Need Advice

Hello Everyone,

Just found this site and am very pleased. I hope that maybe someone can give me some advice. I have had my pacemaker/defibrillator for about 2 months now. Everything is healed and doing well, except this morning I noticed that the incission is sore, seems like on the outside and inside too. There's no redness or swelling. Anyone ever experienced anything like this?

Thanks, Ed

7 Comments

Still sore

by woody - 2010-08-11 11:08:47

I am 3 months & 1 week - mine is still sore around the edges
My DR said that is normal & he told me to quit touching it
Everything else is fine
When I hit 6 months I am going to play softball again
Hang in we will make it

Paul

It should pass

by PiersonMA - 2010-08-11 11:08:48

I had the same problem, what irritated it more is that I sleep on my side. It did go away (I have now had it for exactly 1 year) about 3~4 months into it. It does take time for the pain to go away from any surgery, needless to say the pain is greater with the heart. The problem I continue to expierence (as I said, I sleep on my side) is I sometimes wake up with bruising around the area. It's mild and I prefer that pain over getting shocked (I have been shocked during one occassion, 6 times). The only other inconvience was when the hair on my chest grew back over the pacemaker, it felt like the ends of the roots were pushing out the other side (I know that wasn't happening, but that's how it felt). So, now I regularly shave. Good luck with everything, the pain should go away soon, take care.

Sleeping position

by cruz - 2010-08-11 12:08:01

I'm 7 mons post-implant with my PM/Defib and for the first few months, I slept on my back because it hurt so badly to sleep on my side. I'm now back to sleeping on my side, but still occasionally wake up and my shoulder, arm and chest are sore. I'm not sure what I do during the night, but sometimes I must be scrunching my shoulder up under me to cause the soreness. Doesn't help that we can't fully rotate or reach with the arm and shoulder for 6-8 weeks in the beginning. It has taken more time to get used to this than I thought. I'm female and (thankfully) didn't have the hair on the chest issue, but it did feel like needles at times right over the site. That has gradually ceased. It would have been nice if someone had told me the time frame pror to the procedure but the brochures make it seem like you won't even know it's there after a couple of weeks...liar, liear, pants on fire.

try a memory foam pillow

by jimkirschvink - 2010-08-12 01:08:17

Try a memory foam pillow. They are great. You will get used to sleeping with your PM in no time. Yes, you will need to adjust some. That's life.

Thanks all

by Javlin379 - 2010-08-12 01:08:30

Thank you all so much for the info. I guess I should have given it a little more time, it already seems to be better. I'm sure that I lefted something or stretched the wrong way. Everything is new and sometimes scary so it's good to hear from you guys and know that things are going to be ok. Thanks again and have a great day!!!

sore pacer place

by mendedheart - 2010-08-12 10:08:00

I have my second Metronic in eight years. My spot is still tender. I think that is just the way it will be.
Sometime a pain may shoot threw ,itch or be sore.
I got this one last March 2009.
Good luck

Scar itchy and prickly

by ransdellj@yahoo.com - 2010-11-05 04:11:33

I had my PM surg on May 25th, 2010. I have a raised scar,red and sometimes it is so itchy and feels prickly.I think too that some clothing materials irritat the area...and as the girls know the bra strap can rub the scar at times.
Glad to hear my symptoms from others...my doc doesn't seem too concerned about it. But at times my PM site seems raised a bit and the muscle seems a bit tight...it goes away if I can relax so think it has something to do with "overdoing".
Hope all are doing well...thanks for all the advise.
Jud

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