Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Is this a concern

I am 3 1/2 weeks post pacemaker implant.  I think I am doing well adjusting.  I have my moments.

My surgical sight is healing well. This weekend it seemed to me that I had a little more bulge on one side of my incision sight.  There has always been a little raised area because of the pacemaker.  It just seems a little more pronounced on one side. (not red or sore)  I don't know if I just notice it more now.

Does anyone know if the raised area can chage...

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Ejection Fraction

Hi Everyone,

I had my pacemaker first placed on Halloween October 31st, 2021.  Right before Thanksgiving I had to have a Revision because the top lead had dislodged. For almost 2-months I was having shortness of breath (especially using the stairs), my chronic cough continued and I had gained a lot of water weight.  My PMD wanted to send me to a lung specialist for my cough. Turns out I had heart failure and just before Valentine's Day I had a 2nd Revision as the lead disl...

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Vertigo type symptoms

I am almost 3 weeks with my pacemaker and can definitley say symptoms improve and I have been feeling better.  I read from others that they have similar concerns regarding heart palpitations and feelings of vertigo.  I don't feel experienced enough (yet) to offer much advice to others. I apreciate all the advice and encouragemenet provided to me on this site and can say that patience with letting your body adjust is huge.

I have recently been feeling minor vertigo typ...

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Recent implant

Hi all

im a " newbie " here and had a dual chamber pacemaker fitted 3 days ago 

I suffered from bracycardia and complete heart block .

whilst I'll always be eternally grateful to the hospital and surgical staff - there seems to be a woeful lack of advice and support from the hospital, but this is by no means a negative comment- you all do a great job!

So , surgery / implantation went really well and was back home the same day 

The problem...

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Mitral Valve Repair?

I just turned 36 years old...had a cardiac arrest 3 years ago...had a ICD/pacemaker implanted because I have Arrhythmogenic Mitral Valve Prolapse. I haven't had any shocks from my ICD and I am on 5mg bisoprolol twice a day to control my arrhythmias. Things seemed to be going well...

Fast forward to yesterday - I had my annual appointment with my cardiologist, and even though my mitral valve regurgitation is "mild to moderate", my cardiologist walks into the room...

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Just a reminder that our Survey results can now be viewed

Hello everyone,

We recently completed a Survey to assess patient experience of pain following implantation of cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).  The results can be found in the link below which should be copied and pasted into your main browser to open it.  My thanks again for all your contributions, without which this Study would not have been possible.

Pain from pacemaker and ICD implant surgery remains a problem for some of us both...

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Bullet pacemaker issue

I had surgery yesterday. It has been roughly 12 hours since. Can I sleep on my right side, which is where the surgeon entered my groin? Right now, I'm sleeping on my back and feel like robot lying in a box. I normally sleep on my sides. Thanks,.

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left bundle 3 wire pacemaker

I'm due for my initial pacemaker o March 14 this year. I am 85 and a little nervouse. They recommend a defrib device also, but I said I was too old to spend my day worrying about being kicked to death. I hope this is the correct decision.?     Chuck

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Dermabond over insicion

I had my pacemaker replaced three weeks ago. Surgery went well. I have stitches inside but I have Dermabond covering  the incision. I was wondering  how long you are suppose to leave it over the incision? They did not tell me at the hospital or the doctors office when they removed the outer bandage. It is looking pretty ragged now. Thanks for any advice

Jan from DFW TX

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Battery replacement

I had my pacemaker implanted in 2012 and am now scheduled for a battery replacement on Friday March 11th. I will have Saturday and Sunday to recover and plan to return to work Monday. I work from home and am on the phone/computer for 8 hours. Has anyone needed more than 2 days to recover from a battery replacement? 

I also wanted to know if anyone had originally had pacemaker implanted above the muscle but then had it placed under the muscle during a battery replacement? I always w...

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Newby

I am an active 63 year old female and was in shock to discover I have heart block. Symptoms came on so suddenly; like turning on a light switch. I am only 3 days post op from receiving a pacemaker and on an emotional roller coaster. I know I have so much to learn. Discovering this site yesterday has given me a great sense of relief to learn I am not alone in my feelings. I don't have much more to say at this point except thanks for all being here. I look forward moving forward.

