Lead Replaced 5 weeks after insertion

Hi, I'm new to the forum and saw some posts about lead replacements. I just got back from lead revision surgery. I had 3rd degree heart block on Jan 4th and had a St Jude Pacemaker placed. About 10 days later I had severe muscle pain in my right breast. I told the dr about it when I went back for my 3 weeks check up since it was occuring frequently. He said it shouldn't have anything to do with my heart. However the examination showed my atrial lead wasn't responding. A week later the pain worsened in my right breast and I started having shocking type pain corresponding with my heartbeat. To make a long story short, The lead was pulsing on the muscle in my breast. The screw had come loose on the atrial lead. The dr said they tried 4 other areas to insert the lead in on the original surgery. Has the revision surgery 3 days ago and haven't had any pain in the right breast since. Waiting and praying that this lead will stay in place and won't have to do this again. Dr said it wasn't anything I did to pull the lead loose, the heart muscle is thin.

4 Comments

Hi Nana:)

by Pookie - 2012-02-12 05:02:33

Same thing happened to me, your doctor is correct: sometimes the leads don't stay attached at no fault of the patient. It just happens. Hence they don't want us moving our arm too much so the lead has time to embed itself.

Mine "fell" 3 times all within 10 days = not fun, but when they finally decided to use the screw-like tip, it stayed in place - it's been since 2004 and it hasn't moved:)

Thanks for sharing your story and glad to hear that you got everything straightened out. I noticed you said the doc told you it (the pain) shouldn't have anything to do with your heart - we know our bodies and if we didn't have pain prior to the pacemaker, then all of a sudden we do have pain, well - in my opinion, there's an awfully good chance it has to be the pacemaker.

It always amazes me that SOME doctors will tell us it has nothing to do with your hearts or pacers or defibs but yet we just had heart surgery!!!!!!! Good grief. That is why I always insist to speak up for yourself, if not, you might have to endure pain (let alone stress) for something that could have been fixed if only the doc had listened to you in the first place.

Take care,
Pookie

Wow

by Peg541 - 2012-02-12 05:02:42

That's interesting Thank you for sharing. Hope you are better soon.
Peg

Nana...

by bamafan - 2012-03-01 01:03:33

Same thing happened to me too. I had the lead to come loose twice over 3 months. On the third trip to the operating room, we switched leads to a J-hook which has held now for 6 months.

Update

by nanabolz - 2012-03-06 09:03:34

Thanks for your posts. I know you have all had similar experiences. After having the PM Revision on Feb 10th, a week later I started having tightness in my chest. Tiredness and low grade temp, went away after day or two, then I got a bad pain in my lower back near the right side. My primary dr said probably a muscle pull to take aleve. Last Fri and Sat had tightness on and off until it got really bad early Sun Am. Went to the ER, they did two echos then pulmonary VQ test, they decided to keep me overnight. Only thing that helped with pain was percoset and zofran for nausea. Did another full Echo scan on Mon at noon was told we would have the results that afternoon. They didn't get results till this AM, so another night in the hospital in pain. Echo showed small area of Pericarditis around bottom of my heart. Dr finally put me on cortisone for 10 days for inflammation. I have been telling cardio dr that I've had tightness and thought it might be some inflammation in chest area since PM implanted. So frustrating. Took my first dose of steroids at 2 PM, no pain yet, usually worse when I lie down, we'll see. Hope this cures the chest pain. I feel like a guinea pig.

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