Nerve pain?

HI all,

I've had a pm for 15 years, and my current one for 6. My generator is in my abdomen,  as I got it when I was a kid. For the past couple months I have had pain around where my generator is. At first I thought I had just pulled a muscle. But the pain was persistent and has steadily gotten worse, to the point it has had me in tears. The doctor said it may be nerve pain from nerve endings growing around my generator.  Has anyone had something like this happen to them? If so, how long did it last and how did you manage it? 

Update 

Thanks for the comments. The doctor mentioned above was an er doctor who thought it was nerve pain after doing multiple tests on my abdomen to make sure nothing there was causing the pain. I have since been to my cardiologist.  They don't have a real answer as to why it suddenly started hurting after I have had it for so long. But they would be willing to do surgery to relocate the pacemaker. The only downside is that they can't be sure that it would eliminate my pain. And as my pacemaker is working fine, I am hesitant to have another surgery.

3 Comments

Nerve pain after 6 years?

by Gotrhythm - 2017-04-08 21:00:46

Nerves can regenerate after a surgery and cause strange sensations as a cut is healing, but the the problem generally goes away within a few months. Your most recent implant was 6 years ago. Why would the pain start just a couple of months ago?

Pain severe enough to make you cry sounds serious to me. I don't think you need help coping with it. I think you need to do something about it. I'm not a doctor but I'm aware that lots of things can cause steadily worsening pain in the belly. I wonder if you need to have another doctor's opinion.

pain

by hopefulheart - 2017-04-09 23:01:39

I presume when you mentioned your doctor assumes your pain is probably from nerve pain, you mean your cardiologist.  The area where you have your implant is not his expertise.  Also, just assuming is dangerous.  We do that sometimes because we don't want to have to face anything serious going on, but for a doctor to just assume is both reckless and dangerous as the professional you intrust your care to. Please do not stop seeking the cause on his/her assumption.  It may be as assumed, but pain making you cry needs to be taken seriously and thoroughly evaluated.  I hope you get an answer and relief soon.

hopeful heart

Has anything changed around you?

by Narelle - 2017-04-14 01:45:48

Hi Meg,  Years ago I had the same problem and also just recently when I came out of surgery with a new pacemaker box ...   They say its nerve pain but I dont agree,,  If its sharp and feels like when you touch someone and get that static electric shock - but instead of pinprick it feels like a lighning strike that catches your breathe and brings tears to your eyes?  So if it feels like that - take a look around you and see if there is any strong electrical interference, like radio towers, mobile phone towers -  Im sure its intereference, they say the pacemakers are insulated against it but I think sometimes - could be frequencies or something I really dont know, but if you move away from it it should stop...    

When I was in recovery  3 weeks ago I was crying with the pain of it and they gave me a morphine shot but it didnt do anything to alleviate it... once I was moved to the ward it went away...and hasnt come back.  I reckon it was all the machines as there was at least 10 people I could see in recovery on machines. 

About 20 years ago, we travelled around Australia in a combivan and every time we would come from remote areas to the towns, I would get this shock and sometimes skip a few beats and my husband would look around and say there it is..  it was always the big electrical towers on the outskirts of town that would zap me...  Doctors thought I was nuts...  

Nerve pain to me feels like a severe case of pins and needles..and if it feels like that it probably is.  

Hope this helps..  

  

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