Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Will be getting my first PM

Hello, I am new to the group. I am 39 years old and will be getting a PM in the next few weeks. I gave birth to my first child 12 weeks ago and, during my time in the hospital, my heart rate averaged 30 bpm (I did not feel dizzy, light headed or anything out of the ordinary).

I have known that I have a low heart rate for about 2 years, when my irregular heart beat was discovered/diagnosed. At the time I had an ablation and was told that there are several areas of my heart with cr...

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New to site

Hello Everyone my name is Lisa and i am 29 years old. I am new to the site and wanted to introduce myself and had a couple questions for anyone out there who can answer them. I had my pacemaker put in about 3 & 1/2 years ago because my second ablation got to close to my natural pacemaker is my understanding from what the doc told me. My tachycardia came back after my second ablation and now i am scheduled for my 3rd ablation on jan 5th but i am terrified because of the last ablation. Im worried...

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I'm new and scared.

I am a 49 year old female diagnosed with a 1st degree AV block since I was 17. I've lived a normal life for the last 32 years with nary a problem. In June I went through the gauntlet of tests including the event moniter which showed my heart rate dropped to 30 at 10:00 am in the morning (I was taking a nap). Right before Thanksgiving I was getting a flu shot at my husband's work and I passed out. My heart stopped, breathing stopped and I had a tiny seizure. I came back within seconds by mys...

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Lead Extraction Question

Hopefully, with a new 1st pacemaker, I'm a long way from this, but since I'm 35 it's probably a good possibility. How does lead extraction happen? Does it require a "chest crack"?
AC

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Thank you!

I just want to say thank you to all of you for the support and information provided during the lead up to my pacemaker surgery. It was a somewhat stressful time for me - by far more than it has been since! - and the information and kind words helped prepare me and helped me to feel more like I knew what was going on and what surgery and recovery would be like. The unknown is the hardest part. I'm feeling great now and definitely consider myself as having "had" a heart condition more than that...

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Back

Just thought i would give you all a follow up. last wed i went up to Boston and had a new pm implanted and some old leads taken out. the surgery went very well and i feel like 100x's better already. I went to Childern's hospital of Boston, and they were wounderfull and really helpfull even helped me find a hotel near by so my parents had a place to stay. they even arranged for me to come up the day before on tues and do all my pre surgeral testing. The doc was Dr. Cecchin, he was very nice and...

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Dad getting biventricular pacemaker tomorrow 6AM

Thank you all for posting your experiences with heart disease. You are some very brave souls here - especially the young single moms and strong, young men who never thought they'd be dealing with heart problems so early in life.

My father has had a PM for 8 years and he is getting the 3rd wire biventricular pacemaker put in in the morning. I am so worried for him. He has lost 50 pounds in the last 3 months. He has CHF. He has no energy and can barely speak. The Dr. says this is his...

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2nd Pacer

Got my pacer replaced after 7 years on Dec 8th. Leads were good, so I don't have to endure that extra agony. A little sore at the implant site, and I can't sleep because I keep trying to go to my left side, and it hurts too much. Otherwise, it was not that bad of an experience. Dr. says I can go back to my recumbent trike in 2 weeks, and that I can use the treadmill for exercise. My advice to all - KEEP MOVING. It hurts, but keep moving the arm so you don't stiffen up. Get up and walk, don't lay...

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Postsurgical Question

Hello my pacer friends,

About 3 weeks ago I had surgery that attempted to revise my atrial lead. The surgery required that the doctors enter my chest cavity via a thoracotomy (chest crack) on my left side.

I still have considerable soreness and pain from the surgery. It seems that the bulk of the pain is in the region under my left arm. (A burning, hot knife feeling)

Question – Anyone out there that has had similar surgery, how long did it take for the discomfo...

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2nd ablation

Hi everyone!

