Pericarditis - 2 questions

I got a new PM on Thursday, with an atrial lead added (my old PM had only a ventricular lead). During the surgery I experienced a crushing chest pain just as the surgeon was stapling my incision. He told me the surgery had been complicated due to small veins, with the previous lead in them and a tight turn to get back up to the atrium. He thought a nerve was irritated. In recovery, I had the pain a couple more times so they did an EKG, ultrasound and x-ray. They told me the PM was working perfectly.

To keep my story short enough to read, we drove home the next day after a visit to the pacemaker clinic. By Friday night I was in agony and having pain every time I inhaled. My husband took me to the ER where I spent an very uncomfortable night being observed. They did blood test, x-rays and another EKG. The doctor didn't like the looks of the EKG and pulled up my previous EKG. Then he talked to the surgeon on the phone. He came back to tell us that I had pericarditis.

I've already searched for and read every entry under "pericarditis". But I'm left wondering whether it's possible that a nerve was just irritated and that caused the pericardium to get inflamed. Or, would the atrial lead have had to actually perforate the atrial wall to affect the pericardium like this? I am terrified of having to go through surgery to reposition the lead. (Just to clarify, the surgery isn't a problem. It's lying flat on my back for all those hours that is unbearably painful.)

3 Comments

Hopeful Heart...

by Sabine - 2013-04-18 11:04:33

Thanks for your encouraging words.

I talked to my GP, whom I trust very much. He is quite knowledgeable about pericarditis. He answered the questions I had and told me that he will make a copy of the surgeon's report when it comes in and give it to me.

The way it works here is that there is only one surgeon that does pacemakers and I have to get a referral from my GP to see another doctor who confers with the surgeon to decide whether I get a pacemaker. I don't see the surgeon until I get into the operating room. He's always super busy. In fact, the hospital cancelled all surgeries very soon after my PM was implanted, due to overcrowding!

I am doing much better since yesterday and hope the symptoms will be all gone soon. They are very bearable now. I truly thought I was dying during the worst of it!

pain

by Hope - 2013-04-18 11:04:45

Hi! Would a second opinion ease your mind? Also, with fibromyalgia, could your cardiologist and GP not work together to make you more comfortable? I have not had pericarditis, but have heard it is not a pleasant experience. I am sorry you have experienced it. Hopeful Heart

pain

by Hope - 2013-04-18 11:04:46

Hi! Would a second opinion ease your mind? Also, with fibromyalgia, could your cardiologist and GP not work together to make you more comfortable? I have not had pericarditis, but have heard it is not a pleasant experience. I am sorry you have experienced it. Hopeful Heart

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I am 100% pacemaker dependant and have been all my life. I try not to think about how a little metal box keeps me alive - it would drive me crazy. So I lead a very active life.