Swelling

I had my pacemaker implant 4 weeks ago on the left side next to my colllar bone. I noticed a few days ago a little swelling right above my colar bone at the base of my neck. Didn't think too much about it and it seemed to go away. I noticed it again tonight and it's pretty swollen. Anyone experienced this? Is it something I should have checked out? My doc probably already thinks I'm crazy I've called so much trying to cope with erratic heart rhythms since the pacemaker. :-)

4 Comments

Jugular vein distention?

by Shepheart - 2012-10-31 10:10:02

I had my pm implanted in early October and two weeks later I noticed my left side jugular vein was swelling, and it is just above the collar bone and up into the neck. When I am upright and breathing deeply it almost disappears but when I bend over for twenty seconds and straighten up my face gets red and the jugular vein bulges and then it lessens again. I had it checked out, they found some clots in the entry vein (cephalic), told me to increase my warfarin and sent me home. I question that that was the cause of the bulging jugular. I will see the doc on Monday and will raise my concerns then.

Try the bending over thing and see if it makes any difference.

Jugular

by kwhite62 - 2012-10-31 10:10:32

I looked at some pics of the jugular vein distention and that doesn't look like what I have. The vein itself in my neck is not protruding.....there is just some swelling kind of at the base of my neck above the collar bone.

sorry for double post

by kwhite62 - 2012-10-31 10:10:33

I don't know why that posted twice.

Talked to Nurse

by kwhite62 - 2012-11-01 12:11:44

I called the doctors office again and talked to the nurse. She said as long as there was no redness or oozing of the incision it didn't sound like there was any infection. She mentioned irritation from the seat belt in the car but I've put padding on that. She said it was doubtful there were any clots because the swelling is up above the pacemaker....if there were going to be clots they would be down lower....that may be true but if there were a clot couldn't it cause some swelling in the vein above?
She said to put warm cloths or heating pad on it and just watch it.

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