i'm scared!!!!!

hi all!!! i've just turned 35. i got my pacemaker in 2009. i had the worst,most excrutiating surgery ever. i was given local anaesthesia and also had to go thru an angiography. by the time the doctors got around to my pm; the anaesthesia had already worn off. i lived through the doctors pushing and shoving to get my pm in!!!!!
it was horrible..i lost my dad when i was 10 and since then i've been scared to death of hospitals. to add to dat my disgusting experience....i dread the day i have to go in for another surgery to replace my pacemaker. i hate to admit it but i haven't even gone for my check-up in almost two years nows. just the thought of being in a hospital scares me...

4 Comments

replacements

by Tracey_E - 2013-04-02 06:04:58

Replacements are super easy!!! If the first surgery was a 10 (yours, a 15!), replacement is a 2-3. I've had 4 now. As long as the leads are good, it's all scar tissue so it's mostly numb. Of course my word on it is probably not enough to calm your nerves! Two things I would do differently next time. Meet with the anesthesiologist in advance and make sure they know exactly what happened to you last time so they can be sure it doesn't happen again. And talk to the surgeon about something to calm you the night before and morning of. I'm usually a drug-o-phobe but they have their place and this is it. Use it, don't suffer if you don't have to. But you are years from this!!!! Don't worry about it now, k? It will take care of itself, I promise.

Can you get your pm checked in a drs office rather than hospital?? It really needs to be checked at least once a year.

For the future

by ElectricFrank - 2013-04-02 11:04:29

Look at it this way. Your terrible surgery was mostly your fault. If a doctor, dentist, or any other medico doesn't respond to your feeling pain then it's one of 2 things. Either you didn't let them know, or you didn't let them know loud enough.

Both my original implant and a later replacement were done with only a local by my request. I started off right from the beginning in having pillows under my neck and legs plus the arm straps loosed. Then about half way through the surgery I asked for time out for me to stretch. The O.R. team was willing to do as I ask. I responded by thanking them and cooperating with the rest of the surgery.

Bottom line, you don't have to meekly put up with unreasonable discomfort.

frank

I feel your pain

by Artie - 2013-04-03 03:04:38

I had an icd implant that took 2 hospitals,and a thoracottomy,was in for 25days for a day surgery!To top it off I ended up with 2 broken ribs.Thank God it is done.Had my 5bro week check up yesterday, doing alot better!!Good luck all!!

Let me add to Frank

by donr - 2013-04-04 08:04:22

Amen! You have to be assertive.

If they are doing the job w/ local anesthesia, there is NO REASON why they cannot give you more during the procedure. It's not like they are using the heavy rubber mallet applied vigorously to the base of the skull. A small needle applied in the right spot, followed by a SHORT wait is all that's necessary.

I tried Frank's approach once & could not handle it. About 1/3 way through, I told the surgeon that I'd had enough & zap! he took care of it. Ditto on a foot surgery I had once. The surgeon's PA was sewing me up when the local started wearing off. She gave me an extra jab so she could finish.

Sounds like you had a very uncaring surgeon doing the job - more concerned about his/her time than your comfort. The result - they traumatized you to the point you are now afraid to go back.

Find another surgeon - explain all that happened & asee what results.

Don

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Member Quotes

I've seen many posts about people being concerned about exercise after having a device so thought I would let you know that yesterday I raced my first marathon since having my pacemaker fitted in fall 2004.