Battery replacement

I had my pacemaker implanted in 2012 and am now scheduled for a battery replacement on Friday March 11th. I will have Saturday and Sunday to recover and plan to return to work Monday. I work from home and am on the phone/computer for 8 hours. Has anyone needed more than 2 days to recover from a battery replacement? 

I also wanted to know if anyone had originally had pacemaker implanted above the muscle but then had it placed under the muscle during a battery replacement? I always wanted it under the muscle but didn't request as I didn't want to deal it additional pain as I was in quiet a bit of pain.

Is pain medication prescribed for a battery replacement or is it just over the counter pain relief ?

How soon is it recommended to be back in the gym? I'm thinking I could start with lower body until incision is fully healed. 

4 Comments

replacement

by Tracey_E - 2022-02-28 17:45:04

I'm on my 5th. Mine was under the breast then moved to under the muscle the last time. I like having it out of the way! But it will leave you more sore than if it was just under the skin. Once you heal, I think you'll find it's worth it. 

They do not usually prescribe anything for pain after a replacement. Ice and the occasional tylenol is all I've never needed. 

My last replacement I was told not to get sweaty for 30 days because of infection risk. I thought that was overkill, but a month off didn't kill me and infections can get nasty quickly so better to err on the side of caution. People are worried about infection more now than they used to be, so I did not get those instructions after the other replacements. After I got my 2nd, I went on a hiking trip two weeks later. After I got my 3rd, I went to the Keys the next week and did everything planned except the water sports. Healing from the surgery itself is no big deal, leads were what required all the precautions the first time. 

Battery replacement

by TAC - 2022-02-28 17:46:11

A routine battery replacement consists in replacing your old generator for a new one in the same skin pocket. Then, it will be reconnected to your old leads. It's a straight forward procedure done under local anesthesia and completed in a relative short time. The surgical incision will be minimal. However, changing the location of the generator will require making another pocket in another location. Hopefully, the old leads won't need to be replaced. As you can imagine, it will be almost like the surgery you had when your PM was implanted for the first time. So, your battery replacement won't be a routine procedure, because the surgery and recovery will take longer. Only your surgeon can tell you how long it will take for you, to be ready to resume your physical activities.

Why the move?

by Persephone - 2022-02-28 22:27:36

If you wouldn't mind sharing your reasons for considering requesting the move, DRDUNLAP91, could you share?  I initially felt envious of those who have sub-pec placement but now 4 years out don't care as much, in my particular situation. So just wondering about the reasoning - it might be helpful for others here to consider both sides of the coin.  Thanks.

 

moving it

by Tracey_E - 2022-03-01 10:40:33

They should be able to put it deeper using the same incision from the first time. Clarify in advance but they shouldn't need to go in a new place. 

Whether you move it or not, working on the computer from home a few days later should not be a problem. Can you sneak in a nap if you need it? 

Persephone, I like mine buried because it never gets in my way when I work out or hike with a heavy pack. And I have to poke around to feel it, so it's easy to forget it's there. 

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