Just removed my bandage and OMG!

So, maybe in the grand scheme of things this is pretty superficial, but when I removed my bandage last night (3 days post-op) I was shocked! I'm not a bikini model by any means, but I spend a lot of time at the lake and in our pool. I still where tank tops and the occasional strapless formal. My doc boasted that he was as good as any plastic surgeon in the state. Well, he better keep his day job because he's not getting my facelift business. Seriously, does the scar "flatten out" over time? I was prepared for a scar. Not a big deal. I wasn't prepared for this. You can see this through my clothes. I'm not thin. I'm just average weight. Anyone with some encouraging words out there? If not, how about some reality?

14 Comments

Welcome to Club!

by chillks - 2009-07-24 03:07:07

First, I am also from Kansas! Fun to find someone else. I had my pacemaker implant in June of 08, a month after massive heart attack and two stents. HA shot the electrical system in heart so then they put in PM. Like you, I spend lots of time at pool and nearly lived at Lake (although my hubby sold our boat after my HA). The scar and bulge does get better...but, you can still really see mine. I have given up on strapless anything...had to find suit with wider straps...and am trying to learn to think of it as my badge of courage or honor. But, I am still very self-conscious about it. I am not very big, which they say makes it show worse.

I agree with putting ointment on your scar...it helps. But, my reality is, it still really shows! However, we are being kept alive by this little gizmo and should be ever so grateful that we have them. Our vanity may be challenged, but we must look at the big picture! We are so fortunate to have our pacemakers! They keep us ticking!

I live in Lenexa, KS. Hope you will keep in touch! Good luck and take it easy the next few days...be good to YOU! Do not put your arm over your head...really pay attention to that! My Dr. would not let me drive for over 3 weeks...that was worst for me...and trying to do my hair! But, just put on a ball cap and said forget it! I had to be off work for nearly four months because of heart attack, so was home most of time anyway. Welcome to our bionic world! I fly to DC next week which will be my first flight with PM...I am counting on it being fine! Lots of folks on here fly all the time and much further than I am going! But will be glad to get the first flight under my belt!

my scar

by sam78 - 2009-07-24 03:07:13

Hey Kansas, I had a pacer put in 6 weeks ago. It stuck out quite a bit as well. I could see it threw clothes and everything. Today it is must flatter. You can barely even feel it. There is one edge that sticks up just a bit but it is lower than my clavicle. Hang in there. Once the swelling goes down your muscle will allow it to settle in.

Staples

by bobad - 2009-07-24 03:07:25

My first incision was stapled, and I thought it looked a mess. It was raised up a lot. After the staples were removed, it soon became very flat with an almost invisible scar. Not that guys really care about such things. :)

Good luck!

I had the same reaction!!

by nat36 - 2009-07-24 04:07:12

I had a pm implanted on May 1st and at first mine was very raised and looked so awful. It is now completely flat and just a red line. I have not put anything on it yet. I also have a pool and had the same reaction. I went and bought a new bathing suit with wider straps and it completely covered it. My doc said that I could not get in the pool for the first six weeks so by the time I did it was not raised at all anymore and you can not see it under clothes anymore either. It will look better. It won't go away but it will get bearable! I have just decided no more strapless dresses for me. I don't want to advertise it, you know? Hang in there and good luck!!

You will be OK

by bowlrbob - 2009-07-24 05:07:31

Maybe it is because I don't care what the scar looks like. I am a male 67 years old and my scar is a badge of honor. (I am still alive) LOL. Anyway I saw your post and i goota tell ya. I did nothing to my scar and it is almost completely gone now. It has bee 3 years but it has bee this way since just after year 1.
Like I said it is probably cause I don't give a rip. If I did it would most likely look like a zipper. But you do have a good chance of having no problem at all. It does take a little time though. Bowlrbob

It Will Get Better

by Bionic Man - 2009-07-24 06:07:23

I had a wire fall out 4hrs after my surgery. I was lying in my hospital bed and the darn thing just fell out. I was rushed down to surgery and cut open again. When I first saw the scar it looked horrible. I figured after being cut open twice I would be left with this horrible, lumpy, jagged scar. After a while the swelling went down and the scar started to heal. It's smooth and looks much better than it did. Just hang in there. It will get better.
Bob

The BIG OMG

by donb - 2009-07-24 07:07:58

I'm just 4 days post from old PM site restoration. Fortunately the art of stitching up has come a long way since my 1st PM in 1992, but I wasn't lucky enough to have a good skin artist lately. Talk about OMG, I had a lady on her knees just this afternoon in front of my home. She said she'd heard I had another surgery, so I pulled down my T-shirt and there it came, "OMG". I think by now you're probably thinking , Where's he going with this.
Well 4PM surgeries since Dec and I had to use a very Positive attitude with my surgeon this last Monday. This Plastic Surgeon listened to my demands and I know men generally don't care about appearance but with a 2"Boob lift and scars on both sides now after 4 differant PM's, guess my chest is now in the "private" department. One good question to ask the Dr. before surgery, "Have you ever sewed up the but after stuffing a Turkey?" Seriously, most PM sites I've seen have been good and you will find your's will be also, but down the road get Surgeon's plan of attack. I have been very happy the last 17 years with my PMs', just remembered 17th annivery today. Good luck!!DonB

Care

by Pacing13 - 2009-07-24 10:07:15

Hello Kansas Girl - I have 4 sets of scars from my pacer surgery's and one of them at first seemed really "puffed" or "raised" shall I say. Now looking at that scar it's totally flat. It has taken some time, however, I think alot has to do with the care and maintenance that we do as a patient as well.

