Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

Crazy question

This may seem like a crazy question...and I am wanting to call my doc... but then maybe just wait it out till i see him at the end of the month...BUT how long are you suppose to wait before being intimate again??? I mean to be honest..i am NOT use to havinga racing pulse.. I suffered from Brady, HR in the teens to 30's resting..and while moving about i was lucky if i hit the 50s. So this whole racing HR creeps me out some...LOL. I am scared of my HR getting to fast or something and my PM doin...

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Recovery

I had a pacemaker implanted 10 days ago. I still feel some discomfort or tightness in the upper part of my chest when I take a deep breath and short of breath. Is this normal and does this last for awhile? Bob

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plastic surgeons

I had a plastic surgeon clean up the scar tissue around the pocket when I had my last replacement. Insurance did cover it, got the statement yesterday. The last time I had a plastic surgeon (first implant in 93) the dr told me in advance they probably would not pay so I was ready to pay it myself because he was definitely there for cosmetic reasons and not a medical necessity, but the insurance paid that time also without asking questions. This time she was there at the EP's request after I sug...

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What to expect on surgery day

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the support and warm welcomes; I am so thankful to have found this site.

I was just wondering if anyone could kinda give me a run down of what to expect on surgery day? I'm having a morning procedure so they've said that I may get to go home that evening, but other than that I don't know what happens throughout the day that I am there. I think I'd be more at ease knowing what is going to happen.

Thanks!

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slightly better ...:-)

Hi,
Water apparently is still around my heart... Nevertheless, I think I can see a slight improvement even if I am still having difficulty to breath. Just have the impression I can improve my little walk by 1 more minute :-) I am still trying to keep my positive attitude although the recovery is very slow ...yes ... indeed... patience is the key ... It is nevertheless more than 2 months since my PM was implanted ...

So frustrating and diminishing while working and not being like...

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MRSA in pacemaker site

I just spent 28 days in the hospital. I wound up with MRSA in my pacemaker site. After fighting the infection for a week I had to have the pacemaker removed. I had also had epicardial sinus lead placement, so they were really worried about the infection traveling right to my heart. Luckily that didn't happen. I have gotten a new pacemaker/defib on the right side now. They just put it in Tues. I went into the hospital March 5th. Sure was good to get home yesterday. They were unable to pl...

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Back To Work?

A little background. I had a pacemaker put in last December 28th. On December 29, it was discovered that one of the leads had moved so the surgery was redone that day. Almost 2 1/2 months later, I was still experiencing quite a bit of pain so it was decided by my doctor and myself to have a pocket revision, so on March 10th, I had the surgery for that. The pacemaker was taken out and part of the leads repositioned and then restitched. The leads in the heart were not moved.

I ha...

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My first message on the PM club site :-)

Hi everybody,

I am a French woman and was so happy to find this site on PM where we can share our "daily issues".

My first message, I am afraid, will be quite long ... but be sure I will be shorther on my next messages :-).

I had my PM implant on Jan 28th, 2010 as my heart was stopping 15 times withn 24 hours for more than 3 seconds. So that's for sure the PM is saving my life. The only problem was I was still passing out even with my PM... without loosing con...

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numbness in arms & hands

Besides the pain I expected to have after my implant on 3/9/2010 (which I expected because I also deal with RA & Fibromyalgia and figured I would wind up having more than the normal amount of pain after surgery than most) I was wondering if anyone else has dealt with numbness and tingling sensations in their arms and hands after their implants, especially after laying down for even just a short period of time?

Rick

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Confused! Surgery is in 4 days!

I have been having some health issues for about 2 years now. It started dizziness, short of breath, passing out, heart rate dropping. My hemoglobin was 5.1, so a year and a half ago I received blood transfusions. I felt a little better, but still had troubles. My cardiologist has been there through all of this. She has ran holter monitors, 30 day monitors, tilt tests, eeg's, ekg's, etc. I have been taking 15 pills a day to regulate everything. Finally, in December I did the tilt test and...

