staples

Hi everyone! I am so glad to have found this site! I am 56 and had my pacemaker unit put in 10 days ago. I go Wednesday to my first checkup to have staples removed. My pacemaker site is very sore under the bandage( I can only imagine what it looks like) My question is , does it hurt to have the staples removed?

7 Comments

Staple Removal

by Lurch - 2014-09-23 01:09:07

Hi Becky,

I did not have staples with PM/ICD implantation; my doctor used dissolving sutures.

The last time I had staples was when I had my by-pass surgery in 1998. Had about 80+ on chest and both legs. They came to the house to remove them and she used a neat tool that kind of looked like a staple removal tool you would see in an office, but bigger.

She told me before she came to take two of my pain pills they had given me (sorry, can't remember what they were). Also, about half way through she took a break.

It was very uncomfortable, but did not last long and it was great to finally get them out.

Good luck and please, let us know how it goes.

I get them removed today

by lhogue - 2014-09-23 01:09:12

Hi,
I get my staples removed today. I will keep you posted. I'm only worried about one staple that seems to be extra sensitive when I touch it. For that one alone I hope they give me a shot to numb it. =(

Staples

by Parrothead57 - 2014-09-23 02:09:56

I too had the dissolving stitches so can't respond to staple removal over PM site. But I had a bowel resection done years ago and had a rather long incision with about a dozen staples. Removal was completely painless. Funny thing was (probably because I'm so fat) that the doc missed one inside my belly button that I didn't find until later. I had to go back in to get it removed. The nurses teased my doctor relentlessly!

Staple removal

by lhogue - 2014-09-23 09:09:19

I just had my staples removed. Only two hurt a tad that bothered me before she snipped them. No need for drugs. On the pain scale it was 0.5 but the anxiety leading up to it was more like a five. :) you can do it! Take care!!

staples

by becky1958 - 2014-09-24 06:09:13

Hi All, I got my staples out today!!!! Yea, it didn't hurt at all!! I still have to keep my arm banded for 3 more weeks and can't drive yet but the worst is over. I really feel so much better, no shortness of breath, no rapid heartbeats ,I just feel great! I hope it continues.

Congratulations!

by Lurch - 2014-09-25 05:09:04

Glad it went well and thanks for letting us know!

I am always curious regarding the differences in arm use instructions we are given! When my EP came into my hospital room after my procedure he took the sling that the nurse had given me off my arm and threw it across the room onto the bed. He told me to only use it when I sleep or when I am doing something that I needed to remember not to use my arm above shoulder height (working in yard, etc.). He was concerned that many people wear the sling all the time and get frozen shoulder.

I found this article on another site that discusses a study on this policy.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2626349/
Regretfully, you will have to copy and paste it into your browser, but it is an interesting read.

reply

by becky1958 - 2014-10-03 08:10:32

I have had my sling on for 4 weeks! I read this study you sent the link to and it is making me second guess this. My shoulder is very stiff from this. You would think a very extensive study on this would be done so all hospital's discharge instructions were basically the same.

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