Fibrillation/impulse under scar
- by Manolo
- 2024-08-07 21:17:28
- Complications
- 213 views
- 2 comments
Hello, hope you are all fine.
I am having an issue with my pacemaker.Its a dual lead and i feel many times throughout the day fibrillations or impulses as you may call it right under the scar that last for about a minute. Touching my chest i realized the leads go under the scar and i can feel them with my fingers. Electrophysiologist told me the PM is in perfect condition and parameters are correct and stimulation is perfect. I had the PM implanted under the upper pectoral because i am skinny and the surgeon did me a favor for it to be more aesthetic. I am from a small city and i do my surgeries on Favaloro Institute wich is in Buenos Aires city. I got an appointment with an electrophysiologist there since they may find a solution to this because they deal with more patients than any other place.
Has anyone experienced anything similar? Could it be the lead? But in that case the PM should be misfunctioning and its not. Also doctor told me is pretty unusual for leads to break.
2 Comments
I know the sensations well
by Gemita - 2024-08-08 05:50:57
Manolo, hello from the UK. We have family in Mar del Plata, Argentina and have visited them and your beautiful country several times. I am fine, thank you, but getting older and I cannot do anything about that.
I hope other than your fibrillating/pulsing sensations you are feeling relatively symptom free? If your leads were malfunctioning, I would expect you to be having worsening symptoms from your heart condition.
When we first have our implants, we may experience all manner of sensations until our devices settle and our hearts get used to being paced. How long have you had your current device? Although the implant procedure may not be major surgery, it is invasive surgery and our surgeons may disturb delicate nerves, muscles and blood vessels during lead and/or device placement or replacement.
We often receive posts about pacemaker sensations following pacemaker implant. Sensations like tapping, fibrillating, fluttering, pulsing, sensing of vibrations of all kinds, muscle twitching, electric shock like sensations and I could go on. And I have experienced them all too, not necessarily always related to my device and implant procedure. Trauma from implant may trigger an adverse response from our own heart and cause additional unwelcome sensations anywhere in the chest, for example a thumping, fibrillating, fluttering chest is often experienced during heart rhythm disturbances.
Our bodies are so complex and we may experience so many unusual pain symptoms following pacemaker implant, sensations that may linger for some of us and need treating. I had a course of neuropathic pain medication for example for a couple of months to ease my unusual nerve pain symptoms.
What is important is that your doctors are fully aware of any symptoms you are getting, have made the necessary checks to rule out device or lead malfunction/movement as the cause for your impulses/fibrillation in the device pocket area and that you are not getting other worrying symptoms?
Remember having a device implanted “deeper” under the pectoral muscle will hurt more and take longer to heal, but the final result should be a favourable one.
Please try not to fiddle with your leads/device in case you cause undue movement leading to potential malfunction. As you are doing, go back to your doctors for help with your sensations to see if anything needs treating? Time is a great healer and I hope you will soon be symptom free
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Sensation
by piglet22 - 2024-08-08 05:32:22
Hello
The key piece of information is whether or not the sensation is in time with your pulse at ,say, your wrist.
If it is, it could be pacemaker related.
If not, it might be something else like a nervous sensation.
I experienced this when the generator changed mode from bipolar to unipolar at a very low battery voltage.
A damaged lead could also leak enough current to stimulate a muscle nearby.
Get it checked.