Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Are We Having Fun Yet?

Hi everybody. I'm a neophyte at this pacemaker thing, but 11 months ago I was a nightly visitor on a similar site for knee replacements. I'm allergic to pretty much all pain meds, and nights are long without them.
So, here I am at 3-something in the AM only 3 days into my electronically adjusted life, and I'm trying to figure out if what I am experiencing is normal.
It's been a strange saga from my sudden April 16 takotsubo heart attack (during a poetry workshop where I pass...

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Surgery in 4 day...help

Hi everyone, I just joined the pacemaker club a couple of days ago. I have been reading a lot of evey one's comments but have not found what I am lookig for. In four days I am going for surgery AVN Ablation with pacemaker. If anyone has had this particular surgery done, do you know if you still feel the epsiodes i.e. the fluttering of the chest? Is this a reasonably safe surgery? Are there any known side affects? What is the longevity of the pacemaker? Any information is greatly appreciated be...

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Bras

Had surgery in November 09 and still find it extremely uncomfortable to wear a bra - the straps really push on the pacemaker. Does anyone know a brand that sits far enough away on the chest with straps that are very wide and not elastic that won't push on the pacemaker. It's coming into the summer season and going bra less really looks tacky - can't find anything comfortable. Any suggestions are appreciated.

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Looking for a friend

I am getting ready to have an AV node ablation with a pacemaker. I was born with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and recently have been having A Fib issues. I don't have many options my doctors say. I am 27 and looking for someone who has similar issues as me so I can get some answers to my questions. I would feel better hearing from others who understand want I go through. Thanks for listening and looking forward to hear from anyone!

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Swelling

I got my Pm replacement on 13/5/2010 i wanted to know how long will it take for me to get back to normal i feel ok no pain but i feel a little tight where the pm is and tender and hard to sleep with it just now. just wanted to know how long does swelling usually take to go down?

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Muscle spasms after implant

Hi, I had a pacemaker inplanted at the end of January 2010 and was put on Xanax for anxiety. I am finally getting off the Xanax and now I am having some pretty strong muscle spasms around the area of the pacemaker. My doc doesn't seem too worried, says it takes about 6 months. I am 5'11" and weigh around 155 lbs. so I don't have a lot of flesh around the pacemaker. My wife thinks it just muscle spasms that may be worse since I am so thin. Does anyone else have this kind of problem or have h...

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Post Surgery Issues

I had my pacemaker surgery 5/13, Thursday. The doctor told me I should go back to work on Monday (today). I did not go. I am still having a lot of pain in my left arm, shoulder and on the incision. The biggest problem is that I can't put on a bra. The strap goes right over the incision. Has anyone else had this problem? If so, what did you do? I can't go back to work until I can comfortably wear a bra. I feel better but I am still very tired.
Maybe I am tired from the night I spe...

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4th day after implant

Where is all this new found energy I should have.Went to work the day before implant and felt good. Now I am on day 4 since implant and a lot of fatigue. My glands in my throat are swollen and have a heavyness in the center of my chest. Either I picked something up in the hosspital or I am having a reaction to something they gave me. Have not been back to the doctor yet for post -op check up. Hope it just all goes away.

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New PM

Hi I have just had a PM implanted on the 12th May 2010 because my heart kept stopping & I kept feeling faint or passing out completely. This is all very new to me because I am very slim they punctured my lung partially during the op. Whilst on the operating table my heart stopped which gave the consultant a chance to see the problems I had been experiencing as I had found it hard to get people to listen until a couple of episodes were recorded on a monitor. I have not had a drain put in as they...

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Just had pacemaker replacement

Hi there Just got my new pacemaker on Thursday there now back home feeling a lil sore how long will i feel sore a few days ?

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Horseride

Hi, my name is Denise and I am wondering if anyone in the club had the same situation as myself.

I was diagnosed with 3rd degree heart block at the age of seven - (I am now 55-years old) and have been avoiding having a pacemaker all my life. I had no adverse affects from my heart block - no fainting, no blackouts, no shortness of breath etc. However, as I got older, my heart rate became slower and I became quite tired in the mornings on rising......but thats all!

Followin...

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now what

had my pacemaker implanted this monday 5/10/10 and am wondering now what. i m 50 years old a registered nurse on med/surg unit for last two years. very unexpectably i lost conciosness sunday night and reciecved my pacer monday. they r talking about 6 to 8 weeks off work due to a 5 pound weight limit. is this a left sided weight limit? do i really hv to be off that long. what should i be expecting over the next few weeks? i actually feel better than i hv in a while.
thanks for ur help and in...

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how long

i am wondering how long i have to stay in the hosptial after they relpace my pacemaker

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sudden cardiac death and medications

i now am considered pacemaker dependent after having what was a third degree block incident while I was in the hospital for a C-diff stomach infection caused by taking ciprofloxacn 500 mg for a kidney infection. thank God I was in the hospital because if I had been any where else I would have died forever instead of temporarily.My heart just stopped. I was paced externally for 4.5 hours waiting for an operating room as I had v/tech during that time and they could only keep me alive by doing tha...

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Why am I not feeling better!

It has been 2 months since my implant and other than the actual fainting part, I have seen no change in my condition. I still have episodes almost weekly and sometimes several times a day where I get dizzy and feel like I am going to pass out. My doctor is telling me that he thinks it is just post tramatic stress from almost dying and having to have emergency surgery to install the pacemaker. I think it is BUNK! This is the same man who told me that the several similar episodes before havin...

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Feeling great.

Hello to my new friends,

This is Daniel.

It has been 15 days since I had my defibrillator put in and I feel great. Thank you so much for your encouragement, without it I would still be at risk of dropping dead at any time! I had some pain for the first week, but that has mostly gone away. I was able to sleep on my side after 5 or 6 days. This was a big worry for me as I hate sleeping on my back!. I can hardly feel the ICD anymore. I know that it will take time to recover,...

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Feeling great.

Hello to my new friends,

This is Daniel.

It has been 15 days since I had my defibrillator put in and I feel great. Thank you so much for your encouragement, without it I would still be at risk of dropping dead at any time! I had some pain for the first week, but that has mostly gone away. I was able to sleep on my side after 5 or 6 days. This was a big worry for me as I hate sleeping on my back!. I can hardly feel the ICD anymore. I know that it will take time to recover,...

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Arrhythmias after pacemaker implanted

My mother had a pacemaker put in 5 days ago. She's still in hospital and while I was visiting she became a bit weak with high BP but then everything settled down. A nurse told me that last night she had 2 arrhythmias which shouldn't happen after pacemaker surgery.

This morning a doctor asked if she felt strange during the night last night and Mom said she didn't feel anything because she was sleeping. The doctor said she might need an adjustment on her pacemaker.

Is it norm...

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new pacemaker

I had my pacemaker installed 2 weeks ago i am doing good BP and heart rate is up thats a good thing it is hard to sleep on my side but i will learn to deal with it the DR sead i can go back to work in 4 weeks i hope so

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3 months later

I had gotten my pacemaker 3 months ago & I still feel like crap for the most part.  I have new symptoms I never had prior to pacemaker like a heaviness in my upper chest & I get lightheaded & weak feeling.  I still have yet to get my life back to the way it was, at least to a extent I miss being able to go here & there without worrying if I am going to get lightheaded & dizzy, any help would be greatly appreciated ty fred

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You know you're wired when...

Bad hair days can be blamed on your device shorting out.

Member Quotes

Sometimes a device must be tuned a few times before it is right. My cardiologist said it is like fine tuning a car.