot of negative things here.
I have also had 4 heartattacks.
the ast then bypass and then the bypasses collapsed one at a time and I had 3 more. Now this!!! I am stressed, and worried.
I have read aboput depression and I have had enough of that. the heart problems and losing my husband recently--enough.
i Also have seizures that started at age 34 and never...

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What to expect after pacemaker surgery

I am having a pacemaker put in Tuesday May 22, 2007. In the past I had two ablations and one epicardial ablation, the totally ablated my SA node. I do not have a SA node that works. I have no sinus rhythm. My AV node is trying to control my heart. Because I am in juctional rhythm my heart rate ranges between 40-60. This is the reason I need the pacer. I would like to know what to expect when I wake up from surery pain wise. Does it hurt a lot? How long is it sore for? What helps to reduce the pa...

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chest and throat pain

i got my pacemaker about 3 weeks ago and soon after the surgery i started getting pain in my chest and my throat when i would breathe in. it went away, but it has started again, mainly when i go from a sitting to laying position or laying to sitting. last night i ran up the stairs in my house to answer the phone and when i got to the top of the stairs my throat was hurting really bad for about a minute when i would breathe in. i went to the dr. about it about a week after i had my PM put in and...

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Worried Newbie

Hi All,

I am from Scotland, how are you all?

I have found out that I am getting a pacemaker, I dont have a date as yet, but it will be soon. I have heart block, side affects are dizziness, fainting and irregular heartbeat. I also have very low blood pressure.

I am 37 and really feeling as though I am entering something that I dont have any control over. I found this site last week and it is amazing, it is answering so many of my questions. I think I will take g...

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2nd surgery recovery

Last Oct I had a St Jude PM implanted. Last month the tech found both leads were going into my lower heart. I went back in three weeks ago to have the lead fixed. The Dr had to remove the old lead and put a new one in. He went in thru the same incision. Now the cut won't heal well and the Dr told me today it looks infected. I am now on meds to cure the infection. has anyone had a similar problem. Can "water" collect in the wound?

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2nd pm in a couple of weeks

It has taken me to long to find this site. My first pm was implanted 8 years ago when I was 29 just 8 months after my son was born. I'm 100% paced and I am challenging case so the team of doctors tell me. The first 6.5 years of with my pm were great - I was able to do all my normal activities plus exercise. About year and half ago I started having extreme fatigue, light headed, daily activities can be challenging and shortness of breath. We have done every test on my heart and we decided C...

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2nd PM installed today

I had my 2nd PM installed today (medtronics adapta addr01) it replaced my first PM which was 8 years old. My question is I have a great deal of swelling around the incision (same opening as original). I know there seemed to be a great deal of pulling and pushing to get the old one out. Is this normal and to be expected? It sounded so simple, small incision, take the old one out, place the new one in, a few stiches - no big deal or so everyone said. Thanks for any input.

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