nerve ending

Pacemaker installed Nov.22,2009. Everything has been going well till this past weekend. I had pacemaker checked 1-08-2010. Everything checked out well. But on Sat. 1-09-2010 the place where the pacemaker was installed (left side just below collarbone) it became very very sensitive to touch and shoots pains down my left arm. It feels like nerve endings. Can this be and if this has happened to you what did you do??? This really bothers me. Thank you for any advice given. cjames

8 Comments

Shooting pain

by ElectricFrank - 2010-01-11 01:01:27

There are some fairly noticeable edges where the pacemaker leads enter the pacer that many of us with thin skin have felt. If any of them jabbed a nerve it would sure let you know. Like Pookie mentioned you may have slept on your left shoulder and the pacer moved a bit. Early on on I used to move mine around a bit with my thumb and forefinger if it seemed to be sore.

If it keeps it up check with the doc. It should be comfortable after a few weeks.

frank

I do

by cfritza - 2010-01-11 02:01:05

I had my pacemaker implanted Oct 09 and in the past few weeks I also get pain down my left arm, I work out with weights so I am wondering if maybe because my pacemaker is inserted under my left pectoral muscle that the muscle is pulled. I also get sharp pain with movement of my left arm when I reach behind my lower back (under not over) but it goes away, so I am just waiting to see if it persists and plan on asking about it the next pacer check which should be in a month, So hopefully it will go away for both of us!

It's only been 3 months...

by Pookie - 2010-01-11 02:01:33

and you're already working out with weights...wow.

definitely ask where exactly your pacer was implanted, cuz if it was implanted under your pec muscle, that might explain a lot.

I had my pacer 5 yrs ago, and to this day if I use my left arm in a particular way I still will get a sharp jab or pain or pins & needles down my arm which is really the pacemaker telling me to stop doing that !! lol.

If it doesn't getter any better and only worse, I'd not wait for your pacer check next month...I'd call & see if you can get in earlier. It's up to you, it's your call.

^5 on the working out so soon after surgery.

Pookie

hmmmmmmmm......

by Pookie - 2010-01-11 12:01:20

Hi cjames.

I too had feelings like that when I first had my pacemaker implanted 5 yrs ago.

If it continues and you are really concerned, I'd go to your family doctor or cardiologist and ask for a chest Xray to see if your leads are still in the same place.

Or it could be a pinched nerve. Perhaps you slept on your left shoulder? Anything is possible.

Your best bet is to ask your doctor. But another idea would be to keep a journal if and when it happens again. What you were doing when it happened, how long it lasted, etc.

Having a pacemaker is surgery (altho some docs think it's a minor procedure! good grief) and it will take some time for things to settle in your chest.

When in doubt...get it checked out.

good luck,
Pookie

not a year yet

by Betty H - 2010-01-12 04:01:34

had pacemaker, put in May 8, 2009 and 6 weeks later I woke up it was standing on it end, it was put in on the left side just under skin, so I pushed it down, went To Dr he says it fine,The left arm ,under and around the pacemaker is very painfull I now have a new DR and they are going to move it or take it out all

Thank you!

by cjames - 2010-01-12 11:01:24

Thank you for the comments. It does help. Without this pacemaker.com website, I think I would go crazy. I'm 46 yrs. and eveyone at home that I have talked with after surgery has mentioned how much it has helped their dad,mom, or grandparent all over the age of 75 yrs. I have felt alittle out of place except for this website. Thank you again Pookie, Electric Frank, & cfritza.
p.s.The nerve endings seem to be feeling better. I had slept on my left side, plus I ever so slightly placed a light fixture on corner of pacemaker on Sat.. UGH!!! Have a good week. cjames

emiller95251

by emiller95251 - 2010-01-13 01:01:51

got mine october 09 have very same problem still very sore any lifting over head or even laying on left side not an option. If I roll on it at night it wakes me up. Sleeping pills or tylenol pm or not. Last 30 days numbness in right arm and right hip and leg and numbness in toungue. last 24 months 7 heart caths and 4 stints now pacemaker oct. 09. I rub pacemaker site down before bed with aspercream., it numbs the skin and area and lets me sleep better. Still in mornings or after nap when I sit up it feels as though it moves back into place, very weird feeling, not pain but soreness. Is this usual? and how long till it subsides? Sharp pains under left arm pit too, Dr says all ok and monitor shows no problems, even during total blackouts/seizures or whatever they call them. Internal docotor says alot of it is Crestor med for colesterol so he cut that back and it seems to help (Amiordorne and Coreg have similar side effects too I found out). Another question after 7 heart caths I have pain in groin area and hip, all were done on same side as pains could it be never endings are just now healing or coming back. Sounds like alot of folks have the soreness and nerve ending problems. Hang in there they tell me it will get better with time.

Same thing

by Robert122085 - 2014-08-22 05:08:33

I am having that pain now as we speak and it sucks getting worse every day I'm 31 and don't work out because DR said don't I am about to go to USF and let them check me out and if they find nothing.. There is a doctor in Tennessee that I know that called me personally after a very powerful man told him about my problem and he is very smart graduated first in class at Yale, John Hopkins and Harvard all in electrophysiology so he knows his stuff

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