Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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How paranoid should I be?

I just had an ICD put in on Thursday afternoon. So far, I have had no problems with recovery. The pain was minimal, and I even went out to eat with friends Friday night. I have even been able to sleep on my right side with a pillow under my arm.

My girlfriend is very concerned about me lifting my left arm. I am trying to be careful with this, but as you know you can sometimes forget. I know all the restrictions that are issued after implantation. Has anyone had one of the leads come o...

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Pain in the center of chest.

Well hello my fellow pacers.
Surgery went as expected, the first 24hrs was horrible. Pain was so bad. I came home and had to go back to ER due to Allergic reaction to the Dressing, caused me to have blisters on the outline of the dressing. Now I'm back home and now when i take a deep breath or laugh, i have a pain in the middle of my chest like I was intubated or something. It hurts kinda bad, They did a Xray before I left, could it be possible to have my EP doc told me today that if any th...

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Surgery In the Morning

Hello my fellow Pacers,
Well tomorrow, I get my pacemaker, @ 11 in the morning. The funny thing is I am going to work tonight for 12hrs, I'm a tech at the same hsopital i'm having surgery at.lol.. I will be NPO at work tonight.lol... I will update you guys tomorrow right before surgery and hope i fell like writing afterwards. I thank you all for helping me and getting me more comfortable with me receiving my pacemaker.. Thanks you and I'll talk soon.
Charleene

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Stitches

Saw the GP today about the suspected stitch. It turns out that it is a stitch, and he thinks it is probably attached to more beneath the skin.

He went out of the room and came back with 2 pairs of scissors and a bunch of gauze (the stitch is well covered by skin and he was going to pry it out). He casually said, "it will probably come out on its own if you leave it". So I must admit I chickened out, and told him I'd rather wait for them to come out by themselves. I thought I'd had en...

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Anyone have short sharp pains in heart?

I just received my 1st PM 3 days ago. Since then, I periodically have quick sharp pains in my heart (4 one a scale of 1-10). Usually it is when I get up and increase my activity, but not always. The doctors and nurses each said that it is not a common complaint, but they can understand that my heart is adjusting to the leads and to call if it gets worse. Did any of you experience anything this? It would just give me peace of mind to know it is to be expected, but it seems not to be the cas...

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1 stitch left!

Hi everyone,

It's been almost 6 weeks since my ICD implantation and I am doing great. I don't mind the ICD at all and am getting used to the look and feel of it there. I am gradually getting my strength back and becoming more active.

I just realized today, though, that there is one of my supposedly dissolvable stitches still in the incision. All this time I had thought it was a very stubborn scab, but I looked at it with a mirror today and then had my Mom look at it, and w...

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Hospital cost absurdity

I had my implant surgery on December 5, 2007. I finally received my hospital bill on June 13, 2008. Seven months seems like quite a delay. No details, just a one page bill for just under $2k (representing the balance of my annual deductible and a copay). They will be sending details in response to my request. From correspondence with my insurance company - the billed list price from the hospital was about $114k. Insurance only paid $27k. $84k was the negotiated price reduction achieved by...

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feeling tried

I had my PM put in on June 4 2008. The morning are good, then some days I experience being very tried, like I could take a nap. Will this pass? I am walking in the mornings everyday. Started at 10 minutes not up to 45 minutes. I still work, but off on leave now, not sure how long to ask the doctor to keep me out of work.

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DIY and save big bucks

If there are any members in the Memphis area this November here is some info that I found on the St Jude website about an implant workshop.

I think that it would be informative, to say the least, to be able to attend this.

I love the 'hands-on practice' portion. Maybe some members could get a PM installed or replaced for free as part of a demo.

Man would I like to be a fly on the wall at this event.

