First pacemaker coming up!

Another Member in the Club!

by MinimeJer05 - 2021-09-19 02:18:37

Welcome to the club!

It sounds like you're in otherwise good health and facing this upcoming procedure with the right mindset on recovery and function. 
 

I don't have much detail to add aside from the fact that I'm 29 and I was told that for whatever reason, younger people can be more sensitive to the pains and recovery process and I just want to say that it's OK if you do feel a little out of it. 
 

The poster above me mentioned being able to walk and go about their life almost days after. For me, I'm going on week 3 and I'm just now feeling good enough to walk and like my incision area isn't in pain or hurting. It was mostly just super sore and stiff (5 out of 10 I'd say) and it got gradually better. 
 

it was odd though because I had open heart surgery in Jan of 2020 and it was definitely more invasive and painful, yet I felt progress was quicker and more noticeable with that one, whereas the pacemaker had me feeling like crap for a good week to a week and a half. 
 

I hope you feel better faster and have no issues whatsoever!

Keep us posted on the recovery process and feel free to ask as many questions as you need answered. I found this place to be a life-saver for both my mental health and my overall recovery. 
 

jer

recovery

by Tracey_E - 2021-09-19 15:52:04

Hello! Glad you found us. 

Different cause, but I also had bradycardia all my life and got my first pacer at 27. The difference for me was amazing, I had no idea what normal felt like until I was paced and had a normal rate. I'm 54 now and have never had a serious complication, am healthy and active and have two daughters about your age. 

When I got my first one, I was very underweight (5'6", 110 lbs) so my surgeon brought in a plastic surgeon to make my pacer less conspicuous. They put it under the breast and it was completely hidden. This was in 1994 and alternate placement was virtually unheard of so they were pretty much making it up as they went along. The downside is it was buried very deep and replacement was a little harder. My current one is subpectoral. I can feel the edges of it but it's not obvious. 

Recovery and pain varies. We all have different tolerances for pain and surgeons vary exactly where they put it. I was more sore than someone who has it subcutaneous, but I didn't think it wasn't bad at all. I took something to help with the pain at night to sleep but during the day mostly got by on tylenol. Ice is your friend. I found it helped more than any pills. I was moving gingerly the first week, back to normal but napping and moving a little slowly the second week. Any pain related to burying it was well worth it IMO. I am very active and I like having it out of the way. 

Wear a button up shirt to the hospital. You won't want to be pulling anything over your head the first few days. 

I found it helped to sleep hugging a small pillow. Kept me from rolling onto my sore side in my sleep.

Ice, ice, then ice again. 

Thankful!

by Lorina - 2021-09-20 01:05:20

Thank you veryy much for your comments, it feels good to know that I am not alone and a lot of other people went through the same thing (even though different situations/circumstances). I hope I have a good experience as all of you that commented in my post. Thank you again and I will keep you posted

Covid19 vaccine

by Lorina - 2021-10-05 10:13:12

Hello! I have a question, I am very concerned about the vaccine and I didn't take it yet, in 10 days I have my pacemaker implant and I am very scared of how it would react with the pacemaker. Has anybody taken the vaccine? 
please let me know!!