I had my implantation on Friday May 16th. Recovery has gone well. I returned to work last wednesday and have not had any problems, but I have been taking it easy. Yesterday I jumped right back in to normal work which means a lot of arm movements and some lifting. Last night I noticed alot of pain in my shoulder area. This morning I woke up with pain and the incision site stings almost like the stitches are being pulled apart on the inside. There is no blood or anything like that. I am wondering if this is normal or if I have messed something up. Please help so I can know if I should leave work and go visit my doc.

 

 

When I had my implant I was advised not to raise my arm above shoulder height, not to lift, pull or push with that arm for 6 weeks. Most of the postings on this sight that I have seen agree with that advice.
Were you not given any advice about post implant recovery??
It probably worth getting it checked out and I certainly would not do any more heavy work for a few weeks.

Take care
Chrissie

 

...but you might call your doctor to get a note about restrictions for work. you should NOT be doing what you're doing with that arm! please please be careful, because having had the surgery just a couple of weeks ago, you could EASILY pull the lead(s) by doing so much with that arm.

also, as far as that stinging, stitches-being-yanked-out pain, i still have it at the end of the day, and i'm s/p implantation by...uh. more than three months? my cardiologist says it's normal. :)~

hope that helped.

 

I too had an ICD planted on May 16th; don't lift or use your arm for six weeks! I'm trying to keep my arm in a sling but it's hard but we have to protect the leads until they have time to get implanted solidly. YOu need to talk with your doctor and have him give you a work activity restriction with a time period. My doctor told me that if I did too much and pulled the leads, we had the pleasure to start all over and quite frankly I don't want to do that!

 

Each doctor seems to tell their patients different time periods.
I was told I only had to keep my arm movement restricted for 2 weeks. For 2 weeks, I didn't pick up anything heavier than 10 lbs with my left arm and kept it lower than my shoulder, but after those 2 weeks were up, I was back to normal routine. I was benching over 200 lbs 23 days after my implantation.

I would still discuss it with your doctor, anything that just doesn't seem right, though.

 

I was told to take it easy on my arm after the surgery until my follow up visit which was 1.5 weeks later. At that visit I was given the all clear to return to normal activity with no restrictions. I have noticed the soreness increasing the more and more I push it. I returned to work Wednesday of last week and by Friday I was quite sore. Monday of this week I really pushed myself and went at it hard. I work in a laboratory so there was a lot of shaking flasks and lifting 10 liter jugs. Today the pain has been almost unbearable. I just don't know how to approach the doctor about the pain because they act like I should be feeling totally fine and 100% back to normal and I'm not. Today I really felt like I wasn't ready to be back at work at that capacity.

 

I would check in with your doctor as soon as possible and ask for a evaluation. Perhaps you need an xray to determine if one of your leads has become damaged, or what. I don't think you should feel pretty good, then suddenly feel terrible and sore. Make sure you didn't "tear" something that was healing. The shaking and lifting ~ I wouldn't think would be a good idea...yet...

I know the doctors think the PM's will solve the problems... but it isn't always the case!

Swedeheart