New PM implanted

Hi everyone, I'm new to your club. This will be my first posting. I had my pacemaker implanted on the 13th (thurs.) I still feel a bit weird, I was totally awake for the whole thing. I thought I would be drousy, but no such luck! I did feel the leads going into my heart, and told the Anasgl. that I could, but he said they were nearly finished. My question is: Other than the normal arm and incision pain, does anyone have the pressure feeling? I have a weird feeling in that it almost feels like it is directly below my the middle of my bust. I get a tight feeling and sometimes feel like it is coming right up to my ears and head. I usually jump up and start walking around, because it makes me nervous. It almost feels like a "pressurized feeling". I know that sounds crazy. My husband tells me it is anxiety. I also have had a headache. I do take diabetes, high BP pills and blood thinners because I had a "mini stroke" back in June of this year. I am 49 years old. If anyone out there has had similar feelings, I would sure appreciate your comments. I am so thankful that I found this site, quite accidently actually. There is lots of info here. Thank you all.

7 Comments

New PM

by SMITTY - 2007-09-15 09:09:42

Hello Janice,

Welcome to the PM Club where the truth about pacemakers becomes common knowledge.

Of course we never know what will cause anxiety in a person and your problem could be just that, as your hubby says. However, I’ll put my money on it having something to do with your new pacemaker. These things can affect people ways than most of us can imagine, especially when we first get them.

You see a pacemaker has an almost infinite number of possible settings. When we get our pacemaker the doctor uses the factory setting combined with the changes in these that he bases on his knowledge of the patient. Even with that the chances are less than 50/50 that those initial settings are the ones best for a patient. So, you will have to give your doctor a call and get your pacemaker checked out and don’t be surprised it takes more than one checkup to get things right.

Unfortunately we are led to believe that the doctor can drop that little device in under the skin and run one, two or three wires to our heart and everything will be just fine from then on. Most of us that have a pacemaker know that is not so and as you continue to visit this site and see what people are saying you will probably come to be a believer like the rest of us.

Good luck with your new pacemaker. It can do wonders for you, but it may take a little time to get the full benefit.

Smitty

Healing takes a little time...

by dward - 2007-09-16 01:09:06

I remember having a tight feeling in my chest too. It subsided as the weeks went by. I would bet you will find this too. Smitty is obviousy correct too. I had my PM put in in May and have had adjustments done 3 times, each time it got better.

Healing takes a little time...

by dward - 2007-09-16 01:09:52

I remember having a tight feeling in my chest too. It subsided as the weeks went by. I would bet you will find this too. Smitty is obviousy correct too. I had my PM put in in May and have had adjustments done 3 times, each time it got better.

Newly implanted pacemaker

by peter - 2007-09-16 04:09:23

You are very likely to get wierd sensations , feelings and pain after pacemaker implantation. I was in such pain that it was difficult to get in or out of bed for a week. Some people though say they have no discomfort and want to walk straight out of the hospital! The site has now healed and I only rarely get strange twinges which do not bother me. I think the amount of discomfort could be linked to the size and type of pacemakers and the amount of excess lead that needs to be coiled up and tucked in. In my case quite a lot.. Peter

Welcome!

by randrews - 2007-09-16 06:09:36

I have had my pm for 6 months now and all the wierdness has pretty much stopped. I felt muscle twitches for a long time(lowering the voltage helped), lost my voice for a couple days(It's back now, to my wifes dismay), and suffered alot of anxiety(dealing with that). It takes time to heal. Sometimes lots of time. Get lots of rest, find opportunities to laugh and get checked by a doc when you need to to get piece of mind.
It's called a procedure but its a surgery and it's no small thing. Keep letting us know how you are doing. We have all been there.
Rusyt

Me too!

by lucybell - 2007-09-18 09:09:34

Hi- I had mine put in August 9 of this year. I felt those same tight feelings for a long time. I just recently had them go away. I think what you are feeling is very normal. My doctor suggested taking your heart rate if you are worried something is wrong. If you pulled a lead your heart rate would return to what it was pre-PM. The feeling will go away eventually- just takes some time. Give yourself a break; you just had major surgery! It will take time to heal. I am 27 and know how anxious it makes you- just take it easy and get back to your normal activities. That will really make you feel better! I love to exercise and started right away- it made a huge difference. Best of luck!

the pouch

by tbe7 - 2007-10-01 12:10:32

When you have your first pacer installed the docs
have to create a pouch for it. Mine did this by putting
his entire righthand through an incision in my upper chest and pushing till he made a pouch big enough.
I was awake the entire time so I felt and saw him do it.
It was about 4 weeks before the pain subsided. That was in1992.When I got a new pacer last year they just put it in the same pouch. Meaning a lot less pain.
GOD BLESS.

You know you're wired when...

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Try to concentrate on how you’re able to be active again and feel normal, rather than on having a machine stuck in your body.