Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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My first PM to be implanted -is it career limiting

I heard today that I will be receiving my first PM on 13 April. It was a bit of a shock at first, but after some reflection of the past 12 months, I realized it is by far the best thing that will happen to me this year.
I have had some irregular heartbeats and it was always a concern to me, so after the EP study of yesterday and the tilt test of today, the doctor gave me the news that I don't really have any other option.

I think the main thing that concerns me is the fact that...

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Nervous for my pacemaker

Hello,

I am a 30 yr old female and I am scheduled to get my pacemaker on Thursday, 4/5/12, and I am very nervous. I have a few questions that I am hoping someone could answer for me.

First, I am an average sized female, if anything I am more on the thin side, and I am scared that you will be able to see the pacemaker budging out of my skin. Am I overreacting?  I googled pictures online (which probably wasn’t a good idea) and the pictures they showed, yo...

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feeling my pacer a lot

Hey everyone, I'm fairly new here, have had my pacer just over two weeks. I feel it a lot more than I thought I would. Sometimes a little shock type feeling, sometimes my heart feels like its beating up in my throat for a beat or two, like when you're really nervous or scared. It's very strange to be so aware of my heart, and it can be kind of uncomfortable. So I have two questions:
Is this a normal sensation? And is it something you get used to?

It's a fairly disconcerting f...

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Returning to Work

Hello, I just got my pacemaker about 4 days ago. I am 42 y/o the nurses in the hospital kept saying I am too young--I think it upset my wife--she didn't like the comments. I am adjusting --I have a great and supportive wife. I am in pain right now---I am taking some over the counter tablets for the pain. My question is --When is the typical time to return to work. My wife took me for a ride yesterday to enjoy the weather---the route we took was very bumpy and thus my pain has increase--I wa...

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Joined the team 3/29/12-My experiences leading up

I did a great amount of reading here before my pacemaker was inserted on 3/29.

Here is my chance to give back to someone who might be wondering what my experience was like and for someone pondering if this is the right approach to take to help your quality of life.

I am an active 46 year old man- or was fairly active, getting slowed down the past few years by the normal fatigue that I thought was "old age" (ridiculous to think that I thought an early 40's male is old age e...

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What to expect, PMsurgery in less than a month

Hello, im 22 years old and was just diagnosed with a 3rd degree Av block 2 leaky valves and an enlarged heart (they're assuming i was born with) im new to here and the idea of a pacemaker as ive never met anyone with one.but I guess im just looking for any kind of input to know what to expect, how i will feel, what will, happen, what i cant do after i have a pacemaker, how long i will have to be out school and work, how long before i can pick up my 2 year old, how to adjust to having a pacemak...

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Hello, How long out of college?

Hello, My name is Lizz im 22 getting a pacemaker April 20th, and Im wondering if anyone knows how long I will need to stay out of school? I just registered for Spring quarter and my surgery is a week after the first day of the quarter, and i dont think i can just ditch a quarter after registering cus of financial aid so i was wondering about how long i would be missing. and also how do you feel after surgery how painful is it i have a 2 year old and i was already told i cant pick him up for a wh...

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sss after surgery

this question really is not about the actual heart surgery, I was just wondering if anyone developed sss shortly after a surgery other then heart surgery,that required general anesthisa. I had not had any indications of heart problems and my preop EKG for wrist surgery all was normal 10 days after the surgery I was getting a pacemaker. so I guess I am wondering if anyone else has had this occur or have heard of it happening.

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Any CRT-D implant experiences to share...

Hi Everyone,

Just joined the club, but have been an avid reader for the past several months.

I’d like to thank all those who provide intelligent, thoughtful and personal insight in responding to members posts. I’ve really learned a lot….so thank you.

I ‘d like to know if there are any members who have or know someone who has had a CRT-D implanted and how are you/they are currently doing. Have you had an increase in EF?

I’m a 48 year old male who was...

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TAKING OFF PACEMAKER?

Hi all

I wanna ask if anyone ever take off your pacemaker because you have recovered. Please share your stories :)

And if anyone know someone that have recovered, taking off their PM, please give me web link , so I can click their page.

