Waking at night and placement changes?

I had my ICD placed 2 weeks and 2 days ago. First I have noticed waking at 4:30 or 5 am to a racing heart that I can feel beating in my shoulder blade. Has anyone ever felt this? I am also feeling like my device has shifted closer to my sternum. It seems a little more uncomfortable and I thought maybe both new developments were due to the inflammation improving. Any words of advice or experiences?

4 Comments

Get your settings checked

by biker72 - 2010-10-23 01:10:32

You may need an adjustment if your heart is racing when you walk.

jazzy1986

by makeuwell - 2010-10-23 01:10:41

Thanks! That makes me feel better!

moving is normal

by jazzy1986 - 2010-10-23 01:10:53

ICD moving after surgery is normal. Mine did the same. Plus everytime I gain and lose weight it changes position slightly. The icd itself is in a sac, sitting under the skin.

awakening and movement

by Pookie - 2010-10-23 04:10:42

Hi.

If you are awakening at the exact same time each & every night it just may be the "self test" of the pacemaker part of your ICD. Just guessing!!!. If it is happening every night at the same time, you can always ask the PM tech to change the timing of it and perhaps you also need your settings adjusted/tweaked because usually when we get our devices they are implanted with the factory default settings and are not adjusted until you have had time to heal and they will go over all of this with you (or so they should) at your first check up or sometimes called "interrogation" appointment.

Slight shifting or movement of a pacemaker or a defib is normal. However, with that being said, if it moves a lot and is uncomfortable, then talk it over with your doctor.

My pacemaker was placed closer to my sterum or center of my chest (compared to some I've seen placed quite high - up near the collar bone)....my pacemaker obviously had a mind of its own and decided it wanted to migrate all the way across my chest and finally nestled into my armpit. I had to have surgery to reposition it....all because the first doctor didn't sew it into place, he just left it free-float in the too big of a pocket he made. Needless to say, I didn't let him touch me ever again. Since my re-position surgery, my pacemaker has not moved and that surgery was done on April 7th of 2005.

take care,
Pookie

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