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pace maker

I had my pace maker put in on 3-11-2010. They started the surgery and 8:50 am and at 10:00 am I was eating cookies and talking to my mother on my cell phone. I was ready to go home but my dr wanted me to stay over night

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Doing well

Hi all
I am 10 days into this "best new friend" thing and feeling quite well. Just wanted to share, that this morning I took my 96 year old Mother into the hospital where she had her 11 year old pacemaker changed. Will be picking her up in about an hour to take her home to where she lives. Amazing heh, 96! Gives me lots of hope that these electronic things we are all carrying around inside us really do good things for us with these heart problems. All the best to each of you.
Howard

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Hi

Hi everyone,
Im 21 and like a number of you on here (so i have read), have been told I need a pacemaker after fainting episodes. My heart also stopped for 20 seconds during tilt table test a few weeks ago.
I am going in on friday and am getting really really nervous! Was just wondering if anyone would like to explain exactly what they do etc and about recovery. I am a party animal and enjoy sports and am really concerned that I will have to change my hobbies etc?!

I would r...

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1 MoNtH tOdAy!

Yipee! I made it one month. What a ride!

I have felt so many different emotions in this 1st month.

Shock- being told I had 2nd degree heart block that would surely get worse & could even turn to 3rd degree heart block...being told I needed a pacemaker. Those were both very hard for me. I was in denial for a bit...I went as far as to convince myself I really didn't need it. I could live without it. The doctor's could be wrong...maybe it wouldn't get worse.

Fear-...

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mechanical feeling/short of breath

Hello friends!

My PM went in the 23rd of February, it has been almost 4 weeks. When I went in for my initial interrogation at 2 weeks they said they would be lowering the voltage from 5 down to 2 at my 6 week appointment. When they did the interrogation and made the PM work I felt it quite strongly. I had been feeling it since it was implanted & was relieved that it was the PM working, not something to be concerned about. I have been told I will get used to it. I'm not. It is heavy &...

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Replacement soon

Hi all.

This is my first time here. I had a dual chamber, rate responsive pacemaker implanted in 1997 (at age 19) and it is time to have it replaced. But, as far as I can tell (I'll know more next month) my leads do not need to be replaced.

I was told at the time that most people go back to work within a few days after having their pacemaker implanted. However, my first surgery kept me in quite a bit of pain for 2 months and I had a very hard time moving my left arm...

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Replacement leads from pm

Hello everyone.
I have not been on here for sometime now, been busy with son and partner being poorly, but nevertheless I still think about you all. I have a query and that is I have had 2 pm's and maybe due for another replacement soon. They left the old wires in and inserted another 2 wires, should I need to have anymore wires, how much space left for wires to be implanted. Sounds complicated, hope you good friends can understand me. Take care all of you
Sue

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struggling-skip if u want happy

Hmmm...today is my day for self pity. It was 3 weeks yesterday, my energy level is a bit better but what the hell does it matter? It hurts so bad today, feels like my skin is being ripped apart. I lubed it up well with Vitamin E & emu oil, that helped with the tight feeling on the surface, but every time I move my arm it feels as if my chest is going to rip open.

I wanted to go out last night, but I am sure it is a bad idea. I hate the bar scene anyway so it is really a mind boggling...

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Just had my PM implanted 2 days ago

So I just had my PM implanted 2 days ago, and I am feeling a variety of things, excited that I may finaly havea normal life again, overwhelmed, I have 2 lil ones that are not cooperating and hubby works a lot and i am in pain, I have lots of questions, no answers, scared, uhmm lots of things. I was diagnosed with bradycardia back in June, but my card. seems to think I have had this probelm for a few yrs. I would drop down to the low 40's even 30's at times, pass out in strange places, very lat...

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new pain

My PM went in on the 23rd. It will be 3 weeks on Tuesday. I am having some pretty intense pain on the inside where the leads attach to the PM. I am farely thin & you can see the bumps where they attach. It is a constant 3 on the pain scale that jumps to a 6 or a 7 when I move sometimes or when it is bumped. There is no swelling, redness, pus, or anything that would show signs of infection. It is just very tender on the inside, and only on the edge where the leads attach to the PM, the rest of it...

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You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

Member Quotes

A pacemaker suddenly quitting is no more likely to happen than you are to be struck by lightening.