Leads

I got my PM 5 weeks ago. At 4 weeks I was released to raise my arm above my shoulder.  But i have ire dit so much in fear of pulling a lead. So my shoulder is stiff, not frozen shoulder but stiff and still sore if I sue my chest muscles. Sp thsi morning I woke up stretching mg right arm above my head, like reaching for the stars.  Is this concerning. Hiw hard is it to dislodge leads?? My pacer feels low in my chest, but always has and I feel my leads up under my scar, always have. No pain. But I do have these weird skipped beats when I lay down, and relieved when I sit up. Weird u know. I wouldn't describe then as "flutters" but slipped beats, several in a row and can last off and on for a good while. Any suggestions? 

Thanks for reading 

9 Comments

Typo

by AmyV - 2019-04-14 16:44:35

Sorry for the typos.  These symptoms of skipped beats started a few weeks ago. Dr thinks this is just my symptoms until my SA node adjustment in June. I am taking digoxin. As u have atrial tack as well as sick sinus syndrome. 

 

weird feelings

by Tracey_E - 2019-04-14 17:24:25

If a lead is in a bad spot or has moved, they can tell almost immediately when they interrogate.

If you were going to dislodge a lead, it would have been in the first 24-48 hours. Your doctor said it's ok to move, that means it's ok to move. It sounds like you already haven't been moving the arm enough, that's how the shoulder stiffens up. You will not pull it out! It's had 4 weeks of scar tissue holding it in place.

When it pulls in the chest, you are feeling scar tissue, not the leads. The leads start in the heart, come out the vein and are attached to the box. There is usually enough slack that they coil it and tuck it behind the box. No amount of chest movement is going to affect it all the way down in the heart. I know it feels awkward until it fully heals, and it's easy to imagine it pulling out, but it cannot. Have you seen your xrays? If not, ask, it might ease your mind. The leads are not tight between the vein and the box. 

It's more likely weak beats between strong beats than missed beats. 

It's going to take some time to get the meds and settings worked out. I would ask to be seen before June, tho, that's a long time to live with symptoms. Mention to your doctor that it's positional. 

 

Thanks!

by AmyV - 2019-04-14 17:28:37

I have told the nurse. Shesreally not helpful tell me shes never heard of it and that's that. I see my dr in may . I dont like the gap between us. I will have to advocate for myself, I know. Thank you! I'm just praying through this and thankful for my progress! Any issues with tanning beds and pacers? 

 

tanning beds

by Tracey_E - 2019-04-14 19:09:51

They'll give you cancer, but they won't hurt your pacer ;o)

If the nurse did an interrogation, she would have seen if a lead was not pacing. 

Pulling leads

by blowhard - 2019-04-15 05:37:26

Your worry of pulling a lead is normal.The stiff shoulder is also normal.An X Ray or interrogation will prove where the lead end is.These days it is pretty rare for one to be pulled thats for sure.I had exactly the same concerns an questions at the same time.Needless worry in the end.....Just take it easy, let yourself heal, enjoy the rest and you will come up trumps.I was bodyboarding at 5 weeks in small surf. no paddling just kicking to get out the back and no problems.Just started climbing again and now in big surf at 5 months.It went super fast and the rest was fantastic.Good luck!

shoulder stiffnexx

by SamanthaS - 2019-04-15 14:51:02

If your EP okays, acupuncture is great to loosen things up - have the lats and rotator cuff muscles needled - it's amazing!!

Pacer pause

by AmyV - 2019-04-15 23:18:30

So tonight I had all I could stand of the "skipping" my husband is a flight medic and I went to his work and got a EKG, it shows my pacer spiking but followed by a pause. It's getting way more frequent but odd thing is is it is relieved when I stand up. If I give in and sit I have to constantly rock my legs or some kind of activity and it dont seem to happen. As soon as stopped tapping mg leg it starts "skipping. Still waiting for nurse to call. 

Block

by AmyV - 2019-04-26 20:04:37

So I got some answers. I have a block, I dont know what kind and I'm confused on why this has developed after my pacer but I know have my ventricle lead back on due to the block. 

Block

by EilishBow - 2019-04-29 14:10:56

in answer to your block. When I had my pacemaker first put in I only had second degree type two heart block. It then progressed to type three complete block. So I had to have another wire and my settings tweaked to work with the changes. So I wouldn’t worry! At least it is good that they have managed to notice. Now that your ventricle lead is on it will sync with your atrial lead and listen to what the node in the top of your heart is doing and relay it to the bottom so your chambers stay in sync :) 

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