Wound healing & everything else!!

Questions

by AgentX86 - 2023-07-03 20:19:13

That's the bottom line message.  There is no "normal", yet everything is "normal". You seem to be adjusting extremely well.  Perhaps compared to having a baby, a pacemaker doesn't even register as a blip.  With your attitude so far, you'll be catching up with your little one soon.

To answer your questions. Usually there is a "wound check" scheduled for about ten days to two weeks after the surgery to check everything out.  This is when they remove the dessings, if they haven't already fallen off (not a bad thing). They probably used super-glue and steri-strips for the skin closure and they'll disintegrate soon enough. If they make it to the wound check, a nurse can pull the steri-strips off easily.

It should stay on until it doesn't.  You shouldn't take it off.  Keep it dry and clean(ish) until then.  You can shower but, again, keep it as dry as possible. Do not let the shower spray directly on it.  A little patch of plastic taped over the bandage with paper surgical tape will be some good insurance. Take it off after.  Pat you skin dry don't rub anywhere on your chest.

The time before the body "fully recovers" realy depends on what you mean by "fully".  I felt ten times better before I left the cath lab than when I went in, so by that measure I recovered quickly.  I din't have much pain, so check that one off.  There are side-effects of the surgery caused by nerves getting severed.  These feelings are all over the place.  Nerves are funny things.  Many report itching or "ant bites" and some have recurrent pain. They're you nerves.

The swelling takes a couple of months to completey recede. It could be more if there was a  severe hematoma. At that point, youll probably start thinking of it as your bellybutton.  In othedr words, you won't. You know it's there but as soon as you remember it, the brain moves on to something important. Mine was sore to the touch for about seven months, I think.  All of a suddent, one day I thought, "Hmm, that didn't hurt.  I wonder when that happened."

I returned to work the day after I got out of the hospital.  I had an overnight stay because I was then dependent on it and they wanted more time to make sure everything was OK.  I would have gone to work that day but it was too late to bother so we had a late lunch and I went back the next day.  I was an engineer (since retired) so lived behind a couple of display.  No physical work at all so no dangers to the PM.

What else to expect from life with a pacemaker? Expect to live a normal life (there's that "normal" word again). Other than a few more doctor's appointments, not much will change from what you expected it to be before BPM (Before PM).

Newbie

by Good Dog - 2023-07-03 20:43:38

Welcome to the club! This is a great place for support and to get some questions answered.

I got my pacemaker at age 38 and I am now approaching age 75. My life has been completly normal in every way for all those years. I was playing competitive basketball within 6 months after getting my pacemaker. After about 6 months I started-off slowly and cautiously, and was amazed that within a couple of weeks I was running full-out without any problems. I think you should expect a few weeks to a six months for your body to adjust and your your settings to be optimnized by your cardiologist. Everyone is different when it comes to PM adjustments. In case you are not familiar, one of the features is called rate response. Do you know if yours is turned-on or off? If you don't know, well that is completely normal. You'll find-out in due time. Rate response will adust your heart rate with your activity. Some very active folks and athletes require it, but it depends how your heart responds to activity without it turned-on. My heart worked very well on its own without rate response for over 25 years after getting my PM. As I got older that changed a little, but I still do not have it turned-on. I originally needed a PM, because I developed a complete heart block suddenly one morning. I was at work and felt awful. walked a few feet and was out of breath. Checked my pulse and it was in the low 30's. The next day I had a PM.

Perhaps the most important thing for you to know is that you can live a completely normal life with a pacemaker. And I do mean normal! Most people do. I wish I could help you with your question on the dressing, but I cannot remember how long I had mine on in the past. I am about 8 years into my third generator (battery) and expect to get a fourth later this year. The most import thing to know about your dressing is to keep that area as clean as is humanly possible, because an infection can be a serious problem. I am sure someone else that recently had a generator change will be able to give more help with that, but if I were you I would contact your doctor's office and ask them about removing and/or changing the dressing. Don't hesitate to contact them for any reason. They are there to help you!

Hopefully you will get many more responses with answers to your questions soon. Don't hesitate to post again if you need to.

I wish you a quick and happy & healthy recovery.

Sincerely,

Dave

Thank you

by Mairead83 - 2023-07-04 03:06:17

Guys, thanks very much for your responces. 
A wealth of information there. 
I live in ireland & my next check up is 6 weeks post surgery. One to get PM checked & one to see my consultant. 
So on back of your advice ill make an appointment to see my GP to get wound assessed to make sure all is as it should be. 
its so great & informative to read about both your experiences so far. Every body really is so different. 
ill take it one step at a time. 
 

again many thanks for the replys & warm welcome