Pain at pacemaker pocket

Itching ant bites

by AgentX86 - 2020-05-10 22:35:20

When in doubt, call your doctor.  Infections can be deadly but...

Itching and "ant bite" sensations are very common.  Mine still itches from time to time (as does my 5yo CABG scar).  There shouldn't be much pain, tough mine was quite sensitive to the touch for about eight months.  It's not under the muscle and quite close to the surface (the leads coming out of it are obvious).

I don't know about you but constant headaches aren't normal for most, tough I doubt that it has anything to do with your PM.  Again, when in doubt, ask. This is too serious to ignore.  Listen to your body, until told otherwise. 

You don't want to be labeled a hypochondriac (it's easy to be thrown into that bin by some doctors - you don't want that label) but I think your plan to have a tele-appointment is a good one.  Don't be too excited, rather just want to be reassured that everything is normal after two months. If you have a remote monitor, you might want to send a trace (let them know it's coming). 

Pain

by Selwyn - 2020-05-11 09:08:16

Pain should not be happening. I would certainly get someone with experience to look at the site.

Unfortunatley, the suture material ( ie. stitches) that is supposed to dissolve takes ages ( months) . Wound closure is often done with such material and the knot buried under the skin ( along with the ends of the thread). This can go hard, and stay sharp and can cause pricking sensations. Whilst the wound is healing there is a fibrous reaction and everything has a tendency to stick together  ( Surgery is very difficult if you have to re-enter  the same site after you have had surgery some weeks prior). It can take up to 6 months for the different layers to seperate and become mobile in the way nature intended. 

There is no reason why the PM should cause a headache. I suggest you look elsewhere for the cause of this symptom. 

Give it time

by mtnhoot - 2020-05-18 15:41:45

I have had my pacemaker since 2016 and I still have little bouts of unexplained pain.  Sometimes it feels like I am being poked with a pencil on the upper left corner of the pacemaker area.  It moves around a bit so I just move it a little and the pain goes away.  It itched for several months afterwards.  It would cause my diaphram to jump and cramp.  I had the power turned down to minimum.  That helped a lot however, it still will cramp on occasion.

I had headaches for a little while, off and on, but they have dwindled down to maybe a slight one every couple of weeks or so.

I have learned not to dwell on those things as ones subconsious mind will tend to make it worse with worry.  For most little symptoms I just wait and it usually goes away.  After my open heart surgery to replace my AO and Mytral valves I had all kinds of problems with my pacemaker.  I blame most of that on the Doctors.  The pain of my arthritis in my left hip is such that my heart is always under stress and the drs are completely oblivious to that relationship.

Itching Pocket

by Terry55 - 2020-06-06 20:15:52

Hi, If you are at all worried, id call the pace clinic in the first instance.  I had mine inplanted in feb 2019 and all subsequent tests have been ok.  But i do feel an itchiness around the wound site.  The cardiologist just said to use moisteriser but the scar looks fine.

I started to wonder if the lead is too tight.. but im now reading in other forums within this club, that many of us have the same itchy sensation.

All the best