Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Still tender after 8 weeks

Tomorrow, March 8th, I will be 8 weeks post-op from receiving my pacrmaker.

For the most part I have healed very nicely. However, now it is just constantly tender around the location of my pacemaker. It's almost as though the area below my skin is extremely raw or tender most of the time. Is this normal or should I be worried that my skin is wearing away and I may need to have additional surgery done?

My pacemaker was implanted on January 11.

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A Fib isuue

Hi guys and girls;

Thank you for any feedback you can send.

I have had A/F for some time now and have a biontronik pacemaker but my hear goes to fast sometimes also so am taking digoxin, 2 little blue tabs daily, plus elequis cause had a mini stroke last year.. was taking cartia at the time but ended up not strong enough hence elequis... my real enquiry is has anyone had flutter ablation done.. my cariol Michael Kilbourne at RPA  Has suggested cardiac ablation to stop the atr...

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3 Days Post Op

On Friday, I joined those of us who are "electrified" with my very own Boston Scientific Accolade MRI EL.  They tell me the surgery was a success and my resting pulse is above 50 for the first time in my adult life.  

I feel like I've been punched in the shoulder a few times but some Tylenol and ice are keeping the pain reasonable.  

Looking forward to the pain easing off and getting out and walking some.  The weather in North Carolina should be f...

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6 weeks post op...scar very tender in a couple of places

Just wondering if it is normal to have the scar so tender to touch.  Even clothing can bother it.  I feel like there is a bumpy area near the  top of the scar.  Could that be the lead?  I am just feeling insecure about the pain.

I was in  about 5 days ago to have a spitting stitch dug out of the bottom end of the scar and now that finally is looking better.

I think part of why I am concerned is that the scar from where my SICD was removed (same day as...

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Pacemaker Surgery is Monday 3/6/17

Scared stiff.  Pacemaker  surgery will be this Monday.  Three weeks ago I passed out for a very short time in Walmart and 911 took me to the hospital.  My cardologists ordered a CardioNet Mcot monitor which has been sending info to Pa who in turn sends it to my doctors here in Virginia.  My heart has been stopping up to four seconds at a time.  I'm learning a lot of what to expect from this web site, thanks

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"spitting stitches" or spitting sutures

5 weeks post op and today I had to go in again due to a spitting stitch.  Ihad never heard of that before this  implant.  Today they dug it out (ouch) and it was a knotted end stitch that just wasn't disolving.  Hopefully now will clear up.  

Also, I had the SICD removed at the same time as having this PM/defib put in.  So glad that thing is gone.

Now trying to figure out how to optomize the accelerometer for rate adaptive pacing.  Iread on a...

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Caring for a young child post-op

Hello all! I am new here. I am a 30 year old wife and mom of one spunky 3 year old and I will be getting a pacemaker put in on March 15. I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (POTS), Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia(IST), frequent and symptomatic PVC's, and now Sick Sinus Syndrome. I have been battling the POTS, IST, and PVC's for many years even before they were identified beginning when I was 18. I have issues with tolerating beta blockers to manage the conditions as they cause a b...

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Joined the club

Since this morning. About 3 hrs post-op and so far everything looks good

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25 year old MALE PM Newbie with some questions

Good Day all, Brand new to the club I am a 25 year old psychotherpaist in Anchroage AK my surgery is less than a week away, I am extrmely active lifting and in the gym plus HIIT cardio at lest 5-7 times per week and hr a day. I am very thin as well and all of this came as a suprise they will be implanting it behind the muscle whihc I was told will prolong recovery time. I want to get back to my regualr routine as quick as possible, the gym is my happy place as many of you may feel the sa...

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Sore.... weeks after surgery

Hi guys! I got my PM almost six weeks ago. I had been feeling great, back to myself, and virtually no pain. Five days ago I was simply vacuuming and picking up a few things around my house (nothing too heavy or over my shoulder) I then began to feel a soreness to where the incision line is and around it. It still is slightly swollen, sore, and even a bit painful to make some movements. I am I doing too much too soon? Call the doctor?! Help!

