Itching

hello everyone,

i have had my pacemaker now for about 2.5 weeks. i feel so much better now, i don't know how i lived without it. :))))
but i have a question for anyone out there. i know my would is still healing, but has anyone else had trouble with itching around the site. its making me crazy. (not that i have far to go) i know its not infected or anything, the area is not red or anything, but it is bothering me and am so paranoid about touching the area that it aint funny. any suggestions.
also, thanks for the comments on the other posts i have made.

bless you all

pat

9 Comments

Itching

by Ripple - 2007-09-07 06:09:33

Pat,
Itching aound a healing wound or a surgery site is not uncommon. You might want to try one of the ointments that contain benzocane or lidacane as these will reduce the senstivity of the area for a while. Just don't get one that contains steroids. The one I found to be very hepful for me was Lanocane. If you are in doubt about using one of these ask your doctor to name one for you. One thing you don't want to do is reach up and given the area a good scratching in your sleep and get it infected.
Rip

Itching

by hooimom - 2007-09-07 06:09:52

Pat,

I remember my site being quite itchy in the beginning. I was worried about touching my PM site too. It isn't as delicate as we think it is. I had my site "glued" and not stitched so I didn't have to deal with stitches but it was still driving me crazy. I think it is just part of the healing process. It will get better with a little time.

Glad you are feeling better.
Michelle

I know how you wanna scratch!!

by ela-girl - 2007-09-07 10:09:38

Hi, pat!

To be honest...it's been almost a year since my emergency pacer implant and I'm still itching almost every day at the incision site!!! It's mostly just a slight annoyance now, and I just gently pass a kleenex over the area to 'scratch' it. I hear this can be common because the leads can be close the skin and irritate the skin--like I can see a little portion of one of my leads under the incision and it mostly bothers me (itches) at night. I wish I could remember more of what my doctor said so I knew how to explain it to you!

My EP told me absolutely NO creams or vitamin E on the incision or the site until about 2 months out. so, I would call your doctor and check before using anything. I even got a tape rash on the site because I had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic I was taking for a sinus infection a few weeks after surgery. What a bumpy, red, itchy mess I was!

I am glad that you are feeling better overall, though! :)

Let us know how you continue to fare...
ela-girl

Itch & Can't Scratch!

by auntiesamm - 2007-09-08 02:09:44

Hi,
How well I remember those early weeks after my PM and the itching that, like you say, nearly drove me crazy. I had a bit of infection in the incision so had to be extra careful. Cardio said put NOTHING on the area until she says it's okay. I did find that a light massage-like touch around the incision - but not on it - did give some relief. I also took Benadryl when the itching was intense. It is safe but can make one drowsy. For me it worked well.

Now a year and a half later I still itch occasionally. I think it is just the nature of any surgical incision and then maybe because we have a foreign body in that little pocket it intensifies. Again, I use a light circular touch around the incision & it relieves the itching!
Good luck and don't scratch!

Sharon

Scratch lightly

by boatman50 - 2007-09-08 05:09:41

Hi Pat, I also have had itching at the incision, but as time passes by it gets less and less. I was affraid to itch it directly at first so I really just rubbed it through my t shirt. Now I am able to scratch as needed, which is less often. I never did put anything on it.

itching

by jati1965 - 2007-09-08 06:09:49

i find that as well i have ahad my pacemaker for 3 weeks now and have terrible itching especially roungd the plaster edges i just put some antibiotic cream round the plaster edge and it has helped

Itching PM Site

by SMITTY - 2007-09-08 12:09:35

Hello Pat,

I see Old Rip took a break from his nap long enough to comment on the use of something to stop the itching around a pacemaker incision site. I agree that the use of an ointment or some other medication to stop this itching is probably a lower risk than the possible infection from the unconscious scratching of the site.

Although I had invisible sutuers and no bandage on mine, it still itched like the devil. I am assuming my site was covered with some type spray-on or paint-on plastic since I did not have a bandage and I never saw an open incision. I was never hesitant to use whatever was available to stop the itching, so long as I was sure it was sterile. In fact I used both Lanacane and something called Mecuroclear, which was a spray-on solution that contains both an antiseptic and anesthetic, at various times. The one I used depended on how bad the site was itching.

I do agree that when in doubt, contact your doctor for a recommendation.

Good luck,

Smitty

Itchy sometimes

by sweetkozy - 2007-09-10 12:09:26

I have had my PM almost 5 years and it still itches sometimes. I remember it being a lot worse the first couple of months due to it healing. When I end up itching the scar it becomes raised up and red, but goes away shortly after. It has never become infected or anything. It's more of an annoyance than anything and only happens on rare occassions. Hang in there the itch will go away. :)

Just a side note....I also had knee surgery in 97 and those scars still itch to this day. They become raised and look like a couple of mosquito bites, but they have also never become infected or anything else. It's just the joys of having scars. What a pain! :)

Cheers,
Jenny

Itchy Scar

by Sheila - 2007-10-16 06:10:24

I had my PM implanted on 4th July 2007. I have had so much discomfort from it. Been to see the carido and he says it's not inflamed or infected, I should use a cream for stings or bites as this will stop the itching.
My Daughter had a skin graft done on her hand and her plastic surgeon gave her this pressure bandage to stop Keloid Scaring. I have tried this bandage on my scar and what a difference. The itching has calmed down to a little twitch in the evenings, then I rub the cream on top of the bandage and it goes. The prickles have also gone. I couldn't believe the relief the bandage brought to me.
Is it because of the area that has been stitched? I have my PM on the left side of my chest under the collar bone.
Lets hope they find some way of sorting out our itching problem.

keep smiling :)))

Sheila

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I finished 29th in London in 2 hours 20 minutes 30 seconds which is my fastest with or without a device so clearly it didn’t slow me down ! I had no problems apart from some slight chaffing on my scar - more Vaseline next time.