Placement of Pacemaker

Hi. I'm 16 years old and I have had heart problems since I was born. I got my first open heart surgery when I was 2 months old. I have to go into my 5th pacemaker replacement sometime this year. And it will be a big surgery, I have to get all of my wires replaced and the pacemaker replaced. We are watching it closely to see when though. My pacemaker is in my stomach right now ever since I was little, but now that I am getting older, the doctor said that I have a choice, either keep the pacemaker where it is at, but there are some cons she told me about having it in my stomach, or put it in my chest. I would love to put it in my chest but I am REALLY tiny. I'm 4"10 and 98 lbs, and i have muscle but no upper body muscle since I'm not allowed to for my heart problem. I'm in high school, and I really am cautious on how it will look if I get the device in my chest. I hear about some people have big lumps and some people have small lumps, but I am a dancer also competitive dancer with my school and other places. I don't want people just staring at it! I am really cautious about how it will look, because I'm so tiny, and I don't want a HUGE lump in my chest. Please help me, I know in the end this is my decision, but I would like to know some info on how it will look if you're petite and getting it in your chest. Thanks!

8 Comments

my age

by Morgan_Renee - 2013-02-25 10:02:09

What is their Username?

placement

by Morgan_Renee - 2013-02-25 10:02:23

Thank you a lot. Yes the doctor said they work better in your chest rather than the abdomen. I should be going to the doctor again soon to get it checked, so I will ask. My doctor is the one who is doing my surgery, so I will ask her about if I can put in any where else besides the chest. I am done growing too, and my pacemaker is one of the new models so it is smaller than the ones from when I was little as well. But thank you so much! I never knew that there were any other place they can place the pacemaker! I will sure ask my doctor when I go see her next time!

someone your age

by Tracey_E - 2013-02-25 10:02:46

We have another user who is your age, you might want to say hi and chat with her, owls_

placement

by Tracey_E - 2013-02-25 10:02:52

First of all, what we see in the mirror is usually very different from what everyone else sees! It's unlikely people will notice much less stare. That said...

I was really underweight when I got my first one, 5'6", 110 lbs, so my dr was worried about the lump and scar. He brought in plastic surgeon who went in from the side and put it under the breast. No lump, no visible scar! IMO, this would be overkill now because they are a lot smaller now than my first one was, but it's still nice to have it buried. See about a plastic surgeon. I expected to pay it out of pocket but our insurance covered it. And tell your dr you want one of the small ones! The battery might not last quite as long but, just my opinion, replacements are no big deal so I'd rather do it more often and have a smaller pm.

There are a number of options other than burying it like mine is. They can put it a little further down and a little deeper than usual rather than just under the skin, just under the collarbone. They can put it between the pectorals. They can put it off to the side closer to your armpit. Even if you don't get a plastic surgeon to do the surgery itself, it might be worth a consultation with an expert. Let them know you are a dancer, that you are concerned about how it looks and feels, and see what they suggest. Most cardiologists don't run into this very often, but a plastic surgeon, esp one who does reconstructive rather than mostly cosmetic work, will be able to give you suggestions.

I've never had one in the abdomen but I would imagine the chest is more comfortable and has fewer restrictions, but really it's up to you! If you need new leads anyway, I'm guessing chest is a lot easier since it goes in the vein. And leads in the vein last longer than epicardial, don't they? If you are done growing, I'd move it if you were my daughter.

Who says...

by donr - 2013-02-25 11:02:34

...You have stopped growing?

Unless someone has done a bone age X-ray of your hand, they do not know for sure. Statistics say that you should be doing a final growth spurt right about now. A second X-ray that indicates growth ending is of the Femur upper & lower growth rings. They close off when you have stopped growing & a good radiologist can tell by density if they are still active.

Try abigail winthrop. Jr in HS; has a bucket load of posts & a bunch of photos - the most priceless is her sitting in a plastic tub, neked as the day she was born, wearing a red scar from collarbone to pubicbone.

Look at the posts immediately above & below yours - owls has a slug of 'em today.

Don

your age

by Tracey_E - 2013-02-26 08:02:23

her username is owls_

About the PM in small person!

by Jewelrymkr1 - 2013-03-04 03:03:58

Hello all...I just wanted to let you know to the 16 year old & anyone else who s tiny. I wanted to tell you what happened to me so it wont happen to anyone else...I hope! Ten yrs ago I had my PM placed deep into my pectoral muscle...I was 65" or 5' 5" and only 99 lbs.! My Dr didnt want it to be vulnerable because i was so thin...welll my dr Grubb, the EPS dr now ten yrs later was upset that this was done to me because my PM had worn through my pectoral muscle during this last ten yrs! I had to have a plastic surgeon come in with him and rebuild my pectoral muscle ten days ago! First off, it hurts a whole heck of a lot more if they wear down a hole in your pectoral muscle! It took much more hours under a general anesthesia ...he made it placed under the skin next to where the old one was so next time it'll be so much easier, i hope! Im still very thin and my new one is a biotronik evia-DR-T only the size of a bit thicker quarter piece! Im still swollen, bruised etc as its only been 10 days..i can tell this one is much lighter, smaller and thinner! If i were a young person and a dancer and just starting out with life, and lots of good things to come in the future and you wont want a Pm up in your chest area! Im married to my soul mate and have been for 16 yrs and I.'m 51years old!... Just turned 51 feb 24 and got a new pm for my birthday!! I think in my opinion if its not hurting any muscles or anything...id keep it in your tummy.good luck honey

Placement

by ICDBros - 2013-03-12 04:03:11

hey im not to sure if you have got it replaced yet but me and my brother both have an icd, similar to a pacemaker, and i am a skinny 5foot 7inch 130pound guy where my brother sits at the same height, but is 160 pounds of muscle ! check out the video on our channel it shows both !!
youtube.com/user/icdbros

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