Pacemaker Club: Pain around pacemaker area

Pain around pacemaker area

by Gladys
2018-01-11 20:31:46
Complications
1256 views
3 comments

So I'm new to this, I just got my pm implanted September 15, 2017 and unfortunately I was in a vehicle accident December 15th and rolled my truck into a ditch. I was trapped hanging upside down from the seat belt and it was creating a tremendous amount of pressure on my pm site. After 5 or 10 minutes somebody cut me out of my seat belt, but I had a bruise across my collar bone when I got to the hospital. Since the accident, I have had constant pain in my chest area around pm, short of breathe and tired all the time. But vitals are all within the limits. Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions that could help me. I'm seeing my cardiologist on Monday but my husband is pretty worried.

3 Comments

ouch!

by Tracey_E - 2018-01-11 21:39:24

How scary! Glad you are ok. Have they interrogated the pacer to make sure it's still pacing properly? Short of breath and tired all the time would indicate maybe it's not. How's your pulse?

I would imagine it's going to take some time for the bruising and soreness to go away. It wasn't that old to start with and had just started to heal. Ice should help, other than that just time. You might ask for an xray to make sure nothing got twisted up. They should be able to compare it to the one done post op.

Pain around pacemaker area

by Gladys - 2018-01-11 21:47:03

Pulse is usually always at the low setting near the 60's now. The bruising went away quite awhile ago, but where it was flattening out is now raised along the edge. Not sure if it's possible, but husband thinks the force of the belt and being tossed around may have pushed it out of the pocket.

possible

by Tracey_E - 2018-01-12 10:28:51

If your pulse is at the minimum, then it's pacing. That's good. Is it going up on exertion?

It's entirely possible it was pushed to a new spot, yes. An xray would show if it's moved. A new pocket will form wherever it landed, that's not a danger. Scar tissue builds around it wherever it is, that's all a pocket is. If the new spot it settles into isn't comfortable they can go in an reposition but you'd want to wait 6 months, maybe even a year, to see if it settles on its own.