Pacemaker Club: burning pain

burning pain

by laterbabe
2011-09-16 02:09:32
Surgery & Recovery
1357 views
2 comments

One week past implant and 3 days ago started burning pain at site. Also had some oozing. Had site checked and was given an antibiotic as a precaution. They said nerves at site are probably actin up.

Anybody have this? How long did it last?

Maryalice

2 Comments

Get it checked!!

by icdbiker - 2011-09-23 09:09:15

I had my ICD implant in 2006, 7 days post op I had a check with family Dr and he checked incision site everything was ok. Over the next 10 days I had no increased swelling, no reddness of incision etc. My symptoms were pain in back of my shoulders and sleeplessness. Went to emergency on two occasions...once they did xray since they had punctured top part of my lung inserting the leads. Both times I was sent home and told to take tylenol, and that it was prob just tension causing the pain. As pain was getting worse almost 3 wks after implant I called the Clinic who did the surgery...after my explanation...I was told to get to the nearest hospital ASAP....ended up hospitalized for 15 days on IV antibiotic. Apparently I had infection in the pocket where the device sits...this can be very dangerous as the infection can travel to the heart.
Don't mean to frighten you but it is very important that you don't leave it...if it is oozing that is not good...make sure they do bloodwork!!! As far as the advice about the nerves acting up...yes this will cause burning/itching feeling as it heals ....but it would never cause oozing!!

burning pain

by laterbabe - 2011-09-24 09:09:08

Thanks for your reply. Thankfully, my problem was a buildup of fluid behind the incision (not infection) and when I woke up last Sunday all of the fluid had come out (wet shirt and pillow and sheet). Then the pain had subsided. I continued the oral antibiotic and now the site seems to be healing well.