New pacemaker

Right after

by Theknotguy - 2018-10-08 10:16:12

Right after you get your pacemaker there are all sorts of thumps, bumps, and other things you will feel that seem out of normal and aren't.  As long as you aren't getting a fever or chills, you can mostly shrug off the sensations.  After all they did stick a large foreign object into your body and you have to adjust to that.  Don't care what they say, there is an adjustment.  

The tightness in the chest can be the body adjusting to the pacemaker pocket as the skin stretches out to allow for the pacemaker lump.  I got the twitches you describe.  I can't remember where now but they'd last for a few minutes then go away.  No explanation as to why.  But they were there for a while then quit.  I also got a soreness that went up my left shoulder into my left jaw.  All I can point to is the nerves underneath the collar bone on the left side where they ran the leads into the heart.  No fever, no chills.  So no infection.  

It's normal right after you receive the pacemaker to be more sensitive and more aware of all sorts of lumps, bumps, and thumps you may have had before but just ignored.  As the pacemaker pocket heals some people will report a stretching pain.  Others will report "ant bites" as the nerves heal.  At or about nine months my pacemaker pocket started to itch.  I'd be rubbing the area to make the itching stop.  Eventually you'll get accustomed to the new sensations and go on with your life.  

Oh, and I'm still seeing a massage therapist about one set of muscles at the base of my neck on the left side.  They tense up and get rock hard.  Then I start walking around looking like a pretzel.  The only thing we can figure is the nerves are being irritated where the leads go into the arteries and that may cause the muscles to tense up.  I've talked with my cardiologist and he says that isn't the case, but something is causing it and no one can figure out why.  But it isn't enough to stop me from leading a "normal" life.  I'm still seeing a therapist about the ribs broken from CPR but most people don't have that problem.  

Hope everything else is going well for you and you are adjusting to the new pacemaker. 

overreacting

by Tracey_E - 2018-10-08 10:19:33

It's hard to say what's normal and what's being overly aware and when we should call. When in doubt, always call and ask if they want to see you. How much are you moving around? The tightness could be just from not moving much and not sleeping well. 

Twitching could be a displaced lead, or it could be nerves starting to heal, but on the off chance it's a lead they should know about it. A quick interrogation will show if the lead has moved. 

Figured out

by Glenna - 2018-10-09 20:39:24

I was finally able to get into my doc and they found I had elevated BP 150/121 and then after contacting Medtronic they found that my lead in my upper part of my heart had become disconnected. It was stimulating my phernial nerve.i was admitted to the hospital and this morning had a lead revision. I. On bed rest for 24 hrs and hopefully going home tomorrow.  I've been put on a very mild dose of BP meds as well.

Figured out..

by Sheela2288 - 2018-10-20 06:15:25

I hope all went well. I was reading above and went through the same sort of thing. I hope all went well ☺️