Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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How long?

I may have to have my heart fully dependent on my pacemaker, is anyone else in that position, seems very scarey to me.

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thumping

I’m new in club. Got Bi/V ICD CD3235-40 implanted on 24th Oct, 2011 at Sunny Brook, Toronto. Right from the first night I felt thumping when I turned to right while lying and while bowing in sitting or standing positions. It became unbearable in one week. After one week contacted the hospital and they decreased power to LV. from 3.5 to 2.1. Next week I again went and it was further reduced to 1.5.

They told me that as your diaghram is quite close to LV it receives the j...

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friends! is surgery risky for us?

pacemaker implant in 07 ..and on 09 surgery of the ankle now when they did my surgery of the ankle i was not aware that they were going to put me complete to sleep! i felt awful when i woke up had a hard time staying awake i felt like the anesthesia was to much and my doctor was not ask before the surgey cause this was a workers comp case.. now i feel pain in my shoulder honestly i think i need surgery but am now afraid of the outcome! what should i do ..or am i just putting ideas in my head c...

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New pacemaker in 4 weeks

I am 28 yrs old and getting my first pacemaker in four weeks for skipped heart beats I developed after ablation last year. My EP says he is able to place my pm under my breast but the recovery is a bit longer compared to placing pm subcutaneously in chest. Has anyone else had there pm placed here and how was the recovery? Any problems with nerve pain or discomfort?

Thanks

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Very nervous bout my surgery for a pacemaker/defib

Hi everyone! Im 26 yrs old and I have CHF and Cardiomyopathy. Im scheduled for a pacemaker and defibrillator Thursday December 8th. Im very nervous and anxious. I dont know what to expect. I read other peoples reviews on it and it has given me mixed emotions about it. What should I expect once im out of the surgery table? Im I going to be in a lot of pain? Whats the recovery time? Are you restricted of much during the recovery process.. Thank you in advance for your time on reading and replying!...

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Still very tired

I am a 53 year old teacher/manager (Soooo busy at school) and 10 days into my bionic life. I have been very tired and am a bit worried about going back to work tomorrow. Pacemaker works fine. Set to kick in at lower than 60bpm. I feel best at 60bpm. It is when my pulse rate is above this that I have palpitations which I imagine are the extra ventricular beat I had been experiencing before which would than lead to bradychardia. Seems to me my PM is doing better than my own pulse!
Any advice...

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Pocket revision under muscle


Hi Everyone, I wrote a post here a few weeks ago about how upset I was with ICD battery change. It stuck up so bad on my chest it was really uncomfortable. After the surgery I started to have severe phrenic nerve palpatations that made my whole body shake and interfered with my speech. The Doctor tried to adjust it several times with no sucess so I went back into surgery 3 weeks after the first surgery. They changed my battery to a boston scientific, which it thinner then metronic, they ha...

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icd

Hi: Can someone please tell me how much it is going to cost me to get an ICD. The doctor says 50K but I have part A and B of Medicare, do I still need to pay 10K or should I get supplemental Medicare-I don't even know if Mediacre Supp covers it. They are really confusing me.
Thank you!

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Recovery Time

Hello! I am new to the group, and have found this website to be very helpful. I am an active 25 year old, an I am having my pacemaker but in a couple weeks. I have has some fainting spells lately and learned that my heart has been beating in the mid 30's. I find myself very tired mid afternoon, so I'm hoping the pacemaker might help this.

Although I realize the pacemaker will help me feel better, I'm still a little apprehensive. From what I read the procedure seems pretty easy. The t...

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Thanks for being there.

I passed out at dinner on Monday night. Ended up at the ER and was then addmitted for observation and tests. By the end of the day Tuesday, I was scheduled to get a pacemaker Wednesday morning. This was not supposed to happen to me. I am 51 and a runner. I have no health problems. Got a great check up in July and ran a half marathon in October. My resting heart rate was in the 40's. My doctor and was very proud of my accomplishments. Over the last 2 years I lost 80 pounds, dropped my bloo...