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Survey Results: Post Pacemaker/ICD Implant Pain

Hello everyone,

In case you missed my original message dated 15th February 2022, I am again attaching a Dropbox link to a PDF where you can view the Survey results on post pacemaker/ICD implant pain.  There were 322 respondents and your help has been invaluable.

If any member wishes to comment on the results of the Survey, please feel free to do so in the “Add Comment” section below and thank you to all those who have already commented in private me...

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Sick sinus syndrome from covid

I'm am grateful to find this club and appreciate this opportunity to ask for support and understanding.

I am ten days post operation from receiving a Biotronik Edora 8 dual chamber pacemaker to correct sinus bradycardia caused by covid inflammation. 
I'm 49 years old with no pre existing conditions aside from Pectus Excavatum and sunken breast bone birth defect that was determined unrelated to the bradycardia.

I am vaccinated and have had covid twice, the second...

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Survey results post pacemaker/ICD implant pain

Hello everyone,

As you will know, we have been collecting information about the extent of pain experienced by members following their pacemaker/ICD implant.  The Survey results, which I hope you will find of interest, can now be viewed in the attached dropbox link.  

322 members completed our survey.  Without your help this survey report would not have been possible so I am most grateful to each one of you.

The report author, a valued member of the Pacema...

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Disappointed.

Today I was excited to go in to see the EP and have my pacemaker adjusted. It was over a year since the last adjustment. The excitement was lost when I learned that some of the symptoms I thought were from an unadjusted pm turned out to be a new or additonal heart condition. Seven years ago I was first diagnosed with atrial flutter. I put off having an ablastion for 5 years. However, by the time I was ready to have the procedure I needed a pacemaker and cardioversion. Symptoms that I thought...

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5 AT/AF Events since October ICD implant

Hello,

Since my ICD implant in October I've had 5 AT/AF events recorded. Episodes appear to be AT/AF. Longest on 01/04/2022 for a duration of 01 minute and 56 seconds. 

Is this considered ok ? My doctors haven't really responded to me. This data was sent over to me electronically via my iPhone's app during a routine remote interrogation. 

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On the transplant waiting list

So, I am now officially on the routine heart transplant waiting list. 

My SCA was what tipped me over the line to say: yes, put me on the list.

And now I'm just living my life as I have been for the last few years, albeit getting some stuff documented so that the lines of communication are clear to everyone if I do get called, and anyone who cat sits knows how stuff in my house works/is organised. My will and Powers of Attorney have been in place a long time, as has my Ad...

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Concerns about Pacemaker surgery

I am a 77 years old pacemaker receipent, who has felt horrible since surgery on Oct 5.  Prior to surgery I did 5 miles on treadmill within 1 hour, now I have a hard time working out. Everyone is using my age as a factor, so if i did 5 miles prior to surgery what is the difference between 76 and 77?  Is anyone out there having similar issues?

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1st PM, 5 weeks in, sub-pectoral implant, have a few questions

5 weeks ago, I had a sub-pectoral PM implant (Biotronik). I seem to be doing pretty well (was asymptomatic before hand, so hard to tell) but have some follow-up questions

1. I have a feeling of pulling at the incision site and it travels to the crook of my underarm. It gets worse with normal daily activity, so by the end of the day it can be bothersome. When will that feeling go away?

2. My scab has fallen off except for a small dot at one end. Is that a stitch? That area is...

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recent pacemaker insertion L111 Boston Scientific

I went to JH in Baltimore to inquire about low BPM alerts on my iwatch. Over a period of two days the watch warned me that my rate was below 40 for 10 minutes or more. Upon further review over the last couple three years my watch generated the same warning sporadically. I called Teledoc and after 8 hours the call was returned, the doctor told me to go to the emergency room. This was after I worked out at my Crossfit box on Sunday. I did half the workout called 12 days of Christmas as a precau...

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You know you're wired when...

You know the difference between hardware and software.

Member Quotes

I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.