Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Pacemaker change

Hi. I've just had my first PM change after 8.5 years, I am male and 73 years old, and would appreciate any comments. I have gone from a Sorin Reply DR to a Boston Scientific Proponent L211, which seems physically slightly larger. I have been a little spooked by some of the comments on the internet regarding the Boston Scientific I am now using, so any comments about their performance would be welcome. Hope some of the experts on here can give me some reassurance. Many thanks in advan...

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Getting ICD

I'll be getting an ICD in two weeks. I just found out about having heart problems in February. I'm kind of nervous about the surgery.

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Well - That's me done!

I have been in hospital for five days after being admitted via A&E / ER.

I had a feeling of a heavy weight on my chest and started to find it difficult to breathe. I was given GTN and aspirin and the weight disappeared overnight.

I have been moved to the coronary care unit after several tests, all of them looking at my heart. They found nothing out of the ordinary that they did not already know about. It was not a heart attack.

I am now being assessed for possible heart...

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First pacemaker

Hey everyone! 
I just got my first pacemaker on July 1 2020.  I was told about all the driving/ arm restrictions.  Does that mean no husband time?  
Also- should I be concerned if I can feel pvcs or arrhythmias ?? 
 

and one more thing is - I accidentally hit the back of my right hand that had one of the IVs.  ( just got out of the hospital after 7 days) it literally started to balloon. I freaked out and had my husband put pressure on it...

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Blood thinner

Was told by nurse that I did not have to quit taking my blood thinner med prior to surgery. Almost all other procedures I have had had be quit 2 to 3 days prior. Any experience would be appreciated. Heading in Wed

 

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Intense Pulsing after ICD and new lead implanted

Hello, 

I am new to the site and was wondering if anyone else has experienced the following:  

I had a my second ICD implanted on June 26th after having a fractured lead and being shocked four times for no reason. 

Afterwards, I started experiencing what they thought were muscle spasms because the device was implanted pretty deep. However, I have started feeling an intense pulsating under my left breast. I went for a device check and they made a...

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You'd never know I have a pacemaker - axillary subpectoral pacemaker placement story

For anyone about to undergo pacemaker surgery and concerned about device protrusion, I'd encourage you to talk with your cardiologist about a subpactoral placement in the axillary (side of your armpit).  I'm an active, slender 45-year old woman and found out I needed a pacemaker after going through pre-op tests for open heart robotic surgery to repair my leaking mitral valve (turns out I had a 3rd degree heart block - yikes!).  After learning that I'd need a pacemaker, I...

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Dizziness

I'm new to this forum, and thank LondonAndy for telling me about it. 

On May 30, I got a St. Jude PM implanted. 

I've had some major issues with arrhythmia, still have bigeminy (and possibly PVCs again), and was taking Verapamil for a few weeks befor surgery. It made me dizzy, and my EP reduced the dose. 

My heart rate was around 50 normally, for the months before I got my PM. It was dipping into the 40s, then the 30s, and my EP decided that it was tim...

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New Member

Hey everyone.

52 years old and fit, and had an emergency pacemaker put in March 29th with less than 12 hours notice. Didn't have much time to research anythying.  I had been in the Philippines in december, came back through LA, ended up in hospital there with syncopse and vomiting and they think some kind of viral infection.  Was in for five days.  They released me and I drove back to Vancouver, BC about a week later, but kept having near fainting spells after I got b...

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New to the Club!!

I had my pacemaker installed yesterday and I was super anxious about it!! For some reason I thought it would be like a colonoscopy where I would be sedated in the pre-OP room and then wake up in recovery. Notsomuch!! I didn't even get any sedation until immediately before being injected w lidocaine. I am not good at these things and was literally freaking out. I was entirely too awake for the procedure, despite a total of 10 micrograms of fentanyl and 8mg verced. Guess my sympathetic nerv...

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Dental Surgery

My dentist wants to put me out for approx 30mins with a general anesthetic. 

Has anyone else done this after their PM?

Mine was implanted Jan 2020.

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Leads and arms above shoulder level

I'm tryin to behave. Really.

I understand the "no arms above the shoulder" rule for a month.

Would that apply to the arm not associated with the device? 

Reason I'm asking, I do a lot of cooking in the house and I need to be able to reach pots hanging from the ceiling

Thanks for you patience. - Mike

 

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Surgery update

Hey everyone!!

update on my pm extraction and replacement. All went well so far anyways🤓. I am sore from the pocket over my shoulder into my back. The surgery took about 1 1/2 hours which surprised me. It took that long for my cardiologist to insert in the first time. What a difference having an EP do the surgery. 
 

i have not spoken to my EP yet but hope to tomorrow morning before discharge to get more details about the procedure. 
 

Thanks fo...

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Post op normalcies

Hey guys, I just had the micra AV implanted, it's leadless and sits inside my heart. I'm still recovering and I've noticed my blood pressure has spiked (usually I'm low, now I'm high). I also have some twitches in my right side and sometimes left arm near my elbow. Has anyone experienced this? It's so weird my body was used to the terrible functions of my old heart beat and now it feels like it's almost fighting against the new normal my pacemaker wants it to be. W...

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CAN I TELL IF MY PM IS PULSING?

4 weeks in with a pacemaker.

 

occasionally I feel a couple of "jolts" or tingling near the implant site and I wonder if the pm is pulsing / sending an electrical signal. No other symptoms just a tingling feeling. Is this normal? Can it be the PM pulsing? 
 

shares insights appreciated.

thanks.

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Surgery time

Good morning and Happy Father's Day!! My surgery is this Wednesday and I am very anxious about it, but it has to be done. Anyways my question is, does anyone know how long an extraction of the whole system and replacement take?

Thanks in advance

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Steri-Strips

Thanks for the quick response & advice!  So happy I found this site

Chris

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Steri-strips

Hi,  I am 11 days post surgery.  The hospital told me the tape will fall off in 7-10 days.  2 have come off at either end of the incision but some of them are really stuck on, should I just wait for them to come off on their own or start easing the off.  I’m showering so hope they loosen up on their own.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Chris

 

 

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Household Chores

How long after the procedure can I do things like reach down in the washing machine to unload it. I assume not for awhile with my left arm but what about my right arm?

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Sleeping with pacemaker

I recently had a pacemaker put in last Wednesday I slept fine first 2 nights at hospital now that im.home if feels.like this device bothers me alot I turn to one side it feels.like it pulls the skin same on the next side im still healing it's still  clued at the wound and they told me I was still on restriction from moving my left arm.as much I dont think it  helps having bigger breast  that stretch and pull the skin down the area.where device is at is sore to tou...

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Member Quotes

I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.