Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

Post Message!

Post-op thumping in my chest

In the 3 weeks since insertion of my PM below my left shoulder, I've been unable to sleep on my left side because of a pronounced thumping sensation in my chest whenever I try to do so. Sometimes I also feel the thumping when I extend my left arm. Has anyone else felt this sensation and perhaps know its cause and likely duration?

Also, I know contact sports are out of the question. How about bodysurfing at the beach?

Thanks.

Read More...

Sternal Wire Removal

Home from getting my sternal wires removed. Sore and moving hurts but pain meds are helping. Should feel better by the end of the week. Happy Easter Everyone!

Elaina

Read More...

Sub Muscular Implant

Hello all

I am fairly new to this website and couldnt find the answers I was looking for so I decided to make a post. I am 21 years old and have a pacemaker. Long story short I got it put in when I was 14 under the skin because my doc at the time said it was easiest. I have been involved in sports all my life and consider myself to be a pretty fit person. But lately Ive noticed my flexibility on my pm side is decreasing and my pm sometimes gets in the way of my motions. Im about due f...

Read More...

My first PM to be implanted -is it career limiting

I heard today that I will be receiving my first PM on 13 April. It was a bit of a shock at first, but after some reflection of the past 12 months, I realized it is by far the best thing that will happen to me this year.
I have had some irregular heartbeats and it was always a concern to me, so after the EP study of yesterday and the tilt test of today, the doctor gave me the news that I don't really have any other option.

I think the main thing that concerns me is the fact that...

Read More...

Nervous for my pacemaker

Hello,

I am a 30 yr old female and I am scheduled to get my pacemaker on Thursday, 4/5/12, and I am very nervous. I have a few questions that I am hoping someone could answer for me.

First, I am an average sized female, if anything I am more on the thin side, and I am scared that you will be able to see the pacemaker budging out of my skin. Am I overreacting?  I googled pictures online (which probably wasn’t a good idea) and the pictures they showed, yo...

Read More...

feeling my pacer a lot

Hey everyone, I'm fairly new here, have had my pacer just over two weeks. I feel it a lot more than I thought I would. Sometimes a little shock type feeling, sometimes my heart feels like its beating up in my throat for a beat or two, like when you're really nervous or scared. It's very strange to be so aware of my heart, and it can be kind of uncomfortable. So I have two questions:
Is this a normal sensation? And is it something you get used to?

It's a fairly disconcerting f...

Read More...

Returning to Work

Hello, I just got my pacemaker about 4 days ago. I am 42 y/o the nurses in the hospital kept saying I am too young--I think it upset my wife--she didn't like the comments. I am adjusting --I have a great and supportive wife. I am in pain right now---I am taking some over the counter tablets for the pain. My question is --When is the typical time to return to work. My wife took me for a ride yesterday to enjoy the weather---the route we took was very bumpy and thus my pain has increase--I wa...

Read More...

Joined the team 3/29/12-My experiences leading up

I did a great amount of reading here before my pacemaker was inserted on 3/29.

Here is my chance to give back to someone who might be wondering what my experience was like and for someone pondering if this is the right approach to take to help your quality of life.

I am an active 46 year old man- or was fairly active, getting slowed down the past few years by the normal fatigue that I thought was "old age" (ridiculous to think that I thought an early 40's male is old age e...

Read More...

What to expect, PMsurgery in less than a month

Hello, im 22 years old and was just diagnosed with a 3rd degree Av block 2 leaky valves and an enlarged heart (they're assuming i was born with) im new to here and the idea of a pacemaker as ive never met anyone with one.but I guess im just looking for any kind of input to know what to expect, how i will feel, what will, happen, what i cant do after i have a pacemaker, how long i will have to be out school and work, how long before i can pick up my 2 year old, how to adjust to having a pacemak...

Read More...

Hello, How long out of college?

Hello, My name is Lizz im 22 getting a pacemaker April 20th, and Im wondering if anyone knows how long I will need to stay out of school? I just registered for Spring quarter and my surgery is a week after the first day of the quarter, and i dont think i can just ditch a quarter after registering cus of financial aid so i was wondering about how long i would be missing. and also how do you feel after surgery how painful is it i have a 2 year old and i was already told i cant pick him up for a wh...

