Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Congential heart defect and pacer placement surgery

Hello there. First of all I would like to thank everyone for there imput. I am a mom of a 16 year old that is getting ready to have to undergo surgery. I have a few questions and I am not sure if anyone has dealt with these issues but I hope we can get some direction. Our daughter is 16. Very active. In high school dance/ band / and taking a heavy load at school.  She has a congential heart defect  (apparently rare) and she is now in need of a pacer. She was born with no superior ve...

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Very scared, having pacemaker put in in 9 days

I have been reading some posts. I am terrified of this thing. I know it will help, just afraid of dying from blood clots infection. I had a total knee replacement in July and am doing good. I had two 3 second pauses they discovered because I have a loop monitor I was getting pal p citations and low heart rate. I know I have to do this, but friends are also not helping. They think I will be worse or don't need it. I am so worried. And this before Christmas. I have so much to do!!! Help ple...

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Checking In

Hi everyone, I haven't been on in a while but I am nearing my 3 month mark since I had my pacemaker put in. I do feel better, and I have started to notice that I am able to do things that I wasn't able to before. Walking up a very steep hill without feeling like I'm dying, just barely out of breath from it, carry a 5 gallon bucket of water across the yard without trouble (it was below 20 here last night and all water pipes froze and busted) I actually wake up around 8-9 and even e...

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2 months later

2 months later and I am still fighting with insomnia every night and extreme fatigue and sleeping all day.  However I did go 3 days and nights straight with no sleep.

Went back to the EP two weeks ago and he did an EKG and said everything was OK.

Made an appointment with the psychiatrist to be sure it wasn't depression.  She did a thorough work-up and said she thought the problems were cardiac related and would not due anything until I had a full cardiac workup and c...

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BP and diabetis

Hai, I am of age 54 years and a diabetic. 25 days back (i.e. on 14.12.2016) I got implanted a pacemaker. Now my BP has gone up to 100/140 and blood sugar to 120 during fasting and PP 260. Is it a problem with pacemaker?

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Surgery followup

Hello again. It has been six days since my surgery and so far everything is coming along well. Still a bit sore (easing a bit, as expected). My only issue is my efforts to keep my left arm/.shoulder immobilized, consciously at least. Fortunately, I am able to continue to to work, albeit from home. I know full well that time will tell and everything will fall into place. I am content and assured that the long-term aspects of the pacemaker will have more positive than negative effects on my lif...

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Anxiety and sleeplessness

Hi everybody! I'm 47 years old and a former professional athlete. After years of progressively worsening heart arrhythmia I actually fainted and was non responsive for about 30 seconds. I have slightly elevated blood pressure but I have no other risk factors. My stress test, echo, MRI,  nuclear stress test, all appear normal. An EKG does however show a right and left bundle branch blockage.  I was implanted  two days ago with an ICD. I was initially excited because I f...

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Pain and discomfort 6 monthsafter pacemaker fitting

I had a pacemaker fitted 10 days after my second aortic valve surgery. The sternum is still very sore and tender as is the the pacemaker scar and surrounding tissue. I find it difficult to get comfortable in bed. The pacemaker feels heavy and very sore. Has anyone else experienced this. Does it eventually go away ? Is there anything that can be done about it. The medics are not very helpful. I am feeling very down about it.

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New pacemaker patient

Thank you to the Pacemaker Club for offering support services to new (and existing) pacemaker patients. I just had my pacemaker (Eluna 8 DR-T) implanted on Wednesday (11/30/16). I have had numerous syncope (cardioinhibitory) episodes in addition to experiencing asystole for 20+ seconds during my tilt table test. Obviously, this direction was the way to go. Just getting used to the sensation (still sore and tired) and the subsequent limitations that go with the implantation of the pacemaker. I...

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How long after EP visit to feel better?

Today I went and visited my Psychiatrist.  I wanted to be sure I wasn't going into a major depression by sleeping 20+ hours a day and no interest in anything.

She is a very good MD and quite thorough.  She checked my vital signs and listened to my heart.  After speaking with her she opted to not change any of my meds.  She feels that it is all cardiac related and that the low pulse (I was below 60 in her office and suppose to be paced at 60) and low blood pressur...

