I got my PM a week ago!

Something like a vein...

by AgentX86 - 2021-11-03 22:10:59

Welcome to the club! Sorry that you had to find us.

First, you woudn't feel a vein moving.  For a while, everything that happens, real or imagined, you'll blame on your new friend.  Third, you've just had a bunch of nerves cut that service the arm.  While they're mending you'll likely feel all sorts of wierd sensations.  Many describe "ant bites".  I just had a real good case of itching.  Thse sensatoins can last several months.

Don't worry. You're doing everything right. 

something moving

by new to pace.... - 2021-11-04 06:40:11

I know this is hard but you do need to find something  else to do about over thinking.  Yes it is hard to keep your mind from wondering.  If??   Picture you are someplace nice.

At your checkup you can ask your Dr. about your concerns.

It does get easier not to think about the pacer.  Esp. as the swelling around the area goes away.

new to pace

Perfectly Natural

by Marybird - 2021-11-04 12:27:11

Hi Lorina, 

You're a brand new pacemaker "owner", the surgery ( implant) site is still healing, and I think it's perfectly natural for you to figure there is wierd stuff going on. I think we all go through our own versions of that when we first get our implanted cardiac devices. It's been about 2 1/2 years since I got my pacemaker and I can recall blaming everything I perceived, pain, thumps, whatever, on the pacemaker. As everything heals, you have post-surgery  site checks, device checks now and ongoing,  you will be reassured and it'll all become just part of your life you mostly don't think about. 

As Agent said, the veins don't move, if there were a problem with your lead(s) that would show up on your remote monitoring checks ( if you have those set up yet), or with the in-office device checks and they would let you know about those ASAP. I recall my sister, who had a Medtronic pacemaker put in in Jan. 2019, was contacted by her EPs office about two weeks later about a lead not making contact, she had it reinserted an all was ok. 

As others have said here previously, it takes quite a bit to dislodge leads, when it happens it may be because they weren't put in as well as they could have been initially, or the person did something waay too much ( like a vigorous game of tennis, golf, or as I always suspected my sister might have done, roughhousing with het then 2 yr old twin grandsons.  Who knows, but in the remote chance something happened with your leads, your cardiology team would know and they would contact you.

In the meantime, rest assured we all go through our versions of the same uncertainties you're experiencing, and it will get better!. 

overthinking

by athena123 - 2021-11-04 15:54:05

TRUST ME IT WILL GET EASIER. I HAD MINE SINCE 2019 AND I USE TO DWELL ON IT. NOW, I SOMETIMES FORGET ITS IN MY BODY. KEEP YOURSELF BUSY, YOULL BE FINE. BEST OF LUCK 

Welcome to the Club

by MinimeJer05 - 2021-11-06 10:41:50

Hello,

Welcome to the club! As others have already mentioned, it is going to be tough and nearly impossible not to blame any sort of feeling or sensation on the PM and that's totally normal -- it's so much easier said than done to say to someone "don't worry, don't think about it too much"

When I had my PM implant (early Sept), I woke up after and felt fine, sat up to go pee and all of a sudden, my heart rate plummeted and I later found out that one of the leads was dislodged and if I laid in bed and didn't move, I felt fine, but if I got up, it would lose its tracking and "bottom out". Went back under the next morning to get a new lead better placed and haven't had such an event happen since. 
 

Like most have said, it generally takes a lot to dislodge a lead and I'd think you'd feel it a lot more consistently and confidently. I'll know for sure if that same lead becomes dislodged as my heart went from 90ish down to 60 really fast and combined with my mechanical valve, it made the hearing of slower ticks pretty obvious. 
 

I hope you reach a full and speedy recovery soon. The hardest part for me has been the mental anxiety and the adjustment of not feeling 100% "normal" at all times. Learning to cope and adjust to your new "normal" is a heck of a lot harder than the procedure itself, but it WILL get better in time. 
 

And if things become hectic, just hop on the forums to vent or rant or chat with fellow PM implants that have likely had a similar experience to yours. 

Take care and best of luck on this journey. 
 

Jer

Thankful

by Lorina - 2021-11-07 00:04:33

Thank youu to all your comments. Its great to share the same "issue" with people that actually understand how you feel.