Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Nervous about a pacer change!

Hey guys! New here. Thought it would be helpful to hear other peoples experience with pacer changes / surgeries to help me ease anxiety. 

Heart block since birth, pacemaker inserted when i was 2 months old. Last time I got a pacer change was when I was 7 in 2001, it has been a long time since it has been touched! It was also changed in a different country to where I am now, Philippines in fact, so I know that there are lots of technology changes that has happened. I'm...

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Questions for surgeon

Hi everyone,

I think this is the greatest site ever for those of us who have or plan to have devices to help them. I'm 91 years old and on my 4th dual chamber pacer. The last one was placed in March, 2020. Recent cardio testing (Echo's etc) have shown the need for a biventricular pacer. I'm convinced this may help because I do have shortness of breath, sweollen legs and ankles and the tests show 45 percent fluid in my lungs. I have cardomyopathy and controlled glaucoma and k...

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New Bruise

All of a sudden today a brusie or red blob showed up under left breast.

Hade PM installed two weeks ago today.

Sent to Cardiologist a picture just now, but it is night here, so will not hear back probably until tomorrow.

Surgeon did say something about blood settlng down below the incision, but this does not sound like what he meant

Has anyone else experienced something like this

Thanks

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Pacemaker Club - post Pacemaker/ICD Implant Pain Survey

Dear Members,

Over recent months, several members of the Pacemaker Club have expressed a wish to know how many of us experienced pain following implant of our devices, the nature and extent of that pain and how it affected different age groups and gender.   

A survey has now been set up with the kind help of Club members and the link to the survey is given below.  The survey is confidential and will not be used for marketing.  All members irrespective of w...

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PM juts out into armpit

Hello all,

Appreciate you all sharing your experiences. 

First PM (Medtronic) on 10/6/21 for bradycardia since birth (now 65).  Previously believed it was due to me being an athlete with usual daily range 30-59.  98 while doing 35 mins on stationery bicycle.

I am both petite & slim.  Also have very thin skin from 35 years of Prednisone therapy.   EP picked the only area with some padding which very close to the top of armpit.  I also ha...

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Pain

Hello everyone.

I had my pacemaker fitted 8 weeks ago. All is fine except I am still suffering from pain in the shoulder and around the area of the pacemaker. It is worae6at night when in bed. Is this normal.? I would have thought the pain would have gone by now. All bruising has disappeared but the pain remains. Any help would be good. Thanks. Myles.

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Surgery to move existing pacemaker deeper in chest

Hi everyone,

I'm 91 years old, I'm new to this group and had my 4th pacer placed (Medtronic) almost 2 years ago using the existing leads(not metronic) which are almost 35 years old. It's a dual chamber pacer. Two weeks ago I visited a vein doctor to discuss my leg swelling. He gave me some advice which was helpful and he also took a look at my pacer. He is a well known cardiac thoracic surgeon at a hospital that specializes in heart conditions and heart surgery. He's not...

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Pacemaker Club - post Pacemaker/ICD Implant Pain Survey

Dear Members,

Over recent months, several members of the Pacemaker Club have expressed a wish to know how many of us experienced pain following implant of our devices, the nature and extent of that pain and how it affected different age groups and gender.   

A survey has now been set up with the kind help of Club members and the link to the survey is given below.  The survey is confidential and will not be used for marketing.  All members irrespective of w...

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First night sleeping questions

Just came back from ICD implant. Had my surgery at 6AM in NYC. Out by 2:30PM. Was relatively quick and was out the whole time. I have some soreness and was wondering if I can sleep on my right side. 

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recovery concerns

I had my icd implanted on sept 28th.  I was also put on a beta blocker and a blood thinner.  Blood thinner began on oct 2nd to let wound somewhat heal first.

over the past couple of days I've been feeling achey and skin sensitivity.  Like I have the flu, but I don't  have a fever.  

Maybe I'm just stressed and that's what's causing this.  But can anyone else describe how long it took them tonrecocer from surgery?

&n...