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Where do I begin?

Hello everyone,

I'm a 25 year old female and had a pacemaker implanted 6 days ago. A bit under 4 months ago I had a tricuspid valve replacement because of having both Ebstein's anomaly and damage to my tricuspid valve from what my surgeon suspects was rheumatic fever. I have a porcine valve. On my last day of cardiac rehab my nurse determined I was experiencing 2nd degree heart block while exercising and sent me to the ER. These symptoms had never been present before in the...

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Questions to ask EP

For those that have been following my woes - I went to the ER yesterday for continued weakness and sleeping 20+ hours a day since my PM was inserted 8 weeks ago.

Other than my heart rate initially being in the 40's when they hooked me up to the cardiac monitor (paced at 60-120) everything was normal - CBC, electrolytes, cardiac enzymes, urinalysis, CXR.

The ER doc said that he was sorry he could not find anything cause he knew how sick I felt, so they sent me home.  Seems...

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May get a pacemaker. Scared to DEATH!

It's not decided yet, wore a 72 hr holter and it showed two pauses. The cardiologist sad they were not harmfull at all, and that we might do a PM implant. Now, I have had problems my entire adult life, and they have tried to work it out. Some has said it might be CFS, vitamins lacking, thyroid etc etc. I got some ectopic beats, and other stuff, but never thought it might be needed for a PM. I had a inflamed appendix, and refused to get it operated because I was sure my heart or other cond...

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Recovery exercise plan after pacemaker install

Hi all, I had a pacemaker installed 4 days ago and I have been searching the Internet and YouTube for guidance on stretches and exercise during the 6 - 8 week recovery. I found very little information,  including in this club (unless I was looking in the wrong place). 

I was told not to raise my left arm above my shoulder and to avoid heavy loads on my left side during the first 8 weeks.

If so I would appreciate help answering such questions as:  How to prevent ...

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Lump under the wound site

Hi All,

I had the pacemaker fitted about 5 weeks ago. Ive had a lot of problems with thw wound actually closing.

now it has finally closed and become a scar a lump has appeared underneath. The lump looks like a bite mark - when the skin goes bubbly. But its quite large its above and below the wound site.

Has anyone had this? Or no if its something to worry about?

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3rd pacemaker implant at 17

Hello all!

I am Marcus and it has been 4 days since my 3rd pacemaker implant and I am only 17. I was born with a congenital heart block requiring this device. Am I the youngest here?

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NEW TO SITE

Hi I am Jillygirl,

Just wondered how much people have improved with their breathing since having a pacemaker fitted.

I am due to have  a pacemaker fitted , due to low pulse rate.

I have had  2 cancers and 1 heart attack all within  the past 4 years.  I am hoping the pacemaker will improve my  breathing.  

Any advice welcomed.   :) 

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Post op underarm pain and numbness in arm and hand

Hi everyone. 

I had my pacemaker moved to my right side 9 days ago and have been experiencing the odd sharp jabbing pain under my arm pit I am also experiencing numbness in my arm and tingling in my hands like something is trapped and pain associated with this. Can anybody shed light on this as I am worried it might be a clot in a vein or something bad. My surgeon was pretty new and has made a right mess of the stitching but I guess I have to live with that. I am 51

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Going in on friday and scared to wits end

Hi.  after having a-fib since my 30's, then a cryo ablasion 3 years ago, I went in for my one year check up and thought I aced the halter monitor--to find out I failed it terribly and my doc moved around his scheudle to do a 2 lead pacemaker.  Im in shock, even tho I havent been feeling well at all for quite some time and had other testing done on other things trying to figure out why I felt so bad.  Now looking at the symptoms for an sss, chronic bradycardia, I know the do...

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Itching

Hi. Since having my PM fitted on the 28th my underarm on the left side has been super itchy!  I've itched it but then panicked. Can I dislodge the wires by itching/rubbing my underarm? 

Thanks

Jen 

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You know you're wired when...

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Member Quotes

I am 100% pacemaker dependant and have been all my life. I try not to think about how a little metal box keeps me alive - it would drive me crazy. So I lead a very active life.