Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Still hurting after 2 weeks

When I came out of surgery, my left arm and shoulder was hurting so bad, my upper left thigh was sore, I was black and blue from under my arm pit all the way to my waist including my rib cage. My throat feels like they had a tube down it as it feels bruised too. My pacer site was quiet swollen but remains sore and the swelling goes down a little each day. I have been icing it regularly. I am 78 and realize you don't recover as fast. It just seems that others have gone thru this with little...

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Postop issues

Hi. My name is Patti. I'm 55 years old and just had my pacemaker (not the leads) replaced on Friday. My surgeon told me no restrictions because I wasn't having the leads replaced. But I've had a lot of pain over the surgical area and occasional arm numbness. The pacer is on my right side. The dr acted as if it's the equivalent to having a splinter removed. My common sense says to go easy on my arm for a couple of weeks and pain is normal. Has anyone else had these issues with the pain and/or num...

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Tired - PVCs & PACs

About ten days ago I went for my first post PM checkup. I told the nurse practitioner I was more tired than before. She told me this was typical and it would take time to heal.
The following week I became more tired upon walking to the point I could not complete a grocery shopping trip. A week after this first checkup I was back but had a different nurse practitioner. This time she said I am having PCV's and PAVs and that was causing the tiredness. She prescribed 12.5mg Metoprolol. (...

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New owner of a handy dandy pacemaker

I'm a brand new member of the Pacemaker Club. Not sure just what to post or ask.

As of 9/25/15 I became the proud owner of my very own handy dandy dual chamber Biotronik pacemaker. I have SSS and was hoping this would regulate things. Before implantation my normal resting heartrate was around 40 or so. Now, with the device, it is at least 60 BUT I notice that if I move around even a little...like to lay down in bed, my heart pounds very hard and from the meter on my pulse oximete...

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Brand New PM - New to This Game

I got my PM one week ago today and had my first visit with the 'device nurse'. The device seems to be functioning properly. I had an ablation in April of this year, but the real issue was the bradycardia. I'm 64 and in generally very good health. I had episodes where I was only beating at 38 - 42 BPM. I also had pauses in excess of 3 seconds. (This was learned after wearing a monitor for 2 weeks). I have a Medtronic, dual lead (model A2DR01). I'm writing to see what others' experiences...

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AV Node Abalation

Looking for results from someone that has had a AV node abalation. I have A Fib and Tachycardia. I know will still be in A Fib with a normal heart beat. How was the results of this operation for you. I thank you for your response to this. I don't what to do at this point.

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Recovery

I have sick sinus syndrome, 40yrs old and dare I say it, a fitness trainer. I had my first box change 5 weeks ago and have felt awful ever since. I had it done in the uk where I'm from but I am living in the Middle East.
I have been told that I have pericarditis. I just feel awful and with my line of work it's not good. Has anyone else had this?
I feel SO tired, in pain, anxious and generally unwell. I have 3 young children so I am feeling the stress.
Any comments would be...

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Loop recorder scar stretching

Hi everyone,

I hope it's okay to post here, it's not about a pacemaker but is still a device!

I'm 22 and just over 3 months ago I had a loop recorder implanted to try to capture an irregular rhythm and I'm a bit concerned about the scar I have.

It started off quite thin but over the past few months has stretched quite a bit because of the tension underneath and is still very red.

I know it's silly to worry about but I'm concerned that the colour isn't...

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Laughing and Crying

Is it normal to have periods where you laugh and cry? I received a dual chamber pacemaker three days ago and I find at times that I am laughing and crying. I am having no pain other than the surgical site.

Has anyone else had these symptoms?

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Tired

I got my PM almost two months ago. No complications. I was back to my cardio after a month and checkup went well. Now coming up on two months and still get bouts of tiredness. I have another check up this Friday. I am 72 and I don't expect to have the energy of a 30 year old but I thought by now I would have more energy.

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Wenckebach Type II & Pacemaker?

