Pacemaker implant

Had my pacemaker implant 6 weeks ago and my check-up 2 weeks ago.  All was fine and requested to be seen again in one year's time.  However over the past few days I have been experiencing a dull ache from my pacemaker site across my chest into my right shoulder and up into my throat.  It is not a pain and not a tightness but just an ache.  Rang cardio rehab yesterday for advice and was told to call an ambulance as I needed an immediate ECG.  Paramedics arrived and all tests proved ok and the pacemaker was pacing well.  This sensation was not happening when they were here.  There is nothing specific which seems to bring it on and it goes after a while.  Has anyone else experienced this?

2 Comments

Unusual pain

by Gemita - 2021-05-20 11:32:00

Agardener,

Well I had a lot of chest discomfort following my implant which ran right across my collarbone into both shoulders at one time which I couldn't really understand.  And as you describe, it was in the main rather dull achy, a pain that I have never really experienced before. It felt as though there was some sort of blockage and it proved to be so, since my subclavian vein had been traumatised during pacemaker lead placement and blood flow through the vein was not good for many months.  I did get some swelling in the left armpit and upper left arm until I developed extra veins around the pacemaker (called collateral veins) to help keep my blood flowing.  Now I am left with a blue network of pronounced veins around my pacemaker and going into left armpit, upper arm.  It doesn't look very pretty but I can live with it.  I am out of pain, the swelling has subsided and no intervention was necessary and that was more important.

I am not suggesting you have this problem but if your symptoms do not improve in the next few weeks you could ask your doctors for further advice.  I had a CT Scan with contrast to identify the problem in the subclavian/axillary vein.  It is quite common for veins to get traumatised during implant.  On the other hand, it is quite early days for you and many of us can still experience pain from the implant site and surrounding area many months after the procedure, so you may still be healing.  I hope for the best for you

Unusual pain

by Agardener - 2021-05-22 04:02:58

Thanks Gemita for your response.  I think it may well be that I am being too eager to get back to my normal activities!  However I have noted your comments and if it carries on I will look for some further investigation.  Whole day yesterday without this sensation at all.

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Pacemakers are very reliable devices.