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Epicardial ablation and pacemaker implant

I am 41 living in the Chicago area and am waiting for my current dr. to find a hospital and doctor to do an epicardial total ablation on my sinus node and put in a pacemaker. (I have severe IST).

Has anyone had any similiar experiences?

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Just Joined the Club

I just got my pacemaker on Friday evening. I'm 37 and while I've had a history of occasionally passing out, I led a very active lifestyle (cycling through NYC traffic 14 miles every day to and from my two jobs and college), but my episodes had suddenly started to get worse and less predictable. I went into the ER, passed out on the tilt table and had a 6 second pause.

Now I'm wondering about recovery. My wound is healing very nicely (no real pain, just some tugging when I shift p...

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I got mine

Arm and L/side peck sore. Not to bad, and the happy shot ( never had surgery before ) was awsome. No pain pills for me. Just tyl.
Thanks all, now I"ll get back to living.

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Getting my PM on Wed.

After nearly 25 years of misdiagnosis and the wrong meds, my docs figured out my epilepsy was actually a heart condition with secondary seizures from the lack of blood flow to my brain. If only someone had ordered a tilt test all those years ago...

And so at a fresh 40 years old and two kids under 8...I head to the hospital to get stuffed for with a PM for Thanksgiving. Any advice for planning my recovery? I'm hoping to avoid general anesthesia at all costs (I get sick every time).

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What now?

I have had several syncopy episodes in my life. I will turn 50 in one week. Latest spell - fell out of computer chair - met tiled kitchen floor very hard. Extremely busted up face from forehead to chin - go to ER - long story short - felled Tilt Table Test - scheduled for Medtronic Pacemaker Insertion. had this - one week post op now - what should I be experiencing or not experiencing? I have what I believe is Tegaderm over the incision area. How long before this 'wears off' do I take it off? I...

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side effects

Hello, I am new to this... and have had my defibulater/pacemaker installed since May and have just found out that my heart is pumping the same as it was when I was diagnosed with cardio myopathy so I was wondering if the pills for strengthening my heart are needed anymore- amiodrone, ramipril and bisoprolol

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Post Operative Conditioning and Healing

Hi Everyone,

I am working on a program both pre and post op for anyone getting surgery. However, having just had a pacer and lead procedure, I am designing one specific for pace and defib recipients.

I would love to hear from you on when you started to add back any forms of exercise, including your approximate age.

As well, are there things you did different the second, third, or fourth time round that aided your recovery.

I like to speak direct to th...

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pacemaker

Hi, my name is Karen and I’m 45.  I had a phone call from a consultant on a Friday at home; he asked me to go in Monday to have a pacemaker fitted as my heart had stoped for 2 beats then 4 beats then 7 beats, this was 3 weeks ago.

I was sent home with a small booklet and told all my tests would be done later as it was important to get pacemaker fitted . I am panicking as I have a lot of questions and worries.  I work on a OAP ward in a hospital and have...

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battery replacement

Hi ,
I just had my first replacement battery put in and I'm so upset! I think it looks so much bigger then the original and it seems like the wires are sticking out. I've talked to my doctor and he has suggested going back in and placing it under the muscle. I am 45 years old and active and I guess I am a little vain but I hate having this right on my chest. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. I am wondering how different it will look. Does it really hide the battery if it is under t...

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Latest news about work.....

Hi all
Just to update you on how I'm getting on back at work. This is my 3rd week back (went back 6 weeks after PM implant).

The Occupational Health Dr at work (UK) is only allowing me to work 4 days a week, for 4 hours each day (8.30-12.30). I have to say I find I am exhausted by 12.30 & am really pleased he has put these restrictions on. Initially my manager wanted me to work my full hours as soon as I went back but after 2 days I was already running into problems with exhausti...

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You know you're wired when...

You participate in the Pacer Olympics.

Member Quotes

So, my advice is to go about your daily routine and forget that you have a pacemaker implanted in your body.