Wierd side effects of PM
I have just had a dual chamber PM inserted 4 days ago. I have noticed that at times I feel something like a "nerve tic" or heart beat located in region of right atrium. It seems like a heart beat or like the PM kicking in, but I was told I wouldn't feel anything when that happened. This feeling comes and goes but is more apparent on exertion and can last for up to an hour. Is this normal? Also, I have had a strange pressure feeling at the back of my throat since the PM insertion, not really posturally related, but occurs intermittently. Is this normal as well? I am not scheduled to see my cardiologist until 3 months post op but wonder if I should go back earlier. One final question, how long does it take for the pain to diminish in the wound area? I still have pain when I stand up from a lying positon and if the body is jarred - such as going over bumps while in the car.
6 Comments
Pain
by ElectricFrank - 2009-09-20 04:09:01
The thing to keep in mind is that the implant involved making a pocket for the pacemaker. This is a rather brutal procedure that is kind of like tearing the skin off a piece of chicken. I was totally awake when they did mine and felt them doing it. So it is going to take bit of time for this to heal. A lot depends on where the pacer was placed. Mine is just under the skin below my clavicle on my left chest wall. I can't remember exactly how long it took, but most of it was gone in a week. The opposite extreme is when the pacer is implanted deeper for cosmetic purposes (like under a breast or a muscle). That involves more sensitive tissue and muscle activity pushes on it.
Hope that gives you some idea.
As far as the strange feelings the pacermaker when implanted is usually left at the factory default settings. These settings usually include a fairly high pacing voltage that can stimulate muscles near the heart. You didn't say what the reason was for getting the pacer, but a common one is AV Block. This is where the atrium still has good pacing, but the bundle of nerves that conduct the pace the ventricles has a problem. The symptom is a low (3040bpm) heart rate that doesn't respond to exercise. The pacemaker only needs to sense the atrial beat and use it to time a pace to the ventricles. Where the problem comes in is that the factory settings usually include a feature called Rate Response that is intended to correct an atrial pacing problem. If Rate Response is on it can conflict with your own atrial response and causes all sorts of weird feelings. And finally there is also an upper pacing limit that sets how fast the pacer will pace your ventricles. Often this is set way too low at implant. While I am 79yrs I am in good shape and the had mine set at 120. I could just barely get going on a walk around the block before the upper limit kicked in and made my heart feel like an engine with bad spark plugs. After a bit of a bruha I got my upper limit set to 140, and then few weeks later to 150.
I went back for a checkup in about 2 weeks and had some of these things corrected.
welcome to forum,
frank
Comment on Pain
by Jmiller - 2009-09-20 09:09:23
It has now been 4 weeks and 3 days since my dual lead PM was implanted, but who's counting. As for the pain, comment above is correct. I can say it took me better than 3 weeks until one morning I got up and almost forgot I had it. It does get better a little every day! As for the other issues, I have gone back to my cardiologist 2 times already. First was his request at 2 weeks. The second was mine, about a week ago - was feeling irregular heart beats. Each time he made slight adjustments. The best part about seeing him is getting the questions answered and putting you mind at ease that everything is fine. I imagined all sorts of things going on wrong.
Good luck
Jim
Stretched Skin
by ElectricFrank - 2009-09-21 05:09:22
That can tend to happen. The pacemaker is a pretty large piece of equipment under the skin. Give it time to stretch and you likely won't notice it.
Another thing I had for quite a while was having the pacer rear up over the clavicle if I reached across to the right with my left arm. That also had vanished, but I really don't know when.
frank
Throat
by wenditt - 2009-09-21 07:09:27
Hi,
I too felt "something" going on with my throat post op. For a week I thought perhaps they intubated me for the procedure! Not difficult to swallow, just strange, not difficult to breath, just strange. Pillow adjustments or laying a different way don't seem to matter. It has since gone away for the most part. My dr. just said it was prob from favoring one side all the time, and being hyper aware of everything your body is feeling given the fact you just had a pm implanted and may be a little on edge.
As for the wound area and am one week post op. The site is fine except for my skin. I feel like it's being pulled and stretched. Are you feeling that too? Besides a little shoulder pain from laying funny everything else seems to be ok...knock on wood.
Best of luck-
Keep us posted.
Wenditt
Similar Symptoms
by karenc - 2009-10-20 02:10:15
I am now almost 2 weeks post op and i'm experiencing similar symptoms, i describe mine as feeling like a pulse on the. This happened almost immediately after my op and the physiologist said that I shouldn't be aware of the pacer kicking in?? I've had the same experience a few times since and on one occasion I felt quite ill afterwards. I've spoken to the Physiologist again today and she is booking me in to take a look but she doesn't think there is any problem it is more for my peace of mind.
Regarding the feeling in your throat, on the second day after my op I woke and could hardly speak my chest and trachia felt sore. I was advised to go to A&E where they ran a serious of blood tests and x ray and found nothing. I was administered Atropine during the op and they thought this may have been the cause. I hope you're feeling better now, I'm still feeling a little sore but everyday i'm feeling much better. Take care
You know you're wired when...
You play MP3 files on your pacer.
Member Quotes
I feel so blessed to have this little gem implanted in me. When I think of the alternative it is quite overwhelming sometimes.
PAIN QUESTION
by pete - 2009-09-20 03:09:31
I had this problem of pain when getting up. I had to roll over and get up from a sort of upside down position. The pain will be better within 30 days and usually less time than this. I think your pacemaker needs a "fine tune" at the next check up to reduce the strange feelings you are getting.Cheers Peter