THANKS :)
have a nice day

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does anyone ever experience STEM CELLS?

Hi

I've searched about this topic and there isn't one postings on 2012

I'm a 16 years old pacemaker user, and still hoping for recovery
(I'm having a pacemaker because a Bradycardia - low heart rate)

Recently my mom has being told by her clinic doctor that STEM CELLS might rebuild weak/dead heart muscle. My mom is curious but the doctor only knew some STEM CELL's patient but not for heart muscle, only for beauty needs (anti-aging)
Of course I'm looking...

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Strange sensation

Hi all, I was discharged from Papworth hospital two weeks ago this coming Wednesday after a total pacemaker extraction went wrong and ended up having life saving open heart surgery as well as a new pacemaker put in. For just under two weeks I have had this strange bubbly sensation on the right side of my back that sometimes spreads on to my side and can then feel through my chest. It's only when I am in certain sitting positions that I can feel it and it is not painful, just uncomfortable. I wen...

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Newbie

A week and a half ago, I was admitted to the hospital with complications from sinus surgery and pneumonia. Three days later I was told I had to have a pacemaker. You can well imagine my shock. I was in the hospital for 8 days - which included additional sinus surgery. To my shock, when I was released from the hospital, I found out that my Internst quit his practice and I have no regular doctor for follow up care. I have yet to be assigned a doctor by U.C. Davis Medical Center. They say...

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All Healed

Hi, I've been busy but just got around to reading some of the new posts. I am happy to report that I am almost 100% healed from my 3rd pacemaker surgery. It's almost 4 weeks since the surgery. Because I only had the pacemaker replaced & not the leads, I had a quick recovery, although I had to take precautions the first 2-3 weeks. Like not lifting my arm over my head, doing arm exercises, not lifting heavy packages with my left hand -- pacemaker is on my left since I'm right-handed. When I r...

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Help- advice for a sore 27 years old

Hi all
My first post so be kind !

Had my PM fitted on 27th Feb 2012 due to cardioinhibitory vasovagal syndrome in which my heart rate would slow and suddenly stop causing blackouts

I was very sore for a week after the op, however this subsided with the bruising

its now three weeks on , i have been off work and have been taking it steady however i seem to be in more pain and discomfort now - muscular type pain

Unsure if this is due to laying on eit...

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post gallbladder sugery

Hi all, my name is Ashley; I am 22.  I have had my pacemaker since 12/19/2001 and on Oct 28, 2011 I had my gallbladder removed and about 4 months later I did end up in the local ER with on and off fevers and pacemaker pain ... I ended up having an infection ... now that the infection is gone my question is why does my pacemaker still hurt?

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Hmmmm...

I've been through pretty much all the stuff. However, I have a replacement scheduled the day before St.Patrick's Day and was just curious, I have the same lead that I had like twenty years ago. Will they change it? Obviously, questions I haven't had an opportunity to ask my surgeon.

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SCAR PAIN

HI, I AM HAPPY TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS SITE WHERE I CAN CHAT WITH EVERYDAY PEOPLE, MY QUESTION IS I HAD MY PM INPLANTED ON 1/6/2012 AND I AM FEELING GOOD BUT THE SCAR SOMETIMES BURN OR FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS STICKING ME, DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN AND DOES NOT LAST LONG, QUESTION IS HAS ANYONE ELSE FELT THIS, AND WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT AND WHEN WILL IT GO AWAY, NURSE STATES DONT PUT ANYTHING ON IT AND IT WILL GO AWAY, PLS. ANY HELP OR ADVICE WILL BE HELPFUL. THANKS IN ADVANCE

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CRT-D

I finally have a date and it is ways of but April 13th a friday. Perhaps this iwll be my luck day

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Subpectoral or Subdurmal

Okay so my EP called and wants to move my device from being under the skin to under the muscle. I need some insight to the pros and cons to having it moved. Other than the normal surgery risk.

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You know you're wired when...

Your old device becomes a paper weight for your desk.

Member Quotes

This is my second Christmas with my pacemaker and I am so happy to be with my family.