Major panic

take a deep breath!

by Tracey_E - 2016-11-16 13:29:37

Aches and pains as it heals are normal.

You didn't even do anything that breaks the rules! Other than raising the arm above shoulder level or lifting something heavy, you should be using the arm normally so your shoulder doesn't freeze. 

There was a study that compared patients with the traidtional post op restrictions with patients with NO restrictions. No higher incident of leads dislodging in the group with no restrictions. This is because the leads are embeddedin the heart, threaded through the vein, they leave some slack (often enough to coil behind the device!) then connect it to the device. Even if you pull on it, you aren't going to do any damage on the other end in the heart. My doctor has eased up on restrictions considerably in the years I have known him. Leads that dislodge are often due to poor placement, the heart wall not liking the lead, or just bad luck, not our actions. 

Last, if for some reason you did manage to dislodge a lead, you'd know because your heart rate would go back to what it was before. If you don't pace much you may not feel it, but if you pace a lot, just check your pulse. 

well

by Cabg Patch - 2016-11-16 14:09:51

Now TraceyE just a moment...if, when she pulled up her pants, she yanked so hard the waist band ended up around her ears there is a chance the leads may have been affected, albeit small.

I had a new device and three new leads implanted 5 months ago. The EP told me no restrictions not to worry. I have done more than I can remember that would have been on the restriction list and no problems. YOU DIDN"T PULL THE LEADS LOOSE

Recovery / Leads

by FaithGrace - 2016-11-16 14:27:49

How are you feeling?  How is your heartrate?  If you are feeling well and your heartrate is normal, I wouldn't worry about it.  I was told by my surgeon & my device check specialist that my restrictions were more to prevent the incision from coming open the first few weeks than me dislodging a lead.  They said the leads are pretty secure. 

I'm fairly new to this also, but when I was wondering if my PM was working correctly, I would take my pulse... if it was above my low rate setting and I felt okay, I figured my pacer was doing its job.  I just tried to relax and go with the flow, I also prayed often and tried to stay positive.  God is what got me through.   

Let us know how you are doing... Praying you are doing better and having a good day!

Thanks

by Jenx - 2016-11-16 16:45:59

Thanks for your comments. Well at a week check up I'd only used my pacemaker 1% so I barely use it. I actually feel when it's working as I get a fluttering in my chest, but I haven't had any today so abit worried. I did speak to my nurse over the phone and she said I'll be just fine but can't help but still worry. Just petrified I've moved them and will have to go through another op 

But

by Jenx - 2016-11-18 18:37:32

The only reason I'm worried is the pain I left was literally next to my heart, not at all at the pacemaker incision site. That's why I assumed I could have maybe moved a lead. But like you all said it's unlikely so fingers crossed. Thanks everybody.