Hi,

I've been lurking for a couple of days, and I think I've finally found a permanent place to help me stay in tune with my new toy. I am very grateful there are such forums, and appreciate the work put in by our benefactor and helpers. My real name is Bob, and my last name is Ad-----, thus the "bobad". It definitely isn't because I think I'm bad. :)

I'm a male, 59, and was in pretty good health until I got SSS symptoms and a 2 chamber PM on June 3 of 08. Things have been not so great since that day.

First, the left shoulder near the implant site has been very sore since day 1. I figured someone tweaked my arm while I was under sedation.

Due to an "infection" (debatable), the PM had to be removed. I warned everyone to be careful with my arms and shoulders. Well, when I got out of surgery, my worst nightmare was realized. Yes, my right shoulder was almost unusable. My left arm has been hurt for 3 months, and my right arm for 3 days.
Here I sit, trying my best to type without pain or making mistakes. I can't even bathe, dress, or feed myself without help.

My questions are, is this a known problem? Is it caused by the PM anchor, or simply rough surgery?

I'm wondering if the surgery involves hammering on the clavicle, possibly causing damage to my arthritic shoulder joint.

I'll make another post soon asking about the so-called infection.

Many thanks,,,

 

 

Of course the title question should have read "Shoulder Pain", not "Infecton". :)

 

I've had my ICD for 1.5 yrs and my left shoulder is still tender and slightly sore. I doubt it'll change but in my case it's manageable.

Sounds like you have "Frozen Shoulder" on the right. Drs will tell you they have no idea what causes it and on the other hand deny that it has anything to do with the implant but I've heard and experienced it too much to believe that to be true. There are nerve bundles which go to your arms near where surgery site and my suspicion is that they may cause damage as I also deveolped atrophy in my right hand and have frequent numbness in those fingers.

I went to an orthopaedic surgeon who found calcium in the shoulder as well as the frozen shoulder. Spent 2 months in physical therapy and regained some motion but must continuously exercise the right shoulder or the pain and loss of motion comes back. I understand you never regain full range of motion, but I'll tell you none of my open heart surgery compared to the pain level the frozen shoulder caused me..

I suggest you go to WebMD and look up the information on this condition.

Good luck, and sorry I babble

 

Thanks for the reply. So it sounds like the condition is not too unusual.

If the surgery damages nerves to the nearby shoulder, I'm glad they didn't implant it near my head. :)

I wouldn't describe my shoulders as frozen, just very painful to move. When I raise my arms of try to put them behind me, it feels like my triceps are tearing. Ak!

 

Bobad,
Frozen shoulder is progressive ie it gets worse with time. Due to the level of pain, you begin moving the shoulder/arm less and less until it actually is almost immoveable. You can look this up, but you'll find that if you do nothing, the problem resolves itself....in 2 years.

I'm giving you the benefit of my experience as well as others I've talked with, but please see a doctor. If it is frozen shoulder, you can't resolve it by yourself.

Good Luck

 

This may not work, but it has been helpful to several of my friends who have developed the "frozen shoulder" problem.

Try lifting your arm slowly with the palm of your hand forward. Don't overdo it. If this is possible without hitting the pain wall, then use this as a daily exercise. You can also try slowly rotating the palm of your hand while it is lifted up.

I came up with this by monitoring a friends shoulder muscles on biofeedback while he did the movement.

At least from my expereince so far the problem appears in people who have either had recent surgery under anesthesia or who have started a program of exercise at the gym on workout machines. It is being under anesthesia rather than the particular surgery that is involved. They are very careless about flopping your body around since you can't complain. I had my pacer implanted with a local and no anti-anxiety meds. Several times I had to stop them from things like resting an elbow for support on my unsupported shoulder. They didn't like it at all, but I came out of the surgery with no new aches and pains.
At one point they suggested that I needed the anti-anxiety med, but I vigorously reminded them of my wishes and that I wasn't anxious, just wanted them to get off my shoulder or put something under it for support.

frank

 

Just kidding of course. I can't even rotate my palms forward, but can get fairly close. When I try to raise either arm even a little, it feels like my muscles are ripping.

Whatever PM surgery did to me is not trivial. Even after warning them, they either manipulated my arm or damaged a nerve or ligament.

Thanks for the good try Frank. It's very much appreciated.

 

Thanks for the feedback. There may still be some infection in there as well.

frank

 

Hi Bob,
I share your pain unfortunately. I had my first PM implanted 7-31-08 and my second one on 9-16-08. I did learn from one of the cath lab nurses that they sometimes hyper extend your arm during the surgery. I've been using ice packs and getting some relief but can't go without pain meds too long before the pain is excruitiating.
Good Luck to you Bob, hopefully it won't be too long before you start to feel some relief.

Diane

 

It looks like pacer failure and tweaked shoulders are not that uncommon!

I did talk to the cath lab nurses, and they said they never tweak the arms. They place them right beside the body. They promised me they would take special care with my remaining good arm. In fact, it's starting to feel better now, and is already more usable than the first arm (surgery 06-03-08 and 09-08-08). So maybe I will have 1 good arm after all. :)

But how about you? What in the world happened that you had to get your pacer removed so soon?

Best of luck to you and your new pacer!