Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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biventricular PM

On Dec 17 I had my pacemaker replaced. I used to have a regular PM with 2 leads, but the doctor decided to change it for the 3 leads model (biventricular PM) used to treat heart failure. He inserted the battery and the third lead and left the old ones, which were only 1 year old. This one is bigger than the other one, and it's very difficult for me to lie down and sleep. I've been trying to lie on my right side, because my back and neck are killing me from sleeping in the same position every nig...

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questions

I feel no diffrent than I did before this was done, my cardiologist is on vacation so I havent talked to him since be fore surgery
can i still have a heart attack , can my vessles be blocked , i work in a mental institution what if i would get kicked in the chest , the pacemaker was put in dec14 2010 I could use soome answers.

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Pacemaker incision

I was looking at the member gallery (since googling "pacemaker incision" only brings up images of the horror stories and freaks me out), and I noticed that most of the incisions/scars I saw there were horizontal or a little diagonal. Mine is full-on vertical. What direction is your incision in? Does it really matter?

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Recovery questions

I got my pacemaker on 11/30/2010. What kind of range of movement is typical for the pacemaker side arm? The occupational therapist warned that I shouldn't try to "baby" the arm, or I might get locked shoulder. Still, I feel uncomfortable raising my elbow above my shoulder. It feels stretched, although it's not necessarily painful. I can't tell if it's because the skin is stretching a little more now that I have the pacemaker under there, or something deeper.
Also, I'm a floating teache...

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Tomorrow is the day

I have to be at the hospital at 5 AM (a horrible hour) for 7:30 surgery. I'm nervous, but looking forward to the results. Also looking forward to 24 hours sleeping, reading and relaxing in the hospital. I appreciated reading all the comments to the person who just had an ablation and has now been told she needs a PM. It seemed every word written was just for me. I have gotten more information here about what happens "after" than I have from my doctor. Thank you all for being here.

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I am frightened

I had an ablation on Friday and was hospitallized till sunday.
I note that my heart rate seems not to go above 60
I went in to take care of the fast heart rate and came home with a low rate and a different rhythm.
I have a stress test on tuesday and they told me that I may need a PM

I am terrified... how will this change my life?
what is the recovery period like and what can I do while recovering

I need to work and don't get paid if I don't work so wonde...

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Replaced pacemaker moving and hurts

I am new to this site. I appreciate any advice anyone can give me. I had my first pacemaker exchanged 11 days ago. It seems to be in the wrong place! It is almost in my armpit. The first one was up on my chest, more under my collarbone area. This one has hurt almost non-stop, especially when I move my arm toward the right. (It is on the left side.) It is nearly impossible to sleep. My husband literally turned pale when he saw it. The nurse practitioner who removed the stitches a few day...

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swelling

Had implant 12/1/10. No issues with the implant site until just a cople days ago. Seems to be swollen. The area directly above the incision and radiating out about 1 1/2 inches on all sides. It seems to be a little more tender also. No redness. No oozing.The area is not warm. Going to be calling clinic today.

Does the discomfort go away? Do you just get use to it? I don't want to be annoying and call about every symptom but I know I don't want to experience my heart stopping again eit...

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Just a story

My electrophysiology study, the way I remember it

I’ve had a lot to say recently but for some reason I have lacked the means or desire to put my thoughts down on paper and/or keyboard. I am currently writing this doped up on oxycodone, which I would like to illustrate is completely for medical purpose and not recreational. Even though it is rather entertaining being doped up all day, but I digress. As everyone knows I have recently had a pacemaker put in to try and corr...

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I''m getting a pacemaker for Christmas!

Hi,

I will be having a pacemaker put in on Dec. 23rd. I'm really nervous about it.. about the pain involved. I had cardiac ablation in Sept, and it was terribly painful. The doc said I wouldn't feel it and I wouldn't remember it. He lied. So now I want to know how painful is the surgery to put in a pacemaker?

Daffy

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Updates on Amanda's Surgery

I have set up a web page for updates on Amanda's hospital stay. If anyone would like access to the page send your email address to me at yelkrab@yahoo.com so I can send you an invite.

Thanks,
Barkley Simmons (Amanda's husband)

PS please send it to my email directly as I won't be checking for replies to this post .

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Implant 12/1/10

Went to Doctor last week with shortness of breathe. It had been getting progressively worse for 5 days. Have a history of fibrosis so I thought that was the issue. I was sent to ER and admitted to the hospital for "testing". Bradycardia, HR in the 40's on admit, very quickly progressed and dropped to high 20's. Tuesday night they had decided I was having PM implanted on Wednesday morning. Flatlined 4x that morning before they were able to get one in. I was told there was damage from radia...

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General info

Hi there, I am new here.
I'm 30 years old and I am going to have pacemaker surgery this Wednesday. I just want to know in reality how long the recovery period will be. I've had open heart surgery in the past and I'm expecting that it might not be an overnight stay as I have been reading. I would just like to get your thoughts on this.

Also, I am due to leave my country on Jan 9th next year to take up a new job in a country I've never visited before. Do you think it's safe to say...

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New with questions

Hello all...Medtronic Adapta implanted week and half ago.
My problem is with long pauses while sleeping...perfectly fine while awake. I did not have any symptoms that I knew of and do not feel any different now. Discovered by chance with regular check up. Doc saw extra beat on ekg and had me wear Holter Monitor...this found the pauses while sleeping problem.

Anyway, I do not get how raising your arm pulls on the leads, the leads are not in your arm just in your chest??? I am...

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Pacemaker

Hi there everyone my name is Sarah! Recently my father was diagnosed with milignent vasalvagal syncope, he had a pace maker put in on the 24 of November! Just wondering if it is normal for him to be tired ally and he started with a cough on sunday night will this effect the leads of the pace maker? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated thanks for your time.. Sarah

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Doing well

Hi everyone,
First off, as alwasy, thank you to all of you who read my last post. I am doing very weel with recovery. I have been moved out of ICU as the plans have gone and the blood transfusions have stopped after lasty night. My blood counts are good and I feel good. i think I overdid it today so I'm exhausted, but it feels good. Everything is going as planned and I'm up on ym feet and moving around lots. My nurses keep telling me that it's hard to believe I just had surgery yesterday an...

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I'm fixed!

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that I had surgery this morning for the 3 blood clots that they have been trying to figure out. They finally decided on Wedensday to operate which required a full day of testing to make sur eit was safe and then I had it this morning. It was a 3 hour surgery, but they got everything out. The clot in ym arm is gone and so is the one in my leg and as for the one in my abdomen, it's gone too, but caused a few beelding issues so they had to stop the bloo...

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new pacemaker (box change)

just had my new pacemaker a week now. just fitted under my shoulder blade. its smaller than my last one. its still very sore, seems to move around alot! anyone else feel this after getting a new pacemaker?

elaine.

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flying

Can you tell me if there are restrictions on flying after having a pm fitted for a total heart block?

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Hurts to breath deeply

I am two weeks out of getting my PM.  Went today to get it monitored. They said everything was fine. They made the heart rate faster to check it but left the settings the same. Three days ago I noticed that when I took a deep breath it hurt. This kinda comes and goes but today it has been all day. I asked them about this and they said it was probably inflammation from the surgery and that it would probably go away for sure within 3 months. Also after I left the monitoring today my heart has...

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You know you're wired when...

“Batteries not included” takes on a new meaning.

Member Quotes

A properly implanted and adjusted pacemaker will not even be noticeable after you get over the surgery.