Pacemaker

Normal. Give it time!

by M.T. Coffin - 2018-03-29 21:26:08

I am 50 years old and 6 weeks out from my first implant.  I am still having some discomfort at the site but it feels better all the time. I also felt the weight of the device and it took a while to adjust but at 6 weeks I don't notice it anymore. Give yourself time. I'm sure the second surgery makes it a little worse but it will heal and you will start feeling better soon. Give your body and mind time to adjust. Best of luck!

Thanks

by Karinlee - 2018-03-30 14:06:15

Thanks for the encouragement! I wasn’t sure what was normal or not. I’m glad to hear you don’t notice it after 6 weeks. I’ll hang onto that!

Pacemaker discomfort

by Rosalie - 2018-03-30 18:20:56

Hello, Karinlee,

Eight weeks ago I had pacemaker implanted. Yes, I agree the site does still feel uncomfortable to me. Also, at six weeks a suture knot appeared and became inflammed. I was out of town and when I called my EP doc, he panicked and said, "you must be on antibiotics immediately. We may have to remove the device." When I told him I was with my daughter who is a physician, and I said, "she can prescribe antibiotics for me," he was still not too helpful and after urging he said you can be on "keflix." The suture knot had to be removed; there was no infection, however, two weeks later that particular site is still tender.

I, like you, am trying very hard to get used to this device,. I have been returning to yoga and meditation. I hope this helps. Rosalie

Still light headed

by Queen50 - 2018-03-31 00:26:14

I am 4 weeks post op a pace maker implant. I get occasional chest pains 1-2 daily. Is this normal ?  In addition to that , whenever I walk up to the top of the stairs I’m a little dizzy. I don’t get dizzy on the stairs it occurs shortly after I arrive at the top. Is this normal?  I had my pace maker adjusted twice so far. Is this my life from now on?  I’m getting discouraged. 

Getting used to it

by Karinlee - 2018-03-31 09:29:14

Thank you Rosalie for your comment. I think I need to be patient.

I'm awakened  each night when the pacemaker checks itself (I don’t know the medical term) and have a tough time going back to sleep.

I wasn’t expecting these issues.

It gets better

by bposter - 2018-04-02 03:28:58

These pains and dizziness are par for the course from what I can tell, but they'll pass! I'm 2 months in on my second pacer since Dec 2017. A few days after the first one implanted the ventricular lead poked out of my heart and paced my sternum (painful), revision surgery a few days after that. Then a month in, with no swelling or redness, just a tiny hole that didn't close in the wound, they found infection and pulled it all back out. Now on my second pacer, right side this time, and I've had a TON of PVCs this go around. 

On the first implant week four found me feeling much better, this time it was week seven. I was fairly depressed by week five because of it, almost ready to take meds and join a group just because of PVCs. Four surgeries, four ER visits, one of them the perforation. It sucked.

I'm on week 8 now. I feel great, emotionally and physically. Luckily for me my emotional/mental healing operates at high efficiency, not everyone is as lucky and I appreciate what I have. I'm starting to have moments that I forget it's there.

Hang in there! If you're here it's likely something didn't go the way you thought or they said it would. Same for the rest of us. ;)

Read the posts, share the love, and ask anything that comes to mind.

_bp

PS

by bposter - 2018-04-02 03:33:14

PS: Nights are the worst until things start to get better. Eventually you get too tired to not sleep dispute the pain and/or anxiety. Use ice and pain killers. Eventually you don't die and notice the sensations starting to pass. You make it through.

Thanks!

by Karinlee - 2018-04-02 09:51:11

 I appreciate all the encouragement! It seems I’m not alone. It helps tremendously to talk to people who have been there! The medical staff try to be helpful but not having experienced a pacemaker they don’t really understand.

You wont know its there.

by dwelch - 2018-04-09 01:33:03

You WILL get to the point you will forget you have one.  Various activities take various amounts of time.  Sleeping on whatever sides you are used to, may take a bit, might have to sleep just one way for a couple-few weeks.  Driving, washing your hair, lifting things, sports, these will take various amonts of time.

I am on my fifth pacer.  They all take time to heal.  Within weeks you should be most of the way through it.  But on number one you bump it more early on, the pain reminds you its there, but eventually you tend to forget you have it.  

I am now on a three chamber, one A both V's.  if I stand just right and breath out that left lead will also drive a belly muscle and I get belly bumps. Not abnormal for this kind of pacer, if I could make it happen on demand it might be a good party trick...but I cant.  Your situation/story was very scary though, good thing they got you patched up...