POSITION

i'M ABOUT TO HAVE AND ICD IMPLANT AND TOLD THE DOCTOR THAT I SLEEP ON MY LEFT SIDE (BECAUSE OF A BROKEN NOSE). HE GAVE ME THE OPTION, BUT FOR EVERY OTHER REASON I'D RATHER HAVE IT ON THE RIGHT. ANY OF YOU SLEEP ON THE SIDE WITH THE PM OR ICD AND DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE ?

9 Comments

Hi beauchance,

by Gramps1947 - 2008-12-16 07:12:07

I've had mine since June 28th of this year - I can now sleep on my left side commfortably but couldn't for about 3 mos post implant. Your experience may vary as we are all different.

Best Wishes!

Gramps1947

my thoughts

by aldeer - 2008-12-16 08:12:36

What ever seems to be the most comfortable. If it hurts, change to the other side, and a big pillow that you can wrap your arm around really helps. Mine is now a year old, but I still prefer the opposite side to sleep on. It will get much better over time. Mine is only a little pm.
aldeer

should be fine

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-16 09:12:48

Once you heal, it should not matter which side it's placed on. I sleep almost exclusively on my left side. You'll occasionally see someone posting about prolonged pain from their pm, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Remember that for every one person who posts here with a problem, there are hundreds or even thousands out there who never have a problem. It's the ones with the problems who come here to post.

TraceyE stole my comment..

by turboz24 - 2008-12-16 09:12:52

I was going to say I didn't have a lot of issues with sleeping and my ICD. I tend to sleep on my back, but don't have issues sleeping on my ICD side. Now, if you rub or push it, it's uncomfortable, but just from sleeping on it, no. I guess if I slept with my hand on it or something directly under it it would be uncomfortable, but that rarely happens.

another thought

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-17 06:12:16

Sorry turbo! ;o)

I can't tell from your profile if you're a man or woman... this advice won't help a man... mine is not high on my chest under the collarbone which is the usual location, it's behind the breast. No lump, no visible scar, absolutely no sign of it whatsoever unless I poke around looking for it. The incision was on my left side so I slept on my back the first month or two, but since then I haven't had any soreness issues.

Some surgeons automatically put it just under the skin right under the collarbone, but some will bury it a little lower and deeper. The more you bury it, the longer the recovery but the less you'll notice it once you recover. Just my opinion, but i would opt for putting it deeper before I'd ask for it on the right side. The reason they usually put them on the left is it's closer to your heart so it's a lot less work to get the leads where they need to go. It can, and has, been done on the right, but usually as a last resort when someone can't have it on the left.

And yes, you'll still be able to walk on your hands! But don't try it for at least 6 weeks to give your leads time to grow into place.

I am great with sleeping

by bowlrbob - 2008-12-17 08:12:57

I sleep on the same side as my pacer all the time. I don't even notice it. Now I will warn you I did not sleep on that side for a couple of months. Till everything healed well but now no problem. Bowlrbob

tracy e

by beauchance - 2008-12-17 10:12:32

Thanks to all of you for your comments, especially to tracy for pointing out only those with problem post here. I've been getting daunted by the negatives and suggest that the "perfect" ones, if there are such, post in order to give the rest of us some peace of mind. Incidentally I am a man. Good luck to all. Oh yeah, since I'm about to turn 70 one of my wife's friends said, don't bother....I thought I might like to live longer though so I'm going to go ahead and get it.

perfect

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-18 08:12:52

I'm probably as close to a textbook perfect case as you'll get. My story is obnoxiously positive so I'll tell it to you. My hr had dropped into the 20's before I got the pm, I was constantly dizzy and regularly had blue lips (can you say procrastinated too long?!). I mentioned the blue lips to the nurse at my cardiologist's office and found myself in emergency surgery an hour later. I woke up feeling like I'd had a few pots of coffee, jazzed up on all that oxygen and ready to take on the world! They tried to keep me on bedrest for 24 hrs, my alternate location was an experiment so they were being conservative. By that evening I was driving them crazy to let me pace the halls so they relented and let me up. I never took any pain meds other than Tylenol and I started taking long walks as soon as I got discharged. I never went through the emotional adjustment that so many suffer with. I guess I've always had a healthy self esteem, and I just plain felt too darned good to let anything get me down. By the time I was cleared to do whatever I wanted, I was working out like a fiend and totally addicted to endorphins! I'd never had the energy before to get a good workout. It's 15 yrs later, I'm on my 4th pm, I married and had two kids, I still work out, I've learned to ski and took up hiking. Life is good!

Ignore your wife's friend ;o)

And don't ask for submammary, lol, they'll definitely look at you funny! You can tell them your concerns with placing it on the left and ask that they place it a little lower, possibly a bit deeper, than they usually do. Not everyone coasts through like I did, but not everyone has all the complications you read about here, either.

left side optimism

by beauchance - 2008-12-31 07:12:47

Thanks for the positive comments and avice from all.I'm scheduled for Jan 16.

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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