help

I had a pacemaker placed under my breast on Nov. 26th This is my third pacemaker and the pain from this surgery is a lot more intense than the others. The incision its self is not to bad, just tender, but there is an area an inch away from the incision that hurts so much! I don't know if its nerve damage or what, but I can't seem to get anyone to take it seriously. All the des and nurses just say I should not be feeling much pain anymore and that I should be able to resume normal activity after a week. However its been a week and I can barely even sit up. Has anyone else had their pm placed under the breast? If so, did you have intense pain? I can't seem to find anyone else that has their pacemaker placed under the breast like I do everyone else seems to have them up high on the chest wall!

3 Comments

submammary

by Tracey_E - 2013-12-03 10:12:22

Mine is submammary also. I'm on my 4th one. I was considerably more sore after replacements than someone who has it just under the skin but still mostly back to normal within a week. I was moving slowly and carefully, but was moving. Theoretically they went in through scar tissue and put the new one in the old pocket so you shouldn't have any new nerve damage or whatever. It definitely shouldn't be any worse than the second. I would push them until they take it more seriously, that doesn't sound right. Have they done cultures to check for infection in the pocket? It's possible for the pocket to have problems but the incision look ok.

I'd really push it

by Theknotguy - 2013-12-03 11:12:23

You know your body best and have been through this before. So if you have an unusual pain I'd get into someone's face and let them know something feels wrong. I'd go with TraceyE, keep after them until you get some answers.

Also you can check yourself into an ER and have them look at the sore spot. A little radical but sometimes having another doctor say, "Look at this!" will get the proper attention.

Had to get my wife to call the EMT's when I went into a bad a-fib session while at the step-down unit. Another time I punched the button to call the EMT's when my BP went squirrelly. In each case the medical people didn't see a problem but my body was telling me there was. The ER people backed me up - maybe it wasn't always as serious as I thought it was but it was serious.

Get help as soon as you can.

Theknotguy

Pain

by pacergirl - 2013-12-03 11:12:59

It troubles me that the professionals don't seem to understand that your pain is bothering you enough that you have to say something about it. It isn't as if this is your first surgery. You already know what it should feel like and this pain you are describing is much different than in previous surgeries. Often times we know when something is amiss in our bodies. If the placement of the new pacemaker is going to be more painful then it should be made clear to you before the surgery so you could prepare yourself.

I'm so sorry you are in pain. Keep reporting it to the professionals and ask them if other patients have reported this much pain. Maybe they will stop and think about what you are saying.

Feel better soon,
Pacergirl

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