Shocks!

Hey heart people!

Full 2 1/2 months since the PM was inserted and it's been amazing! No Stokes-Adams or heart stopping moments!

I do get a very Intense shocking pain at the site of my PM (right side) when my PM kicks in. It's not unbearable because it lasts a second at most but very intense.

Anyone else had this? Is there a way to stop it? Not a life or death question but I do give a comical yelp on regular occasions!

Thanks!

3 Comments

Same Sensations For Me

by Artist - 2015-02-28 10:02:32

I have had the same sensations as the knotguy, but then the severity was greatly reduced when the PM voltage was lowered. It really does help when the voltage is lowered and makes it easier to forget about your PM. I still get some occasional electrical stinging in the area where the leads connect to the PM and poking in the middle of my chest. Not a big deal for me now. My PM was implanted 3 1/2 months ago.

Check with your EP

by Theknotguy - 2015-02-28 10:02:44

I'm one of those rare individuals who has extra nerve endings in my blood vessels. That's great because I can tell you when I'm in afib and what kind of afib. It's not so great when they start sticking needles in your arm and have to "dig" for a vein.

They may have the voltage set a little higher in your PM at first to help get the lead tips burned into your heart muscle. And you may be one of those people who can feel a little more than others. Consequently you get the shocking pain.

When they had the voltage set higher on mine, I could feel the tickle from the PM followed by the thump of the heartbeat. I'd get coughing jags and some times it would wake me up at night.

I was sitting in the chair watching my PM tech when she dropped the voltage. Not big deal, didn't feel a thing, and everything kept going on just as it did before.

So you could talk to your EP, let him know you're feeling the shock. See if he/she will drop the voltage. Of course they may be planning to do that anyway but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Most of the time I don't feel my PM kick in anymore. Every once in a while my heart decides to do weird stuff and I'll still feel the PM kick in but that's rare. I relate that because you may at times still continue to feel your PM. Some people don't like to be reminded but for me it's a comfort to know it's still working.

Hope they can find a solution for you soon.

Me too!

by pattypetri - 2015-03-08 10:03:23

This just started in the last few weeks. A fast but intense shock out of the side where the leads come out of the pm. They come in 3s sometimes. I got my pm 11/08/14

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