Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Two months in the bag plus a bunch of dead leaves

I passed my 2 month mark on Tuesday. Today I raked up the front yard - it's a small job, only one sycamore tree, and its still got half its leaves. BUT I felt much better doing any sort of yard work than I've felt in ages. Just wanted to say "Yay!"

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SVT ablation SA node

I am so frustrated. So last week I went to my Cardio dr who said he was going to refer me to a EP because I keep getting SVT episodes and he felt it was time for an ablation. I went to the EP yesterday and basically had to beg him to do the ablation. The meds I am on (metoprolol and Flecainide) make me feel like a zombie. I was almost in tears before he finally agreed. I told him I was referred to have this taken care of and how upset I was that he was refusing. He even had the nerve to say that...

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2nd opinion appt for SVT ablation

ok so after my horrible experience with the last egotistical bastard EP who didn't even look at my chart before making a decision, I went for a second opinion about the ablation.
I have to say, this new doctor is awesome. He was so personable and seems to know what he was talking about. He said that the part of my heart that is acting up has a very good success rate if I get it ablated (SA Node) and since I already have a pacemaker, he doesn't see a problem with getting it done and helping...

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AV node ablation

Shout out to anyone who can reasure me. I have serious and stubborn AF I've had 7 ablations in as many years 3 of them this year unfortunately every single one has failed . My last op in July should have been an AV node ablation but the only did a partial unfortunately that also didn't work so now I'm faced with a full AV node ablation and I'm really worried about how I will b after it. I currently work full time in retail and really love my job . I would be devastated if after all I've been thr...

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Thanks everyone for sharing

Thanks everyone for posting your experiences with getting a pacemaker. I put off getting a pacemaker for 7 years when the doctors first found out my issues with high vagal tone. I can't put it off any longer now that I have a 10 month old at home. I'm going to the hospital in an hour to have the pacemaker put in. It has helped reading everyone's stories and has helped me to relax, a little.

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Unexpected event in my life

I went to the hospital with severe diarrhea (on September 30, 2014 in the afternoon) that I had for going on four days. They admitted me in the evening (after I explained why I needed to be admitted) and they got the diarrhea under control within two days. Then my blood pressure started going very low and my heart rate dropped also. I do not remember the heart rate, but I remember that at one point my blood pressure was 70/40 and the monitor was going crazy.

A cardiologist came...

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heart pounding in jaw

Hello! I am new to this group and to having a pacemaker. I had my pacemaker installed 4 days ago. I have a third degree heat block and it happen several times a day for 7 second or more. I felt fine after my procedure and even went back to work the second day after. Yesterday and today I'm in some severe pain. If I am sitting still I am fine but if I move around or I can feel my heart beat (I should say pound) in my neck, jaw and teeth. It continue to pound until my heart rate goes back down...

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Stiff,sore neck

Hi,Just had my pm put in 4days ago.Feeling okay,except for a very sore stiff neck!Wondering if this is a post symptom,or just coincidental?.May also be due to being tense for several days as am an anxious person!

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Heat on surgical site

Hi is it OK to use some heat on a sore incision after pacemaker replacement ? Thanks

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Sleeping a lot more after pm put in

Has anyone experienced this? I was very active positive upbeat person. I had it put in due to very low heartbeat. Had ablation in 2012 did not work had freeze done in 2009 to slow over 300 beats a min episode so now flipped from ab to flutter and low heartbeat I. 30s to low 40's. Going to first pacemaker appointment this Thursday. Have Medtronic Mir compatible two leads. I feel like it is set to low or something just wondering anyone else had this or when they put the PM in about adjusting?? The...

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Advice please!!!!

It's been one week since I had my PM put in. I'm 43 and had bradycardia (normal rate of 32-36) dropped to 29 at night! Last week I was anxious about pulling the lead wires out. I carried my arm in the "sling" position until my check up. Now I am over that. My biggest concern now is how weak I am feeling after surgery. Most of the time I feel great, but today I tried to go back to work and I felt shaky, light headed. Could this be because of surgery? I would love to start walking/exercising again...

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about pacemaker

Hi everyone, I just got my pacemaker 2 months ago,was pretty scarry, I just turned 60,the dr. used surgical glue which still hasn't come off all the way but I do was it with soft cloth and baby shampoo, does anyone know how long it takes for the glue to wear off ?

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curious about what I'm feeling

My name is Amy. I am 25 years old. I've been going through alot in these last few years. When I was 23, I had a implanted loop recorder (heart monitor) put in on July 31, 2013. Due to random passing out and frequent dizzy spells. This is when I was told I had atrial fibrillation (Afib) now 17 months later they take out the loop recorder (heart monitor) and I had pacemaker implanted on Wednesday November 5, 2014. This is very new to me, really don't know what to expect. I feel an empty feeling in...

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Improving symptons.

Hi all

I just received my 5th pacemaker. Since late teens I have been plagued with heart problems due to a heart murmur and rheumatic fever in my childhood days. I know that I have complete heart block, AF and heart failure. I have redundant leads which have never been removed and so far do not present any problems. As I get older I appear to have developed more symptoms and of course I am on various medication. To what extent might the pacemaker help my various heart problems?

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Time off after surgery/Pec insertion

Hello People of the Pacemaker community!

I am due to have my first pacemaker fitted in December, a little daunting as a previously fit 26 year old!

I was wondering what peoples healing experience was? How long did you have to take off work? I work with in outpatients and my patients range from 10-270lbs on a daily basis. I know my surgeon will give me a guide on this, but I was trying to get a heads up and peoples thoughts!

My other question was if anyone had a p...

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should the pacemaker feel glued to the bone under

I got a pacemaker a week ago, & due to my blood thinner medication had some bleeding under the pacemaker & it feels that is not healing well + I am in so much pain. I am going to see my doctor on the14th. Meanwhile I was wondering, once healed, the pacemaker should be sturdy attached to the bone underneath the pacemaker, or it should move with the skin to provide flexibility to move my shoulder around without rubbing my shoulder bone to the pacemaker? At this moment it feels like my pacemaker is...

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Recovery Time

Hello all I had a Single lead pacemaker fitted in May 2014
because I had third degree heart block. After several months
I am still having problems. The area where the pacemaker was implanted is still sore and painful after lifting. I am concerned that at this moment in time i still cannot walk at my normal brisk
pace as i now have to walk steadily. I find that if i hurry a little
i get out of breath and feel uncomfortable inside for a while which passes after resting. Clim...

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Drying hair

All,
Can anyone help?
I am two and half weeks after 2nd pacemaker.
Am I ok now drying my hair with a hair dryer, due to stretching etc.
I feel fine to do it.
Thanks
Julie

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3rd degree AV Block :(

Good evening Forum members, I am sitting in the AMU ward in hospital at the moment, with my phone :) feeling petrified waiting to see heart doctor in the morning.

To cut a long story short, I was put on a 24 hr ecg monitor to take home last Thursday to be returned Friday morning. Friday afternoon I received a call from my GP who said something along the lines of, your heart beat is not good, cone and collect report and go to A&E.

In A&E,I was told that suffered from 3rd deg...

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How Long From Diagnosis to Pacemaker

hi there, I'm new (just diagnosed with stage 2 or stage 3 AV Block type 2?) that probably makes more sense to most of you than me right now. I'm young, only 34, extremely fit (I run 5 miles every day), and other wise very healthy. But did start passing out while sitting, getting dizzy, etc so after seeing my holter strips, my cardio had me an appt with an electrophysiologist for tomorrow. He says that pacemaker is my option. I'm really scared about the surgery, especially since I'm still kinda y...

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You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

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