Saw cardiologist/ep today

Interesting visit with the cardiologist. She said I had an extreme pain reaction during surgery when they placed the leads into my heart which is why I was kept overnight for observation and why I had such horrible pain that night. Based on the appearance of my scar, she said my incision and pocket are still healing and "knitting" and that the rest of my pain/discomfort is likely nerve compression. She thinks it will all resolve over the next couple of months. Overall, my body doesn't like surgery and foreign objects in it!

AP=28% VP=<1%
Some afib still occuring, but not much and only for less than a minute most times. Almost all of that was on one day.

So all in all a good visit and I can maybe rest a bit easier. I am still on exercise restrictions until this is all settled down.

8 Comments

What's that smell??

by ILoominatedEKG - 2012-09-05 11:09:35

I think it's bull manure. LOL. Seriously, I'm not a cardio (and certainly not YOUR cardio) but my advice is to not back down if the pain doesn't back down. But be realistic about how bad the pain is. 1-2 out of 10; no big deal. If it's 5-6 out of 10; raise hell.

But that's just my opinion.

Dave

Echo

by ILoominatedEKG - 2012-09-06 01:09:07

An echo shows fluid or blood around your heart and captures the actual pumping actoin. There are a lot of things they can tell with an echo.

I had a LOT of pain after implant. They found that a lead had pierced hy heart with a CAT scan. Before that, they did a crapload of tests and told me everything was great. I had had an echo too.

I can't tell you what to do, what is wrong, or if there's nothing you can do abou the pain. All I can tell you is that if it were me, I'd be raising holy hell.

Good luck - Dave

Answers to questions

by NancyinMichigan - 2012-09-06 08:09:36

My pain now is very low, most of the time a 2 at most. Just continues at that level. Immediately after surgery it was beyond 10 if there is such a thing. Never felt anything like that, and I've had several major surgeries. The pain was in my left shoulder and arm and neck.
By morning (and with morphine, norco and Tylenol 3), it was down to a 3-4 and I went home. As I type this it is a background presence so a 1.

No echo done. Two chest X-rays and an EKG. Why an echo?

My doc said this is unusual and didn't dismiss what is happening. But she seems confident it is going to resolve.

I am normally a very active person-ride a bike 24 miles a day or do Zumba or weight training and elliptical. Now I walk a couple hours most days until I am cleared to go back to my usual workout. Otherwise I am doing my normal routines other than heavy cleaning.

I am curious why you said an echo should have been done?

Agree with Dave

by PacerRep - 2012-09-06 12:09:15

I do A-LOT of implants. Pain from placement of the leads is not typical. Now the incision site is going to hurt of coarse but thats what the Perk's are for. If it is a "crushing" pain then I would be concerned. Keeping patients overnight is very typical to a new implant or any implant involving placement of a new lead....did they perform an Echo on you?...important question.

well...

by NancyinMichigan - 2012-09-07 01:09:29

Doc said I had an extreme pain reaction when they placed the leads. She also mentioned acute pericarditis but said there was no fluid around my heart. So maybe they did an echo and I wasn't aware.

I don't remember the procedure at all, just that when I came to and had to move from the surgical bed to the card I said "boy that hurts" and then in the recovery room I was definitely at a level 10 for pain. They did a quick EKG and chest xray and then said I would stay the night. Another chest x ray in the morning.

I think I will ask more about this when I see the doctor in six months (or sooner if I still have pain in a few weeks).

I keep picturing myself yelling in pain during surgery :-)

Acute Pericarditis

by PacerRep - 2012-09-07 11:09:28

That's exactly what I was talking about. Perfing in a patient is a major blow to a physicians ego and I have seen Dr's deny it adimattantly even when all the signs were there. That language you used suggested to me that you have one of those doctors. sounds like he Perf'd. They probably did the echo, I would be shocked if they didn't. No fluid is a great sign, I would ask the question (sooner rather than later, waiting 6 months is way to long). If they need to retract the lead and reposition it. Does your stomach jump from electricity when you contract your ab's or act like you are making a bowel movement? Try leaning over like you are doing a crunch. If you feel electricity in your stomach area get the lead moved now while its still easy.

nothing like that

by NancyinMichigan - 2012-09-07 12:09:44

No, nothing like that at all. The ongoing issue I have is with my left shoulder/arm/armpit area and it is mild.

About the Echo

by PacerRep - 2012-09-07 12:09:55

I did not mean to indicate that an echo should have been done, I was just asking if they did one. I was trying to determine what the doctors were thinking was the orgin of your discomfort. You meantioned that you had an "extreme reaction to the leads placed". This is very unusual language regarding this proceedure, so I was wondering if that "reaction" was a perforation, basically where the lead pokes through your heart muscle and blood drains into the pericardial sac (a baggy around your heart) and basically squeezes the heart and sorta crushes it. Usually when an Echo is performed right after an implant involving lead placement that is what they are trying to rule out. Other things indicate this such as blood pressure and a whole slew of other things. I was just doing some process of elimination, did not mean to scare you, sorry!! The good news is they didn't do one because there was no perforation and your feeling better!

You know you're wired when...

Airport security gives you free massages.

Member Quotes

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.