Can anyone else feel their pacemaker wires under their skin

Normal

by Benjijohn - 2019-04-25 06:23:46

I have the same issue. All my doctors told me that it was normal

Exactly like you, this happened to me after my second crtd. I guess it is more common after replacement surgeries as the same pocket is used most of the time

Using the same pocket causes these kind of problems due to previous scar tissue, change in the size and shape of the new pacemaker etc

I know how Weird these wires feel. But it is normal. 

In my case, youcan clearly see one of the wires under my skin, moreover you can see 2 of the knobs where the leads are attached to the battery. My doctors told me that there were 2 major reasons. One was, I had lost a lot if weight (also chest muscle) after my first surgery.

Second reason(which I think caused most of the problem)was that, my second crtd was a medtronic one as opposed to my first st judes one. Different shape, different size etc in the same pocket caused problems. 

I guess my doctor should have made some adjustments to the pocket for the differet brand during surgery

In any case, as long as it is not infected, and does its job, I am thankfull and enjoying everyday

First pacemaker

by AgentX86 - 2019-04-25 08:09:14

I'm just a year into my first pacemaker and the leads are quite apparent. The PM is quite prominent on my chest and the scar is recessed. You can see where the leads attach and then loop out of it. I lost a lot of weight, too, but only about fifteen pounds since the PM implant. My cardiologist said that it was "normal" (isn't everything?).

Thanks guys

by EilishBow - 2019-04-25 17:22:54

Glad to know it’s not just me. I always worry though that the leads are just there that I’m gonna accidentally poke them or something and that’s going to move them! I think I was in the complete same situation of going from a st Jude to a Medtronic pacemaker. And a consultant I saw also said scar tissue could be part of the reason as well. It’s so odd feeling them there! 

Moving leads

by AgentX86 - 2019-04-25 21:54:43

Don't worry about disturbing them.  There is plenty of slack in them (otherwise you couldn't move your arm).  Don't fiddle with your PM or leads, though.  "Fiddlers" have been known to damage the skin covering the PM, causing an infection.  You do NOT want that.

me too

by RedRocksGirl - 2019-04-28 19:40:42

I can feel the "bundle" of my three leads just below the clavicle as well and they make a slight visible ridge there. I had my ICD put in in January.  That spot has been tender since the procedure was done to put it in.

A lot of us!

by EilishBow - 2019-04-29 13:53:22

Seems very common then! I wish they gave better education to us what was normal and what wasn’t. That’s why this site is so good, but I do wish they would out right give us more info. Sometimes I feel they look at me like I’m being silly if I ask simple questions and their response is just “it’s normal”. But I don’t know anyone else with a pacemaker so I don’t know what is normal :p 

Leads

by johno 70 - 2019-05-21 10:34:48

Perfectly normal 

Yup

by Zackalope - 2019-06-04 22:11:25

Yes, I can feel it quite easily - I'm pretty thin and it's very apparent, you can even see it when I don't have a shirt on.