Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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How bad is it?

Hi, I just turnd 24 years old and found out that I’m going to have to get a pacemaker. I’m just wondering what to expected for recovery time. I’m been vary healthy and in great shape my whole life, I’m a Commercial Fisherman from Alaska. I have a United States Coast Guard Master 100 Gross Tone Captain License, that is going to be suspended tell I can pass the USCG psychical examination. The psychical includes me being able to run one, six minute mile, lift 75lb’s, crawl in a out of tight places...

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Left arm hurts at night

Hi PMates,

Its been two weeks since my PM implant, and I feel my PM is now more noticible than before and hurts more than before. I also feel it moved downward a little bit. I can of feel it loose which my Dr. said it was normal.

Also last night while sleeping on my left side, I felt the PM triggering which woke me up. I turn and everything went back to normal.

Have any of you experienced any of these symptoms?

Thank you.

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Recovery

Thank you all so much for your comments. This has helped a lot. I let my Dad read them and hopefully it will make him feel better. In answer to some of your questions:

To TraceyE - My Dad first had a heart cath and only had 80% blockage and they will treat with medicine. The Dr. sent him to a blood and cancer specialist because his plateletes were low and also mentioned the pacemaker. All tests came out okay with the exception he was low on iron. They set up an appt. for him to r...

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Weird feelings..

Hi all,

I am 22 and last Wednesday I had a dual pacemaker put in due to multiple syncope episodes in the last 6 months that have resorted into smashing my head many times and many hospital trips. It appears I suffer from Bradycardia (resting heart usually in low 40's, and high 20's at night) and I have vasal vagal syndrome. Also the hospital notices my heart beat was irregular quite often. All in all, the ticker isn't really the way I want it. At 22, this has been like hitting a brick...

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When did you go back to work??

I first posted on here in the beginning of August to say that I had just found out I was getting a PM... still don't have it... it is very frustrating because they tell me I need it for all these reasons and then make me wait. Anyways... everyone was so helpful with my last question and I thought of another one. Can you guys tell me from your experiences how long you were out of work after the implantation of your PM. I have a desk job and don't do alot of lifting or anything but I see on her...

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Mammograms?

Ok... this is my third and last post of the day. TraceyE, I'm hoping you will have gone through this as well. I just spoke to my surgeon for the first time today on the phone. I was asking about placement. He told me he can pretty much put it any where I want. He said that he does not recommend putting the PM under the breast tissue because it can be an issue if I were to get a mammogram. Has anyone come to this predicament??

Thanks!

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Recovery

My father had a pacemaker put in 2 weeks ago. He had to undergo the operation twice in one week because one of the leads fell down and they had to go back in the next day and do the operation again. The first time he was not put to sleep, but he was the second time. He is feeling disgusted because he says he doesn't feel any better and might as well not had the PM put in. What is the recovery time for this operation. He is 79 years old and he is not a very patient person. My thoughts are t...

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What about driving??

TraceyE, you are the greatest... not only do you respond so quickly but you put a lot of thought and effort into writing a detailed response. You have no idea how much better it makes me feel. One more question I thought up... and everyone can give me some input. How long was it before you can drive?? I heard a few weeks. My job is not close to home so this could be an issue for me (although it would be nice to have some forced holidays :)

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Im officially a member now!

Hello all well had my surgery on 2nd October and got back home last night. Its all good! Apart from my left shoulder feeling its been hit by a bus, I already feel better. Thanks to all for the support before I had my PM surgery. I went in to hospital feeling positive. I had alot of tests done before the surgery and they found my heart was pausing quite alot so I and the surgeon are pleased that I now have the PM. Looking forward to feeling alot better over the coming days and weeks.
Cheers...

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Two Weeks Post Implant

Well, I got my PM implanted on 17Sept08- two weeks ago.
I panicked about 2 weeks before the surgery that maybe I shouldn't go through with it, but I managed to get a hold of myself after a few days and not chicken out. I said to myself: you're going to get it (PM) and you're going to love it. That philosophy appealed to me in a wryly humorous way so that I was able to just accept going through with it.

The procedure went very well. I only experienced minor discomfort and only i...

