What is this strange feeling

Hi, I am new here and I need some coping skills. I had my dual chamber pacemaker put in on February 8th 2017. I was doing all good until about Friday. I have been feeling weird Sensations in my chest like a fluttering feeling almost like what I was feeling before the pacemaker was placed but not as intense. At times it's like somebody is flicking me from the inside then I have this fluttering feeling it's such an insane sensation. I'm constantly worried about if my leads are comeing out, scared I moved wrong. Wondering how am I supposed to know if the Pacemakers working for me properly. How do I cope with the pacemaker the feelings of it these are some of the questions that keep me up late at night. I'm scared I'm scared I'm going to do something wrong to cause a pacemaker not to work right. I'm scared I won't get use to this pacemaker yet my heart feels so much better than it used to. My dual chamber pacemaker was placed due to heart block as well as sick sinus syndrome. I have a metatronic it is set for rate drop at 55 and top rate is 130. I don't know much about my pacemaker, as it is new to me and I only had a couple of appointments. The surgery went well other than having a mild infection where the incision was everything seems to be fine. All but me being able to cope with the weird feelings and the fear that something is going to happen. Can anyone please give me a little bit of relief and maybe some coping skills as well as maybe some ideas that worked for you and things that I can do that might help me thanks. I am a healthy 36 year old. Electronical problems with hearts run in my family, but I am the first to have a peacemaker everyone else takes meds or has had ablations done, that is why I am here seeking help from others who have been in my shoes. 


4 Comments

A little piece of data

by Gotrhythm - 2017-02-27 13:27:52

Everything Iron Will said is good. But I'm guessing you have a mental picture of the leads coming loose and flailing around in your chest and causing the fluttering feeling.

Leads coming loose rarely happens. And here's the good news. Everyday that passes you are less likely to have trouble.You are in less danger today than you were yesterday. You will be in even less tomorrow.

Why? Because just like the scar you have on your chest, on the inside, your body is surrounding the leads with tough, fibrous scar tissue, that will hold the leads. Your body is anchoring the leads into place.

When the fear about your leads tries to come up, think about it. They didn't come loose yesterday, and today it's even less likely., because even more scar tissue has formed. Thank your body for healing well and taking care of you.

Do what Iron Will says. Take care of your body's needs for nutrition, rest, exercise, and recreation. And get on with your life. Your wonderful, feeling better life that you can look forward to having for a long time.

A lot of sensations at first

by Theknotguy - 2017-02-27 13:32:50

You get a lot of sensations at first after receving the PM.  Body has to adjust.  Some of the feelings are due to surgical procedure during implant others are just normal adjustment.  I feel everyone goes through the same feelings.  

Eventually you figure out that if you're still standing upright, breathing normally, and otherwise feeling OK, you're probably OK.  So just hang in there.  

About the only way you can dislodge the leads is by being in a severe car accident.  Then you'd have other problems because of the severity of the accident.  Leads can become unattached on their own but it's rare.  So don't spend time worrying about that because there isn't anything you can do about it anyway.  

I think it was nine months before I got out of the car and walked across the parking lot without thinking about my pacemaker.  Then, since I was on the forum a lot, it was over two years before I quit thinking about it often.  After three years I sometimes forget I even have it.  So your feelings are normal for the amount of time you've had the PM.  

Hope everything else is going well for you.  Hang in there.  

Anxiety

by New2this - 2017-03-04 14:37:00

I have been having a lot of anxiety due to this pacemaker lately. I keep getting this popping like flicking feeling every once in awhile scares me. I'm pretty sure my muscles are hurting as I went to the ER and they said that it was muscles but I thought it was my heart. I have a sharp burning pain by the incision causes me anxiety. My heart rate is just erratic sometimes it's like my pacer is constantly pacing it at 100 beats per minute. I think a lot of my anxiety is not knowing anything about this pacemaker other than it's in me and I go to the doctor and I don't see a doctor I see a nurse and she interrogate that and says everything's fine. Really hoping but I can start coping and start living my life normal again. Thank you all for your kind words it has helped

its all good

by BOBJ - 2017-03-29 13:23:56

Your fears are normal. I think we all have some weird fear. Mine is that it will short out and I will suffer from spontaneous combustion!

I have since got a grip on this. I would let my ep know about any weird sensations because that could be a sign it needs adjusting.

I too have the dual chamber crt-d. On my last visit I asked my device tech if I could scuba dive or would the pressure cause a problem. He said your kidding right? I said no. He advised me that after the leads implant (that 3rd lead the one you are worried about) that the actual number from field trials and clinical trials imply a lead failure rate (all failures including dislodgment) of less than one onethousandth of a percent.

 

 

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