Pacemaker Implant Workshop Event Title

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lightheaded

I am 72 years old and had a pacemaker inserted 5 days ago...the pain is getting better but at times I feel lightheaded and somewhat fuzzy....anyone have any feedback on that...I am going to see the cardiologist on Wednesday...so glad that I found this site...thanks

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New To ICD's

Hi All,

Wow, I can't believe there's a MB for people w/ ICD's/PM's, that's great! I even see there are a lot of young people on here (i'm 29, female). Well, my story is that I was out jogging on 5/29 (wasn't really going fast, just kindof warming up) and I got extremely dizzy and passed out in the grass (still face planted and ended up w/ a nasty bruise on my chin). A neighbor saw it and ran over and roused me and we headed to the ER. I got the regular workup of tests (blood, EKG,...

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Pacemaker Replacement - What should I expect?

I have had a Medtronic pacemaker since September 1999, and it's being replaced in 1 1/2 weeks. My doctor said the leads are good, so it's just the pacer being replaced. I've been told this is an easier recovery than the original surgery, which is good since the first one was LONG and painful. (I was a skinny 21 year old, and they had to do some serious digging to carve out a spot for it.)

At the pre-op consult with my surgeon (same one as last time), I only thought to ask about lifti...

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Confused on recovery time

Hi everyone. I had my ICD implant on May 28. Things are going well. But my discharge instructions from my doctor say not to raise my left arm above my shoulder for 2 weeks. After that time, normal activities except no golf or tennis for one month. These instructions appear to be a much faster recovery time than what I am reading on this site. I plan on golfing in a tournament on June 26. Have any of you pursued such a rapid recovery priod without adverse consequences? I'm 57 and in good...

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Exercise Shoulder/Arm Instructions

Hello,
I would like to know if anyone was given information to exercise their arm and/or shoulder when they were dismissed from getting the pacemaker?
I understand the doctor or at dismissal tells a person to excercise so you don't have a frozen shoulder. Is this true for most of you?
Thanks for any input.
Don

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Some new pain...

I had my implantation on Friday May 16th. Recovery has gone well. I returned to work last wednesday and have not had any problems, but I have been taking it easy. Yesterday I jumped right back in to normal work which means a lot of arm movements and some lifting. Last night I noticed alot of pain in my shoulder area. This morning I woke up with pain and the incision site stings almost like the stitches are being pulled apart on the inside. There is no blood or anything like that. I am wondering...

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Returning to Work

Wondering if it is an insurance "thing" or what.

I am about to have my 4th pacemaker put in with leads removed at the same time. I was told I would need a couple days off work. I was totally shocked by this as my last PM was put in 6 years ago with one lead replaced and I was back to work 3 weeks later.

I just don't understand the big change in time over the years. Can a few of you reply letting me know how long your recovery was after having a new PM put in. One day, two...

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Doing too much?


My name is Charlie, age 62, live in Nor Cal an hour east of Stockton, Sierra foothills about 1500 ft. I just found this website yesterday and joined.

I had an ICD installed on Saturday 17 May 2008. If was kind of an emergency since I fainted on Thursday. Actually my heart stopped for 6 seconds. I had a heart monitor on because I had fainted three weeks prior. From the monitor my heart was tachy/brady before I passed out on Thursday.

The Dr had me on 50 gm Meto...

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Pleurisy

Just an update.. I've seen my GP, and the chest pain/cramping and trouble breathing that I have been having is pleurisy. I'm glad I know what it is now, and that it isn't dangerous. I have ibuprofen for pain/inflammation and it seems to be helping.

I hope everyone is feeling good today!
Helen

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Chest cramping?

Hi everyone,

I just had my ICD implanted a week and a half ago, on May 13. In general, I have been doing really well. The site itself aches a little, but the pain of the first couple of days is mostly gone, and when I had my stitches out the nurse said the incision was healing very well.

My question is about something that has happened twice now, once on the way home from the hospital the day after the surgery, and once at 4am this morning. I get terrible, shooting chest c...

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Pain

Well This question is for the women in our wonderful group. No offense guys.

But I was wondering if any of the women noticed any pain in their arm pit area after taking their bra off. I noticed that everytime I take off my bra I have pain in my arm pit area and around my pacemaker. Its not to serious but can be very uncomfortable so I was just wondering if anyone else was experiencing it and if they have found a way to make the pain go away.


Thanks every o...

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You know you're wired when...

Your ICD has a better memory than you.

Member Quotes

I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.