Hello all!
I was just told by my heart doc that I am going to need a pacemaker for my Wenckebach Type II block...I am wondering if anyone else here has had this, and how the PM worked out for you?
Any feedback is appreciated, as is any comments regarding its possible success...which I am hoping is the case. Im very nervous!
Thanks!
CC

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Pacemaker site tender

I am almost 5 weeks post pacemaker insertion and I am finding the incision area and pacemaker site is still tender to touch and I have some pain around the area still! I was wondering if anyone else experienced tenderness 5 weeks post-surgery? I am starting to worry that maybe it's not normal! I saw my family doctor a couple weeks ago and he was pleased with how he cut was healing and there is no sign of infection! Just wondering how long it will take for the tenderness to go away/if this is nor...

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Recent CRT upgrade

Eddy 10 days after my recent upgrade to a St. Jude CRT. My first two wire PM occurred in 2006. I am now 84 years old. The division to upgrade was based a diagnosis of increasing likelihood of HF even though countering medications failed to increase my EF. A QRS of approximately 190 and echograms solidly indicated de synchronization of the ventricals.

The operation was long, far exceeding normal switch outs, but was painless. Although I'm now restricted with what I can do for the next...

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Awake During Surgery

I am a new member so first want to say thank you for just being here. I received an ICD implant 3 weeks ago and there is one thing that is still stressing me out about the procedure. I woke up during the middle of it and was awake while the doctor was still putting the implant in for about 10 minutes. Then I was put back to sleep so they could test it and finish sewing me up. Has anyone else had this experience? Is this normal? I just don't know how I should feel about this.

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3 Weeks Since PM

Three weeks now since my PM implant. I had a lot of mucus and PND issues that still continue but are much milder. I expected to have more energy but do not. For a while I wasn't doing much exercise. Since my PM I started walking I started slowly and got up to a half a mile but was so exhausted afterwards I could not do much the rest of the day. BTW, I am 72. I seems the best I can do is to walk about a quarter to a third of a mile. I read several posts from people with similar issues.

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Arctic Front Cryoballoon

Hello Everyone,
Is anyone familiar with an ablation procedure using an Arctic Front Cryoballoon? My doctor informed me that I'm still having afib--The Flecainide medicine is not controlling the problem and baby aspirin is not keeping the blood thin enough (I was on Eliquis until March when I had a subdural hemotoma).
What is the recovery time? Is the procedure risky? How long is the hospital stay?
I'd really appreciate any info. you may have. I'm getting really...

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Still not right

Hi, thanks for your help with comments since I got my pacemaker on June 30. I still can't seem to get energy. My face has been the most disgusting color gray since I got this thing. Did anyone else have this problem?

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New Pacemaker

HI all,
I'm new here. 58 yr old female triathlete/runner. I just had a pacemaker implanted 2 days ago for sinus bradycardia. I was experiencing fainting spells. When I left the hospital yesterday the x-ray showed that everything was in the right place. Since I came home I have had chest pain on my left side and even in the lower neck area. I breath fine. Not sure if this is normal or I just slept funny. Its better today than yesterday though. What worries me is that I had another pre-faint...

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Pacemaker Removal

Has anyone had an experience with pm removal?

I had a pm installed last week. I was told that it would address my tachycardia. At the post-operative checkup today I was told that it will not address tachycardia but only a slow pulse. I had one three-second instance of slow pulse in the past nine months. The pacemaker has not triggered since it was installed and likely never will.

I've advised my cardiologist that I want it removed since it was put in without my full underst...

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How Long Until I Feel "Normal" Again?

I had an CRT-D (3 Lead) Device implanted on Wednesday, July 22. One of the leads became detached and the procedure was repeated two days later on Friday, July 24. It's nearly two weeks since I had the procedure and I still haven't regained my strength and have yet been able to return to work. I'm a 56 year old female and work in an office environment at a desk. I ventured out yesterday for the first time to get some groceries. I was so exhausted after a little while of shopping that I had t...

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Good luck with your surgery. It will improve life amazingly.