New to this

Just had pacemaker fitted and had all possible complications.  Ventricular lead moved and caused pericardial effusion so back to theatre in less than 24 hours then pneumonia and af.

At home now and this evening have felt device discharging for about an hour (felt like pulses from tens machine).  Has anyone else experienced this please? 

2 Comments

There are a few contributors here who've been through this

by crustyg - 2020-05-13 07:59:31

I empathise - this isn't how it's meant to be.  I can recall at least one post where the Vent lead partially perforated the myocardial wall and the EP doc pranged a lung => pneumothorax (actually more of a haemothorax).

From your description it sounds as though your diaphragm is being stimulated by the ventricular pacing wire.

With your history I would be straight back on the telephone to the EP doc, as this *may* mean that your vent lead has started to migrate again (it's not a certainty).  Failing that, it's a visit to A&E - tell them you have Chest Pain - usually triggers their high priority triage process, and in a sense you *do* have chest pain.  But really you're trying to get a CT scan of your leads and a re-evaluation of your PM data by someone who specialises in cardiac rhythm management (not usually an A&E specialist area).

Make sure that you take someone with you (if possible) - you're entering the territory where an advocate is becoming important.  And I imagine that your faith in your EP team is less than it was...  I don't know whether it's realistic to ask for a second opinion where you are in S Wales. 

Best of luck.

This forum

by Jenwren49 - 2020-05-15 07:37:26

Says I have 2 comments but how do I access second one and how do I respond to comments?  Many thanks

You know you're wired when...

You have the perfect reason to show off your chest.

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My pacemaker is the best thing that every happened to me, had I not got it I would not be here today.