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Pacemaker Club - post Pacemaker/ICD Implant Pain Survey

Dear Members,

Over recent months, several members of the Pacemaker Club have expressed a wish to know how many of us experienced pain following implant of our devices, the nature and extent of that pain and how it affected different age groups and gender.   

A survey has now been set up with the kind help of Club members and the link to the survey is given below.  The survey is confidential and will not be used for marketing.  All members irrespective of w...

Read More...

Post Surgery for t-shirt wearing gal

So I live in t-shirts. They are cheap and comfortable. I don't really own any other kind of shirt that I would consider comfortable for recuperation. They are planning to implant a CRT-D on Oct 22. Do I spend the next month learning how to put on a t-shirt one  handed without lifting my left arm?  This will be my first experience with a cardiac device. 
Thanks in advance for any insights. 
Stevi

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Do I really need a pace maker?

I was born with a large heart which my pediatrician said I grew into.  My Heart rate was 42 as a kid  and is now 30.   I have no symptoms.  I am not tired, I play golf 5 times a week and I feel fine.  I passed out once 25 years ago but after a doctor visit they had no answers.  I now believe that was when my heart was slowing from 42 to 30  because there were times I felt dizzy.  I was in the Army I could run 35 miles a week.  Anyway I just tu...

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Pacemaker

How your pacemaker has affected their lives in positive or negative ways? 

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New PM muscle twitch/spasm with each heartbeat

Hi. I just received my first PM, a Medtronic Percepta Quad biventricular 3 lead CRT-P device. It was implanted this past Wednesday, Sept 22nd. Since I woke from the surgery, I have noticed that every heartbeat causes my abdomen and chest to twitch or jump. I had mentioned this to the nurses while I was in the hospital, and none of them seemed concerned. Today, after poking around online, I don't think it's normal. So I contacted my EP this moring to ask if this was normal thing or not...

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Recovery & Granddaughter

My first PM is schedule for Nov. 1 for bradycardia.  My husband and I (65 years old) watch our 4 year old granddaughter after school (2:30 to 4:30 PM) two-three days a week.  My question is would I feel well enough to have her here about 2 days after the surgery?   My husband would drive to go get her.     My husband will be here for any lifting and other things I may not be up to doing.   I figured as long as he is here it shou...

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Pacemaker Club - post Pacemaker/ICD Implant Pain Survey

Dear Members,

Over recent months, several members of the Pacemaker Club have expressed a wish to know how many of us experienced pain following implant of our devices, the nature and extent of that pain and how it affected different age groups and gender.   

A survey has now been set up with the kind help of Club members and the link to the survey is given below.  The survey is confidential and will not be used for marketing.  All members irrespective of w...

Read More...

First pacemaker coming up!

Hello, I am 23 years old and I have my pacemaker implant soon on Oct 6th. I was born with situs invertus and lived a very normal life, never had problems I just knew that my heart was on the right side and the organs as well. I live in Canada now and 5 years ago found out I have bradycardia (I was born with bradycardia apparently but never felt it or knew) so now Im told that Im going to have a pacemaker implant. I want to do it under the pectoral muscle because I dont want to see it tbh and...

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Nervous…

So I have a gen change this coming week and to say I've been anxious and nervous would be an understatement. I went from them telling me I had 6 months left on my battery in July to them saying I had 3 months left in Sept to calling last week after I was woken up out of a dead sleep from the most awful feeling double bass drum in my chest saying my surgery is next week. 
 

At this point I know they're not telling me everything, which they never do... but I can'...

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Day 8 post gen replacement and more fatigued now than I was in the beginning

Hi all, I posted here before but I'll repeat relevant information. I'm 59 and had my first pacemaker implanted when I was 41. Last Wednesday, September 8th, I had my second generator replacement. This time, they put in a different PM. I've suffered from fatigue ever since I had the first one implanted. The thinking back then was that this was due to dusautonomia which I was diagnosed with later. However that is pretty much resolved and I remained fatigued, extremely! And I spoke w...

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My pacemaker has ultimately saved mine and my unborn child’s life for which I am thankful.