Just a note. I had my second ablation yesterday and am feeling 100% better today.The procedure took about 3 hours. I haven't felt this well since August. I am prayerful that it stays this way. My heart rate was 74this morning and 76 this evening. I haven't been e I'm not being overly optomistic

Regards,
Colvin

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location???

Hey all,
I know i haven't been active on the site in a long time and surprised my login still worked. lol. but i have a small question to ask has anyone heard of Pacemaker Lead Extraction? my doc has been talking to me about getting it and what not but i dont know of a place by me that does it i'm from NYC. and he wants to send me to Boston somewhere. does anyone know anything of it? or where to get it done. basically i need a new pm cause my lead fractured and i have so many old leads and...

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chest pain, sob, & Zapping

hello everyone,

stil here and still having problems. mostly being short of breath even with just walking. then the pacer starts doing something that feels like little zaps.
by the way i am still on disability--not working. md says that by february 2nd we will need to chat about permanent disability.
dont know why i am still haveing these problems.
tests alll came back okay.nothing wrong with my lungs. so it has to be the pacer.


s

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How Wonderful to have this...

Thank you once more for your reassurance. It's scarey to hear that I need a pacemaker. He said I've had this problem for a while... How they know... I have no idea. I just thought that everyone's different... and I was certainly not going to be athletic... and so what if I can't run far. So what If I get tired ... happens to the best of us. But lately... weird to say.... but AFTER they did the EGC.... my heart almost feels bruised. They called and said to show up on Monday to Cardiologist....

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How Long till back at work

Another concern is .... in this economy.... and not having paid sick days...... How long after surgery before returning to work?

I work at a call center so it' not hard work.

*** Thank you so much for taking time out for me. I really have nobody else to talk to about this. My family is taking this pretty easy.... Not knowing how I really feel physically. I've hid it from them... the best I can.

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Want to Prepare... Need advice

I went for preoperation appointment which included an ECG. Next day I asked to go back and was advised that I have a heart blockage and will need a pacemaker. I now have an appointment with Cardiologist on Monday. I'm so silly nervous about this, and have stupid questions.
1. Should I pack a bag (ie. pajama's) when I see the Cardiologist...just in case, or is this a planned surgery where you go home and come back another day.

2. Are you still able to do everything you did b...

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SSS and now Bronchitis

I'm new to this board. I found it last week while looking for information on Sick Sinus Syndrome. I am a 41 year old female. There is a lot of information on here.

Now to my question. I had a pacemaker implanted this past Monday. I went home Tuesday and went to the emergency room this morning (since there were no doctor's offices open). They said I have bronchitis. Has anyone else had this happen so soon after surgery?

Things went fairly well with the surgery. I've...

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New Pacer, Dizzy & PVC's

Hi. I just received my first pacer (Biotronik Cylos DR) five days ago for bradycardia and 3rd degree block. I have other physical problems but I thought I would be feeling much better by now. I am SO tired that I think I could sleep all day. In addition, I am dizzy, which I wasn't until the PM. I went back to have my PM checked and they turned off the rate response to see if that helped - it didn't.

My question is, am I expecting too much too soon? Since I have other problems, c...

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Doing too much?

I'm wondering about the occurrence of PM patients pulling the leads out. I'm 5 days post-surgery and bustling around the house doing light house cleaning. I'm not having much pain, but am I doing too much?
AC

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Epicardial pacemaker

Hi

I am due to go and see my cardiologist in 3 weeks, because I have been having trouble with nausea and breathlessness when walking short distances. I know that a pacemaker is something that I will need for heart block in the future, and I think that it may well be sooner rather than later now that I am having these symptoms.

Because of previous heart surgery, I was told 6 years ago that i would need the pacemaker leads to be implanted on the outside of my heart, as so ma...

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Tingly at Incision Site...

I had my pm in on Friday, 11/21, now I'm experiencing a tingly sensation in the vicinity of my incision. Is this normal? Can anyone advise if that is just the healing process or something more sinister?
AC

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You know you're wired when...

The mortgage on your device is more than your house.

Member Quotes

A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.