Implant surgery

recovery

by Tracey_E - 2023-05-06 13:11:43

It's normal to get all sorts of odd feelings as we heal. 

Do you know what the fluttering is? All the pacer is going to do is add beats when we go too slowly. If the heart was doing extra beats or flutter before, the pacer won't prevent it from doing it now. Sometimes they can set the pacer to go faster and pace out of things like that so I would mention it to your doctor.

Also know that the settings they send us home with aren't what we'll have long term. Once we heal and the leads are embedded well, they will adjust. 

PVCs?

by Lavender - 2023-05-06 15:35:42

My heart had a lot of weird sensations after getting the implant. I had frequent PVCs. I don't have much anymore at all. Your heart is healing from the surgery. If they tell you that things are fine, try to be patient. How you feel today isn't the way you're going to feel in time. It's early. 

What does this strange feeling mean?

by Gotrhythm - 2023-05-06 16:41:33

You ask Has anyone experienced similar sensations? I had to chuckle a little. You've got a hunk of metal and wires in you where nothing like it has been before. In addition your heart is adjusting to being paced. It's probably beating more regularly, and maybe more often, than it has in years. For any muscle that could take some getting used to! But probably the biggest reason for odd sensations is not the pacemaker or the heart. It's the hundreds of tiny nerves in the skin that had to be disturbed to make the pocket. They take a while to regenerate and as they do they send strange messages. Fortunately, as you heal they will most likely go away.

If you think about it, it's amazing that the transition between not-paced and paced goes as smoothly as it does. And yet, it does, most of the time, in people of all ages and all over the world.

Do be alert for signs of infection, and quickly bring it to the attention of your medical team. Otherwise, it's safe to wait and see if any odd sensation will go away on its own.

Thanks everyone

by mar51all - 2023-05-07 05:17:55

Thank you for your comments. I had a very positive experience in hospital but wasn't prepared for all the feelings and sensations once home! I feel very reassured and will try to be patient and not freak out every time! Love you all. Thanks again

Sensations

by piglet22 - 2023-05-07 07:59:28

Keep an eye on anything that looks like old symptoms.

I can only speak for heart block.

If you get sensations you associated with arrhythmia before, check your pulse at your wrist.

Invest in an oximeter or a blood pressure monitor.

Oximeters are not so good at picking up apparent pulses, but a blood pressure monitor with arrhythmia detection are good at recording things like missed beats.

I had 18 good years with PMs and no trouble until this year when ectopics started. It shouldn't take long to "bed in". Beware the "pacemaker is fine" thing. It might be but you might not be. Always ask if you have any doubts.