A little advice please...

I've had my pacemaker for nearly 3 months now, the only thing is I can feel it all the time. If I move my arm close to my chest it feels really uncomfortable. It creeps me out a lot too - having a hard patch under my skin. I was just wondering how long it actually feels uncomfortable for before you get used to it. Any advice or experiences are much appritiated!

9 Comments

Depends

by ElectricFrank - 2010-03-29 01:03:45

You don't seem to be describing any pain from the pacer area so things are going well. I don't have any great ideas on how to get over having it spook you. It's funny how things like this can affect us. One person I showed my old pacer to was really grossed out by it. Heck, its just a piece of metal that she would likely wear on a chain around her neck if she didn't know it was a pacemaker.

Mine doesn't bother me any more that a watch on my wrist.

Just look at your pacer as a mysterious piece of jewelry. By the time you are my age you will likely have an iPod implanted in your brain to communicate with your friends directly.

enjoy,

frank

Thanks :)

by Charli - 2010-03-29 01:03:53

I'm feeling a bit better about it now. It'll probably creep me out for years but it's good to know it will start to feel more part of me! Thank you so much! :)

hope this helps

by SimplyBoundless - 2010-03-29 04:03:38

I have a friend who has had a PM for a number of years now and he said it took about a year +/- before it felt like it was part of his body and felt normal. I've only had mine for about 3 weeks and am hoping it doesn't take that long myself. But if it does, I'll deal with it.

1st paragraph of my message (it was left off)

by at120uk - 2010-03-29 05:03:01

I could feel the wires when I bent forward, like a crinkling feeling but it went after a while. That was with my 1st PM (on my 2nd and due to have a 3rd put in).

Hi

by at120uk - 2010-03-29 05:03:11


I used to get a pain where the wires go into the artery, but that went too. eventually you almost forget you have one fitted.

I wasn`t happy about having one either, It got me “down” and there’s the feeling of being very “mortal” . Also being single I met a girl and it took me ages to tell her I had one, I thought once I told her she would run-a-mile...but she just laughed at me for being stupid.

The PM is put in the shoulder muscle to try and give it some protection I think. 3 months is early days yet, give it a chance, but bring it up next time you see your cardiologist. We all seem to deal with it, after all you are better off with it than without it.
Also whatever side its fitted, don`t over stretch that arm out too much.

How many times do you read about a perfectly healthy person being found dead in the chair, when it transpires that they were in the same boat as us and needed a PM but unfortunately for them, their condition wasn`t recognised.
I just look at my PM as an “insurance policy”.

Hope you start to feel better about it...Welcome to the club.

Charli

by LS - 2010-03-29 08:03:42

It creeps me out too. LOL Not sure why? I just shudder at the thought of it inder my skin. Add to that Franks description of sliding something under a chicken breast & I really get the willies! LOL
I'm hoping in time I don't even think about it.
What Renee & Frank posted sure is food for thought.
Liz

Hi Charli

by nat36 - 2010-03-29 12:03:30

I have had my pacemaker about ten months now and know exactly what you mean. It does get better in time. The first few months are the worst but then it seems to kind of settle in and it does not feel as uncomfortable when you move your arm close to it. It has not gone completely away for me but I can sleep on that side now and I couldn't for quite a while. It still creeps me out if I think about it but trust me it does get better:)
Good luck!

Back to cruz...

by Charli - 2010-03-30 02:03:26

It's only 6 to 8 weeks for lifting the arm up, but for a while after you're supposed to be careful so you don't pull the wires out of place. My Cardiologist told me that it can take up to a year before the wires are fully settled!
I'm not sure about the long term though...

Curious

by cruz - 2010-03-30 09:03:08

I'm 4 weeks with first one. I'm very slim, and so you can clearly see the outline. It creeps me out too and is still in the uncomfortable stage. Question: I thought I was only to avoid reaching over my head for 6-8 weeks. Is this forever? The scar looks like it will be barely noticeable but the lump is quite noticeable. A guy at work had the same thing and I could barely notice his so I was expecting the same thing. NOT.

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