New to all this

Hi
I am brand new to all this and very happy I found this club. I just got my pacemaker 4 days ago and am still getting use to the idea.
I will see the surgeon in 3 days to check the incision. All is well except I experience a little numbness in my left arm, the side my PM was implanted. Is this normal? I think I am just being a little paranoid but thought I should ask you folks that have been through it. Thanks so much for your info and help and for this site.
Howard Fisher

5 Comments

paranoid is normal!

by Tracey_E - 2010-03-21 06:03:54

It's normal to be hyper aware of your heart and every little symptom! It will go away with time as you heal and get back to feeling good again. Sometimes they hit a nerve or moved you a funky way during the procedure that leaves your arm feeling numb/sore for a bit. When in doubt, call your dr and ask. Any redness/swelling/heat around the incision, chest pain or pressure or dizzy/lightheadedness is a reason to be seen immediately.

Welcome to the club!!!!

by harley63 - 2010-03-21 09:03:11

Howdy - The Fish....

Hope the appointment with the surgeon goes well and that the numbness is less. Never can tell what that could be from, so it's best to have it checked out. Hopefully it will be nothing.

Two days after my pacer was placed I woke up from a nap with numbness in the lower lip at the left corner which seemed to extend to my ear lobe. After being urgently admitted back to the hospital and a battery of test, they said that my pacer 'must' be hitting a nerve that feeds that region of my face. I was not sure I bought that and spent alot of time looking in the mirror to see if I was drooling when it occured again. I've just passed the 3 year mark from pacer implant and still have the lower lip numbness extended over to the left ear lobe. It comes and goes. It's my reminder that I have internal bling bling!

Welcome to the club. Hope that all ends up well and that you have a speedy recovery.

Harley63

numbness

by MAXI1439 - 2010-03-21 10:03:43

I had my pacemaker implanted on 2/4/10 and also have experienced some numbness top part of left arm into front of shoulder. When I went for my first check my surgeon said it was not in the usual place, but some numbness can occur during this procedure. My internist agreed.

They think my main problem was that being full busted and having to have my "boob" taped down for an extensive period of time it pulled the nerves and muscles. Just make sure you ask your doctor about the numbness during your checkup. If it is really bothering you that much, put in a call and ask about it before your appointment.

I have learned from my friends on this site that if something doesn't seem right to you, after all it is your body, don't wait to get it checked.

Many of us have had that paranoid feeling. I don't know the reason for your pacemaker, or if you have any heart issues besides needing to be paced. If you do then I suggest putting in that call and getting the numbness checked out sooner than later.

Hope this helped.

Thanks

by The Fish - 2010-03-21 11:03:51

Hi and thanks for your thoughts and comments. I don't have any other heart condition other than Bradycardia which they just discovered after a few fainting spells. It makes me feel better just to be able to have people like you care and respond. What a good club and I am so glad I found it accidentally. Again, thank you very much. I will get it checked out on Wed. when I see the surgeon and my GP. Sooner if it doesn't clear up on it's own.
Howard

Numbness

by ElectricFrank - 2010-03-22 02:03:56

Just keep in mind that you were pretty well sliced and diced so a little nerve sensation isn't unusual. The most brutal part of the implant is when they make the pocket under your skin. I like to describe it as tearing the skin off a chicken breast. I was wide awake when I had my implant and could feel it (no pain, just pressure).

One thing that helps is to avoid sleeping on the pacemaker side until the initial inflammation settles down. It also helps to put a pillow in front of you to rest the upper arm on. Both of these keep from squeezing the pocket area. I suspect that some of the nerve pain or numbness is from prolonged pressure during sleep. When we are awake we take better care of it.

frank

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