Read More...

sss after surgery

this question really is not about the actual heart surgery, I was just wondering if anyone developed sss shortly after a surgery other then heart surgery,that required general anesthisa. I had not had any indications of heart problems and my preop EKG for wrist surgery all was normal 10 days after the surgery I was getting a pacemaker. so I guess I am wondering if anyone else has had this occur or have heard of it happening.

Read More...

Any CRT-D implant experiences to share...

Hi Everyone,

Just joined the club, but have been an avid reader for the past several months.

I’d like to thank all those who provide intelligent, thoughtful and personal insight in responding to members posts. I’ve really learned a lot….so thank you.

I ‘d like to know if there are any members who have or know someone who has had a CRT-D implanted and how are you/they are currently doing. Have you had an increase in EF?

I’m a 48 year old male who was...

Read More...

TAKING OFF PACEMAKER?

Hi all

I wanna ask if anyone ever take off your pacemaker because you have recovered. Please share your stories :)

And if anyone know someone that have recovered, taking off their PM, please give me web link , so I can click their page.

THANKS :)
have a nice day

Read More...

does anyone ever experience STEM CELLS?

Hi

I've searched about this topic and there isn't one postings on 2012

I'm a 16 years old pacemaker user, and still hoping for recovery
(I'm having a pacemaker because a Bradycardia - low heart rate)

Recently my mom has being told by her clinic doctor that STEM CELLS might rebuild weak/dead heart muscle. My mom is curious but the doctor only knew some STEM CELL's patient but not for heart muscle, only for beauty needs (anti-aging)
Of course I'm looking...

Read More...

Strange sensation

Hi all, I was discharged from Papworth hospital two weeks ago this coming Wednesday after a total pacemaker extraction went wrong and ended up having life saving open heart surgery as well as a new pacemaker put in. For just under two weeks I have had this strange bubbly sensation on the right side of my back that sometimes spreads on to my side and can then feel through my chest. It's only when I am in certain sitting positions that I can feel it and it is not painful, just uncomfortable. I wen...

Read More...

Newbie

A week and a half ago, I was admitted to the hospital with complications from sinus surgery and pneumonia. Three days later I was told I had to have a pacemaker. You can well imagine my shock. I was in the hospital for 8 days - which included additional sinus surgery. To my shock, when I was released from the hospital, I found out that my Internst quit his practice and I have no regular doctor for follow up care. I have yet to be assigned a doctor by U.C. Davis Medical Center. They say...

Read More...

All Healed

Hi, I've been busy but just got around to reading some of the new posts. I am happy to report that I am almost 100% healed from my 3rd pacemaker surgery. It's almost 4 weeks since the surgery. Because I only had the pacemaker replaced & not the leads, I had a quick recovery, although I had to take precautions the first 2-3 weeks. Like not lifting my arm over my head, doing arm exercises, not lifting heavy packages with my left hand -- pacemaker is on my left since I'm right-handed. When I r...

Read More...

Help- advice for a sore 27 years old

Hi all
My first post so be kind !

Had my PM fitted on 27th Feb 2012 due to cardioinhibitory vasovagal syndrome in which my heart rate would slow and suddenly stop causing blackouts

I was very sore for a week after the op, however this subsided with the bruising

its now three weeks on , i have been off work and have been taking it steady however i seem to be in more pain and discomfort now - muscular type pain

Unsure if this is due to laying on eit...

Read More...

post gallbladder sugery

Hi all, my name is Ashley; I am 22.  I have had my pacemaker since 12/19/2001 and on Oct 28, 2011 I had my gallbladder removed and about 4 months later I did end up in the local ER with on and off fevers and pacemaker pain ... I ended up having an infection ... now that the infection is gone my question is why does my pacemaker still hurt?

Read More...

Hmmmm...

I've been through pretty much all the stuff. However, I have a replacement scheduled the day before St.Patrick's Day and was just curious, I have the same lead that I had like twenty years ago. Will they change it? Obviously, questions I haven't had an opportunity to ask my surgeon.

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker interferes with your electronic scale.

Member Quotes

It is just over 10 years since a dual lead device was implanted for complete heart block. It has worked perfectly and I have traveled well near two million miles internationally since then.