Pacing 13

scar treatment

by golden_snitch - 2009-07-24 10:07:43

hey!

what's very important is that you tend the scar well. get a special salve for it or just take something like the classic nivea cream (do you have that in the u.s.?) or baby oil. and then don't just put it on at least twice per day, but massage the scar with it.

my pacer scar has been opened five times already and each time it looked different afterwards. the first one was extremely keloid and not "flat" at all. the second was better, at least it wasn't red and thick. in the beginning i didn't tend the scar very much, but the last three times i did and i think it helped a lot.

wishing you a good recovery!
inga

takes time

by Tracey_E - 2009-07-24 12:07:50

Three days is too soon to judge anything. You're still swollen and it hasn't even started to close up yet.

I had great luck with medical grade Vitamin E ointment. And be really careful about getting sun on it the first year, be extra diligent with sunscreen. Like Inga, mine has been opened quite a few times and it's still just a thin white line. It's usually pink for 6-8 months after a surgery but then it flattens out and gets white again.

I feel for ya!

by Megherbst - 2009-07-25 03:07:38

I had an allergic reaction to the disolvable sutures and it left a giant scar for both the loop monitor I had inserted and then the pacemaker. So I have two giant pink scars on my upper left chest. At first I was mortified when even after 6 months the scars didn't look better but now I'm starting to deal with it. It's been almost a year now and I still have giant raised pink scars. I don't think it's going to get much better. But I wear all the clothes I want to anyway and if someone asks about it I tell but otherwise I just try to forget I have them, although its really hard at times.

Funny story: I had a guy at a bar ask me if I had hickies on my chest and I was like... um no... I had a loop monitor and then a pace maker.

wish I had some better thoughts but at least I feel for ya :)

It'll be fine!

by dw5281 - 2009-07-25 05:07:12

I have 2 scars - one loop recorder & one pacemaker I'm 28 so I do wear strapless/strappy tops. My scar is flat & smooth & has been for a while (I've had my pacemaker for 18months) & to be honest I really & truthfully don't care. I have these scars for a reason - without them I might not be here so I'm not too fussed what they look like! But to put your mind at ease mine are not that noticeable at all - I'm not saying that they cant be seen - of course they can - but they are by no means ugly - they're hardly pink anymore & are practically the same colour as me (if that makes sense!) Dont worry they'll be fine - there are things you can put on them (we have bio oil in the UK which is apparently good for scars) but I didn't bother. They just keep getting better so don't let it stress you

Good luck
Debs

megherbst

by dw5281 - 2009-07-25 05:07:52

Hahahaha I just read your comment about hickies!! I had a girl in a club saying: "oo youve had a good night ..... oh sorry I thought you had love bites!" what weird love bites do these people get??!!!

I have been where you are.

by pacergirl - 2009-07-25 09:07:44

This is the one thing about getting a pacer that I never know how to explain.

When I first took a look at my beautiful left front shoulder, it was my worst moment.... that is when I cried. Now, I never cry for long and like you I looked for help and found it. For me, I had to wait until it healed and was completely closed. Then I began to massage the keloid each time I thought about it. I bought some "Mederma" scar cream and took it to work with me. I even applied it at my desk. My co-workers were mostly women and they certainly understood. It took some time, but the PM site now is smooth and flat. Barely noticeable.

Now here is something that happened to me just this summer while I was in San Juan Puerto Rico... We were out on a sailboat with a lot of people. There was an open bar and we were having a lot of fun. The Captain suggested that we each wear a safety belt while in the water and that it should be checked before entering the water, so I approached the deckhand doing the inspecting... he was kneeling down so he could adjust my waist belt. He was tall and his eyes were just about shoulder level on me.... He looked at my shoulder and then at my scar... and said.... "I know what that is". You know something, after having a pina colada or two I just smiled sweetly and said "Are you looking at my Ta Tas? The look on his face was indescribable! It was the highlight if the whole day! It was the funniest thing ever! ha hah ah lololo I did not want to be the lady with the PM scar, so I became the lady with the beautiful Ta Tas! They were still laughing with me as I left the boat after a beautiful day of snorkeling and scuba! I felt great and I still smile when I think about it!

In closing let me say this... Your scar will become a part of you, it will fade most likely and you will grow to think of it differently. I never thought that I would, but I have learned to make it work for me and I think you will as well.

Blessings to you,
Pacergirl

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