10 day post op pain

It’s so early in healing

by Lavender - 2024-01-28 20:39:11

I hope you know not to use a sling anymore. Move your arms gently and don't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. Keep the pacemaker side elbow lower than the shoulder but use the arm. 

Like R2D2, I use a pillow up against my device while sleeping that I drape my left arm over.

You may have been restrained in a weird position during the surgery. Some muscles get pulled too much. Also what your incision looks like outside may not reflect the healing going on inside-which takes longer. Nerves and muscles are stretched and cut to make the pocket to hold your pacemaker. 
 

Use soft ice packs on the areas that are sore, making sure to keep a thin dish towel or something between the ice and your skin. I was told to take 650 mg Tylenol every four hours. Drink lots of extra water to aid in hydration and healing. 

Your heart is also recovering from having wires screwed into it, so you might be more aware of it beating, but it will be ok.

Be of good cheer because how you feel today is not how you will always feel. I'm nearly three years into have a CRT-P pacemaker. It hurt now and then most of the first seven months. Then I noticed that I wasn't thinking of it any more most of the time. 
 

When my doctor gave the okay, I went for therapeutic massage of my pacemaker side arm. It really loosened it up!

 I am sorry you're having such discomfort. I know that I had a one week wound check at my cardiologist so maybe you're scheduled to see someone soon?  May God hasten your healing, calm your mind, and help you recover. Hugs

Overwhelming relief

by 30Momof3 - 2024-01-28 22:46:32

Angry Sparrow- thanks to your post, I was able to pay closer attention to how I was using the left side and seeing where I was making mistakes that could have possibly had lifelong adverse effects. I was moving my upper half instead of the shoulder but using from the elbow down more than the shoulder  I've made adjustments already in the last hour and noticed where things were stiff already from not using it because it hurt and I was scared to pull the leads, but am now being conscious in how I use my body and that side, seriously you probably saved me from frozen shoulder because I never would have seen where my mistakes were without you. So, thank you- truly from the bottom of my heart.

R2D2- you literally brought me to tears. I was also ill prepared in the sense that I wasn't prepared at all. Everything happened really fast, from having passing out episodes, and being in AFIB for a long time and not knowing. They initially thought I was passing out from a neurological issue, but then ruled it out and I did the Holter monitor, then saw a cardiologist immediately after they got the results, then saw him once and he sent me to the heart failure specialist, and two weeks later I was in surgery. I have felt very alone and very lost during this process. I didn't have anyone I could talk to about it or relate to, to know that someone else was where I was at or had been where I'm at and that I wasn't being a baby because everything hurt in weird ways. The validation I received from your message has seriously impacted my whole mindset and depression about how alone I felt and how crazy I felt. And we might be strangers- but have also changed my life. 
 

Lavender- your message about being weirdly positioned in Surgery, the healing inside the heart, as well as my chest, honestly makes so much sense. It does feel exactly like an over exertion or weird placement and they did say I was "squirrely" during surgery LOL and at my one week post op they mentioned possible nerve damage with the very specific lines of hot burning sensations down very specific spots in certain positions and how it might always be like that, which makes sense considering what goes into the implant surgery. 
 

I stumbled upon this page while googling question after question and I am so thankful I found yall.