Broken

Wondering if I got hit in the chest with a descent amount of force and my pacemaker broke or the leads got loose or something... Would I know it? No bleeding, no swelling but I'm really sore and tender there after my daughter got me good by accident. Since I pace about 1% of the time how would I know?

Any thoughts? Thank you as always

8 Comments

Broken

by thomast - 2010-01-04 10:01:32

I do not know about your PM, but if a lead breaks on mine the PM will detect it and start with the audable alarm every 4 hours. At least that is what the Medtronic Tech told me. I would then go in and have it checked out.

Thomas

Would You Know.....

by Pookie - 2010-01-04 10:01:44

Yes......I think.........you might feel something.

You might start to feel yucky again, perhaps even a bit dizzy or extra tired. However, the best way to find out if something is wrong with your pacer is to go into the pacemaker clinic and they will test it.

Electric Frank told me once (If I can get this straight) that if something is wrong with a lead, the impedance numbers would go up. That is why it is so important for us to ask (sometimes demand) a print out at every check up so we can see what is happening with our devices. If a lead was out of place, a simple Xray of your chest could show that as well.

However, I think one would have to be hit pretty darn hard for the pacemaker itself to be broken. The leads, however, at the beginning of recovery, are a bit more fragile.

Best thing I would suggest: ask to be seen at your pacemaker clinic and also ask for that chest Xray. For safety & peace of mind.

Pookie

reply

by cfritza - 2010-01-04 11:01:53

Getting it checked by the pacer clinic would be what I'd do just for the peace of mind.

Hit

by OIMAPRINCESS2477 - 2010-01-05 01:01:12

I have had mine hit many times from my neice and nephew and ive even been shouldered in it by my boyfriend many times because he likes to randomly body slam me on the bed when im in a bad mood cause i think its funny and so far no damage.... It hurts like hell when its first hit but ive never had any problems and all my checks come back normal. But I would call your doctor and ask just to be safe. Expecially if there is any type of bruising at all.... good luck...

Britt<3

I vote for checkup

by pacemaker writer - 2010-01-05 01:01:39

I am not a doc, but since you're not paced much, you might not know if the device was damaged. Some devices have alarms that sound if there is damage to the device, but many do not. If you're to the point that you're wondering about it, I would go in for a checkup. They can probably verify proper operation in a few minutes and then you'd have your peace of mind.

Kids, Grand kids, Step Grand Kids

by donb - 2010-01-05 09:01:12

Talk about pain, seems they all want Grandpa's lap and have a great time doing the head banging right on target to our PM implant site and does it hurt!!! As it's been posted before we should use caution the first couple of months after implants to allow healing. donb

Finding A Damaged Lead

by J.B. - 2010-01-05 12:01:50

Pacing no more than you are you are not likely to be able to determine if you have damaged a lead without a checkup.

The one possibility that I think of that you could find it is to check your heart rate whenever you can and if you find your heart rate below the low set point that could indicate you have a damaged lead.

unalarming

by PreciousDays - 2010-01-17 09:01:25

My alarm didn't do for snoodles when my lead broke - despite the medtronic tech promising me it would chime every four hours - it was quiet as a mouse - despite a very fractured (and therefore not working) lead. Get checked and be well. PD

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