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Pacemaker interference HELP

I'm 23 I got my pacemaker implanted in September. The four months that have passed since getting it have basically been a breeze once I adjusted. Earlier today I rode with my husband to town. He was trying to put a radio in our car, and hooked up 2 speakers to the radio to test them out. He put them in the passenger side floor board at my feet while we went to town. On the way home I started feeling really bad, I was really dizzy. Once we got home, I was so weak and dizzy he had to help m...

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Pacemaker named Pierce

Wednesday is my day, the day I receive a pacemaker my son has named Pierce. My implanted loop recorder, which will be removed, is named Ned. :)

I know that everyone is different, but I would appreciate hearing your experiences with right after receiving the pacemaker. How did you feel? Could you tell a difference in the first 24 hours? How did your incision feel? All information, tips and experiences are welcome :) My mother is on her 3rd (bad electrical genes), but she can no long...

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New pacemaker

Hi All, just had a pacemaker implanted 1 week ago. Went back to work 5 days after. Never had any heart issues prior to this, so am still adjusting to my new reality. Don't really feel any big improvement in fatigue or energy level since surgery, but, hoping that will improve. My first follow up checkup with cardiologist is a week from Monday. Will probably relax a little more after that. Thanks for this group. I think it'll be a real help in the future.

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Mother

My mother is 74 years old and is in not very good health. She is in the early stages of dementia, has had a least 1 stroke, just finished a 9 month battle of C-def, a scare with congestive heart failure and now the doctors wan to implant a CRT-D to help control her heart. Her left ventricle is no longer working and I'm not sure why they are recommending to perform this procedure. Can anyone shed some light on this topic for me? I'm not digging the grave, but I'm not sure her...

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Defibrillator

Hello to all. 

I had a lead extraction operation back in Oct 2016.

Its my Second set of leads replacement since 2005

Since my surgery my left arm from the top of my finger tips to my shoulder are swollen. 

When im using my left arm cleaning/ working or just general use my arm swells up even more. To the piont my vains become larger. 

The wound is still very tender but i was putting it down to a normal recovery.

But im a little worri...

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newby with defib/pacemaker

I just received my unit a week ago 1/20/17. Never knew what it felt like to have a baby elephant use your chest for a trampoline before. My heart is enlarged and my left ventrical is large "abnormal anatomy". My surgery took much longer than normal as they could not get the 3rd lead into the left ventrical to stay. They did get it into the vein once. I have follow up with the Dr on the 9th of Feb, at wich time we will discuss a surgeon that will implant the 3rd wire. I am not worrie...

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Should I still hurt 6 weeks on?

Hi I had my pacemaker 6 weeks ago my scar is still pulling ans sore, the out side looks fine but the pain Feels  like it's on the inside? Should it still be painful this far along? 

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Sleeping With My PM

Sleeping with my PM - that sounds a little risqué but unfortunately we all know the PM is my pacemaker.

So I've had the PM for almost three weeks now and I haven't slept through the night once yet. Since the first few days I stay in bed and eventually fall asleep again. When I wake up during the night I feel my heart is beating pretty fast. I'm sure that it is just beating at 60 bpm but it just feels like a lot because I'm trying to sleep. I guess I'...

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Massage

My left shoulder is not frozen...it is just all knots!  And it is painful!  I have been moving it around alot and trying to rub out the knots on my own.  I am used to getting massages once a month.  I am two weeks post-procedure.  Are massages okay at this point as long as they leave the pacemaker alone?  I know I can use heat on my back and shoulder.  

Thanks!

diana

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Post PM Implementation Meeting With Doctors

Had my first post-op meeting with the doctors today and I must be the luckiest guy in the world.

I had the PM implementation and two stents put into the middle heart artery. Turns out the problem is completely electrical and is "fixed" by the PM. I am pacing at 100% - no communication at all between the upper and lower parts of the heart. I had a 75% blockage in the middle heart artery (widow maker artery) but I have no heart damage at all. Per the doctors, comp...

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You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

Member Quotes

Yesterday was my first day mountain biking after my implant. I wiped out several times and everything is fine. There are sports after pacemakers!