Just wondering

my contribution to your survey

by Gemita - 2021-02-21 07:10:34

Hello TLee,

Hope you are feeling better.

Yes my device was placed exceedingly close to my left armpit too and it was extremely uncomfortable at first.  I think the device moved slightly as it settled in, which was perfectly normal I would think.  

Now almost three years on (cannot really believe it!) I am relatively discomfort free but still get some occasional awareness of a problem around the device, into the armpit/upper left arm where collateral veins have formed.  However, imaging have ruled out any blockages that may have caused collateral vein formation.  I am on anticoagulation anyway, so this will keep my blood flowing should there be any narrowing/trauma in one of my veins caused by the pacemaker leads.

Position of device I would imagine would be dependent on anatomy and of course whether we are right or left handed, since device would be placed away from the dominant side.  I don't think my doctors considered much else on my device placement.  Lead tip placement is more critical though to get right, so if our device location needed adjustment to help with getting our leads into a better position, then perhaps this might have affected the final positioning of our device??   There is though sufficient slack with leads to prevent them from being pulled out of position once connected to the device, so this shouldn't be a problem.

No scoops for me

by Persephone - 2021-02-21 10:54:24

No scoop neck tops, that is... my device is placed high and just left of front and center.  When I looked in my closet after implant, it seemed like all I had were deep V necks (also a thing of the past) and scoop necks.  Of course that wasn't really true - I did have tops that offered adequate coverage, and I've gradually moved to mostly boat necks and collared shirts as solutions.  It's been great to WFH the past year and not worry about covering my PM.  It's not so much even the PM bump, but the top section that holds the leads, which protrudes clearly through the skin.  I feel great with my PM and just see this as a minor inconvenience...although I do envy your more out-of-the-limelight placement :)

Pacemaker Placement

by Marybird - 2021-02-21 11:53:16

I don't think I have any tops or shirts, including boat necks, V necks, or any other that show my pacemaker scar. Mine is placed maybe 3 inches or so ( maybe a bit more) below my clavicle and the scar is parallel to it. The funny thing is that the pacemaker itself was placed above the scar, not below it, I guess that would make it a "pacemaker cubby", not a pocket, LOL. I can't see the pacemaker or the leads, but it's easy to feel the pacer when I touch it gently.

It's not near my armpit, though I feel the edge of it a tiny bit next to the armpit when I sleep on my right side at night. It doesn't bother me, however, and I don't think it's moved since I had it placed a little over 1.5 yrs ago.

I've mused a a number of times that my pacemaker was placed in a great location ( fortunately no problems finding enough tissue/fat or whatever in that area to hide it under) and nothing that might normally bother a pacer site/scar goes near where mine is placed. That includes bra straps, car seat belts, or any other straps.

And of course I don't have a shirt of any style ( even the relatively low neck styles) that show the scar. I suppose spaghetti straps might, but I don't wear those, and a bathing suit top might also show the scar, but it's been a few years since I wore a bathing suit without a shirt over it ( not for swimming, but boating).

I even found the pacemaker didn't even get in the way of a mammogram I had last year. The technician mentioned that sometimes she has to maneuver things around when pacemakers are placed close to the breast tissue or something, mine is well above that area too.

Pacemaker placement

by Sisterwash65 - 2021-02-21 15:20:12

Marybird’s description of her PM placement sounds identical to mine, except that my PM is “ below ” the scar. Also, I haven’t yet had a mammogram but will soon. It isn’t close to my armpit at all. However, I can feel a firmness, that I assume is the scar tissue of the pocket. I’ve had mine for about 9 months now and it’s very settled in. I can’t feel the leads at all. However I did ask my doc if I could see an X-ray of the final product ! He pulled it up on his computer and I took a picture of it. This has helped me visualize everything better.

Good to hear you’re doing well and apparently kept your sense of humor !

PM placement

by Julros - 2021-02-21 17:03:47

TLee, perhaps your pacemaker pocket is below the muscle, instead of on top? Sometimes it is placed under the muscle for appearance sake, or to avoid pressure from pack straps. Mine is on top of the muscle, just below my clavicle. I don't remember discussing placement at the time, and then I ended up with a BiV instead of a dual chamber, which is quite a bit bigger. Maybe it wouldn't fit under the muscle or doc didn't think an old gal like me would care about appearances. Now that I have lost weight, it is quite visible, but at my age (64) I don't really care if shows or not. I am dreading a mammogram because it is still quite sensitive to touch. 

Mammogram

by Marybird - 2021-02-21 18:37:56

Julros, maybe this was just me, but I postponed my annual mammogram for a year after my pacemaker was placed. The annual event had been due about 2 months after the pacemaker, and the area was still very sensitive. I was also still paranoid about the possibility of maneuvering the "girls" around to get x-rays during the mammogram would somehow break or dislodge the leads- this fear was no doubt unjustified, but man I was protective of that whole pacemaker area!

The originally scheduled mammogram was also about two weeks after my mother's death, we had family in town and things were rather chaotic, so I just put it off till the following summer. Made my primary care doc rather unhappy but I did it anyway.

In your shoes I'd probably wait till the area isn't so tender. I was glad I did, and even then, the technician was gentle and considerate of the area.

very visible

by cyborg_manifested - 2021-02-22 19:20:51

Mine is similarly right on the edge of my left armpit...I'm super boney and skinny so you can see every detail of the outline of the device. Not even a little bit subtle. I measured once, there is one part near my shoulder that is raised 1inch at a very sharp angle. Yikes. The weirdest part is it creates a deeper..uh...armpit pit?? So when I lift up my arm to try to shave my armpits its incredibly difficult to shave the cavern that is now my armpit. I'm almost 3 months in and I really have not figured it out.