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PM born 9/5/08 for me

Had been feeling tired and short of breath for several weeks. Finally went to family doc on 9/4, EKG showed heart rate around 40. He set appt for 9/11 with cardiologist, BUT he called their office all day to be sure the cardiologist actually looked at the EKG he faxed. They said, get her in here tomorrow a.m. 9:15 am was in heart doc office, 10:00 am admitted to hospital, 12:30 pm Pacemaker was implanted. I continue to say ALL IS GOOD. Timing was absolutely everything. Heart rate dropped d...

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Getting Ready for Surgery

Hi all
I was just told on Friday, I need to have a pacemaker, totally unexpected and I am scheduled for surgery this week! I live in Brisbane Australia, and am a 45 yr old female. I'm feeling very nervous and I am still in shock from this news from the cardiologist.

About 18 months ago while flying on a plane to NZ, I had what was diagnosed at the time as a vasal vagal episode. I passed out and seizured for about 2 minutes but my husband said he thought I had died. Apart from...

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Dual Lead PMs

Greetings:

Well, I am finally getting my PM on October 24th. I've had 2 more fainting episodes since my last post. One, I was 8 weeks pregnant. I had a seizure during that episode and was out for about a minute.

I'm worried about surgery. How long does the whole process take? I would like to be completely asleep... is this the process?

Any advise is helpful. Thanks guys!
Sarah

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Pain

Hi I started having pain in the right side of my neck the day after I came home from the hospital. Not an ache A Sharp pain!! I went to my EP and he checked my device and said all is well. That night The pain completely move to the left side except not only in my neck, but behind my left breast,in my back,down my arm I thought I was having a heart attack and I couldnt take a deep breath. I also have MS so the EP said I was fine and my Neurologist never called me back. I am so ready to go to the...

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Hello

Hey there everyone. I'm a 30 year old F diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and LBBB (left bundle branch block). I just had my ICD installed yesterday (YES, YESTERDAY). I'm home now and feel like I ran a huge marathon but otherwise I'm doing pretty great. I wanted to say HI to everyone since I've been lurking for a few weeks behind the scenes... :) So...HELLO!!!

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pocket revision

Had a pocket revision 6 months after battery change. It is now almost a month and feeling very tired. Dr. stated some people bounce back faster than others. However, I am so glad I did it as the last surgeon botched it. I had leads poking and pacemaker top pushing through skin and traveling PM to underarm.
Now, the original surgeon placed it deeper and I don't feel any pain. Did any one ever have a PM pocket revision and what did you experience and how successful was it?
Thanks

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I was awake 75-80% of the time of the ICD implant. read me

Well hello, I am larry age 26 and have just got the new hot model ICD from Metronic installed about 4 weeks ago. I am doing good and have stuck by the Docs note of not doing much with the arm at all. I will be starting back to walking with my MP3 player in the next few days.

The Surgery-

Well I am in the hospital room and the docs come in with a grin and tell me there is no anesthesiologist. Me never having surgery I was like that is cool and they walked out of the room....

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Pacemaker Healing After 2 Weeks

I am starting to feel better after getting my pacemaker 2 weeks from tomorrow. However, I'm guessing that since maybe the swelling is going down in that area, I can 'feel' the pacemaker now?? I didn't have the sensation of anything in my chest before, but now I do. I am finally able to sleep comfortably on my right side, but reading that some people had their pacemaker flip or move scares the heck out of me now!

Is this weird feeling just me getting used to it and the swelling go...

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Did anyone have lumps in neck or arm after surgery

Hi. I'm new to the Pacemaker Club and very thankful to have found you. I had my pacemaker inserted August 14 after an ablation on the 13th apparently stunned my heart. I believe things happen for a reason, but I'm still sad about it all and a little scared. I have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer. Last week I developed chills and a fever. My doctor put me on antibiotics and my fever broke yesterday. I also noticed that my left arm was very swollen. My doctor gave me laxis fo...

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Pacemaker

Hi. I just had a pacemaker implanted 8 days ago. Totally unexpected and of course, totally scary to me. I am 47 years old. I was told my heart rate was slowing down a lot and getting pauses. Now after having the pacemaker, I feel like I'm constantly aware of every breath I take and always walking on eggshells. I got a couple quick pains in that area today and of course it freaked me out and had to call the doctor. I saw him yesterday and everything checked out fine. How long 'til I start...

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You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

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.