It’s been over a year now, and my ICD has a substantial scar and the device is raised. Before the procedure, the Doctor told me it would eventually settle down and the scar wouldn’t even be noticeable or a very little line from the insertion location, but after a year and it not settling down.   I asked him about it and he didn’t even look at it...he just said it’s still a new thing for younger people and each case is a little different, not what you want to hear. Does anyone else have a significant raised spot?

 

 

I think that almost everyone who as an ICD implanted just under the skin has it sticking up to some extent. I know poeple say it will "settle", but when my inflamation from surgery went away, it actually got worse, the scar is wide, stretched out, and the device protrudes more than 1/4" an inch.

The only way you are really not going to see it is if it's implanted under the breast (obviously for women), or under the pec-major. My current EP plans on relocating mine once it's due for replacement.

Oh, and with my first Doc, I got the attitude, that he really didn't seem to care that he did a sloppy job and that it bothered me that it was so obvious. One of the reasons I no longer see that doctor.

 

Mine is what I call HUGE! It has been that way since implant on 9/11/09. I was never told about any "settling down" but I can tell you mine looks like an 80's pager is under my skin.

Just something I will have to live with.

:-)

 

I had two in nine years .It sticks up some & I wear formals several times per year. It does not bother me- my badge of life. I survived Cardiac Arrest took six shots of juice with intubated tube. I am happy to be alive . Its my angel sitting on my shoulder.
It was a life changing experience - I live one day at a time- go with the flow of life.
And I don't make promises either...

 

They put a chest top computer in your shoulder. The doctor lied, you can't hide something that big. The only place I can see them being able to hide it, might be a bit uncomfortable when you sit.

 

Hopefully the next generation are smaller. My scar is big too.