Pacemaker On 02-24-10
Hi All,
One week after the cardiologist called, I had a Boston Scientific dual-chamber pacemaker inserted for Sinus Pauses. That was last Thursday.
I have dealt with plenty of swelling around the incision and under the arm along with incision pain. I'm still very swollen and this Thursday, the nurse takes off the teri-strips and checks the incision. Inside are sutures, which will dissolve on their own.
I read this several times here, but for 24-years, I have dealt with FIBRO and I do not feel I am more sensitive to pain than anyone else, regardless of the new theory on this health challenge. If anything, I have a higher pain tolerance than most. However the restrictive movement is a problem. I had no idea how much we use our chest muscles to do even the little things in life.
The representative from Boston Scientific was very good about explaining my pacemaker, even if it was 6:30 am in the hospital room. My PM is set for 60-120 range and can be adjusted as needed. The most impressive thing he told me was, 'Your mind and heart will be ready to do things much quicker than your body. You have been inactive for a few years not knowing the cause of your challenges. Now that we have this PM inserted, allow your body 3-months minimum to catch up. Simply start out at your old inactive rate and add a little each day. In 6-months you will feel really good.' I feel he gave some good advice and I plan on paying attention.
The cardiac nurse told me most women can wear tee-shirts without the PM showing through. As swollen as I am still, I have some doubts on this one.
I do have four questions please:
1. I'm still using ice-packs. How long does it take for the swelling to go down?
2. How long does it take to forget you have a PM and use your arms naturally?
3. Can you see the PM through your clothing?
4. Does a PM allow you to live a more active life?
Thanks...Madelen
6 Comments
Richan
by Madelen - 2010-02-10 07:02:01
Thanks for the advice. My youngest competes in all kinds of triathlons as well as being a licensed personal trainer. She laughed when I told her, 'It's the jogging and swimming I have to give up for 6-weeks, which will really bother me.'
All I want to do is get back to normal activities which include walking, playing with grandkids, homemaking chores, mild exercises, and riding a bike. I had knee replacement in 2003, and I actually forget about them until I try to get down on the floor. I can get down, but the getting up isn't a pretty sight.
Thanks again...Madelen
TraceyE
by Madelen - 2010-02-10 07:02:21
Thank you for the good advice. I am seeing some difference just walking from room to room. It's possible I started having Sinus Pauses/Arrest around 2006, for that is when everything health wise went downhill.
No swollen ankles, easier to breath period, easier to walk around the house. Tomorrow I get the incision checked and PT made for the AFIB.
We all have a little vanity. I don't mind the scar or it being there, but I do hope the PM isn't noticeable through my clothing.
At this time, swelling is significant enough to make sponge baths a challenge. Washing my hair over the sink with one hand is a challenge. But, hey, I'm getting it done.
Thanks again...Madelen
healing
by Tracey_E - 2010-02-10 08:02:37
1. I'd ask the dr. I've never used ice, the swelling has always gone away on its own. The one time it lingered, they told me heat. (I'm on my 4th!)
2. Forgetting it? Some people never forget about it and obsess over it forever, some of us never give it a thought and get on with our lives. We're all different. I thought about it a lot the first few months as I got used to having a higher hr, by 6 mos I forgot it was there.
Arm movement should be back to normal at 6 weeks. You can do regular activity with your arm now within reason, just don't lift and don't raise it over your head and don't do anything vigorous like swing a golf club. Anything else is fine!
3. You shouldn't! It depends on your build and where the surgeon put it.
4. It depends on why you got it. Were you getting little pauses every now and then or was it happening regularly? If it's just occasional, then most of the time you should feel about the same but you'll be safer now. If the pauses happened all the time and were making you tired, then you should feel a difference. I have 3rd degree av block and my hr went from the 20's to a normal rate in the 60's. The first few months it was like mainlining coffee, I was working out twice a day just to burn off enough energy to sleep at night. That's a bit extreme, not everyone has such a drastic change!
hair
by Tracey_E - 2010-02-10 09:02:28
I had mine replaced and got a new lead two weeks ago so I'm under the same restrictions as when I got my first one. For the first week, I went to my hairdresser and let her do it! It's just not worth the trouble trying to do it one handed over a sink. Once I could get the tape wet and take a real shower, I perfected leaning my head to the side and washing it without raising my left arm too high.
If you have that much swelling, you might want to ask the dr to take a peek at it. If it's red or streaky it needs to be seen immediately.
I found a big improvement in my overall health once I got my first pm. Again, not everyone sees a huge difference, but poor circulation affects all of our organs.
Go ahead and start walking now! Just take it easy to start out and work back into your old routine slowly. I went to the gym for the first time today. I didn't push it or do anything with weights, but I got a good 20 min of cardio in and it felt great.
It's very rare to be noticeable through clothing. It'll settle into place as the swelling goes down and you heal.
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Post Insertion
by richan - 2010-02-10 02:02:59
Hi Madelen,
Like TraceyE, I never used ice, the first time and now (just replaced my old one) no ice. I'm still a little sore and find that I don't quite have full range of motion during swimming work-outs (scar tissue likes to shrink).
I rarely forget that it is there - some times it is "in the way" (swimming). I can feel that "lump" under my skin without touching the area. Tracey E is right, we all respond to "foreign objects" differently. I don't think anyone can see that I have a PM when I am dressed.
I think that eventually your cardiologist will have your PM adjusted to your lifestyle. I have to use mine another 2 weeks; then, I can schedule to go in and have them tune it a bit. My last one, I went in several times over about 8-10 months for "tuning". They like to only change one or two variables at a time so that they can tell which change worked. It is really quite a piece of technology. They are constantly being improved upon; kind of like computers - you buy one at the store and it is already obsolete!!!
I hope things go well for you,
Richan