How should it feel

Hi everyone

I had a pacemaker fitted 7 weeks ago, so almost at a point where i can get back to doing everything.
A few things puzzle me and the doctors don't seem to give you many answers so has anyone got anything to add about the following:
1. The pacemaker feels so very uncomfortable and everything i do makes its hurt. The skin feels so tight over the box and it almost feels like its trying to break its way out.
2. I seem to have lost so much fitness it this short period of time, is that normal. I'm used to walking every day and running a few miles once or twice a week.
3. I'm much more tired than i was and sleep so deeply. I even have trouble waking up in the morning. I expected to have more energy now that i'm getting the right amount of oxygen pumped through my body.
Any help would be useful
Thanks
Ian

10 Comments

CB.........................

by Tattoo Man - 2013-06-05 04:06:11


we used to have a great contributor on this Forum.

Much loved,.. a true California Desert old Buzzard...

Your experience of ..Fatigue..Itching..etc would have ellicited a 'frank' response ..and sorry for the 'frankness'.....

" Itchin'.....Fatigued...??.....thats a whole lot better than skidding across the freeway, slumped over the wheel, heading towards the sucker right in your path"

CB..Please do not misunderstand this comment....

It is born of personal experience.

I guess we would all rather not have a lump of tackle in our shoulders...the little beast.

Fact is though.......your Kids, Grandkids, Mates, Colleaugues, Neighbours, Man down the shop..all think that it is a great idea

It will be ok..

Tattoo Man

Still not back completely

by cb - 2013-06-05 04:06:40

You echo my thoughts lately....had a PM put in 3 months ago and I also feel fatigue that I swear I did not have before, the site itches, is "hard" and sometimes feels like I have duct tape over it that I want to just rip off....would that I could. It is not yet comfortable and I wonder if it will ever be? Also itches! ...As a person who is on zero medications (complete heart block was the reason for the PM) I cant figure out WHY I feel different. Reading these posts has helped....I guess we have to give it more time. It is good for me to see I am not alone in this.....cb

hi Ian...

by lubro - 2013-06-05 09:06:30

I've had my pacemaker in for about 3 1/3 months, and I experienced all that you speak of... I felt like I was wasting away... I was down to a weight I hadn't seen in 20 years... I felt tired...uncomfortable... my pacemaker site was hurting... feeling like it moved around in my sleep... lots of mixed feelings & emotions...
I am now feeling a lot better... gained some weight...started exercising...just started getting on with my life... it's perfectly normal to feel what you are feeling...
I'm sure others will respond and give you helpful information... One thing that was very helpful for me was cardio rehab... You exercise and work out while being monitored... nurses standing by to help you... this was a great help for me... built my confidence level up tremendously... felt like I could actually get out and do things without the fear and anxiety...
it takes time for all this to come together...
I am just now at a point where my pacemaker pocket doesn't bother me.. this is all new territory... so my best advice to you is to take it slow...give yourself time to heal...and try not to worry... my dr once said to me that "worry will probably kill you before the afib will..."
good luck with the recovery process...let us know how things go...we;re all in the same boat so to speak...
so try not to worry, and find some things to smile about today... :)

Lubro

feeling better

by Tracey_E - 2013-06-05 10:06:49

1. It can take up to 6 months, as long as a year, for the pm to settle in and be comfortable. Watch for signs of erosion or infection- increased redness, oozing, streaks, fever. Otherwise, just protect it. It should start to feel better!

2. We can lose it faster than we think, esp if we needed the pm for a while before we got it. It's a minor surgery, but it's still a surgery and a big change. Why did you get the pm? And are you on any new meds? They can wipe us out, also.

3. Hopefully it's just a matter of time! Talk to your dr. Sometimes the settings need tweaked.

discomfort

by Hope - 2013-06-05 11:06:18

Hi! Ian, As you already know, some discomfort and lack of energy are not uncommon. It takes time and patience to recover. However, you seem miserable, so it is time to have a consultation with your medical care about your concerns. It seems a discussion about possible setting adjustments, medications, adhesions, lack of movement due to discomfort, etc. is in order. Also, mention your concern about the unfamiliar deep sleep pattern you.have developed. Take care, and I hope you get relief soon. Hopeful Heart

Ian......................

by Tattoo Man - 2013-06-05 11:06:25


......................I am with these guys. Until you have your settings looked at...and it may take more than'tweak' you may well not feel up to scratch.

Pacemakers are usually implanted with 'factory settings', which is all very well but in my view is like saying that one pair of trousers fits all....it may well do so ,but isnt like having a pair tailored for you !

Loss of fitness is far from unusual...now you havnt told us your age,. now this is not vital, but does give a clue sometimes. There are lots of sports people here on PMC and many ( including me ) have seen a performance drop off. I reall think that some of it comes from within..I was certainly trying to 'protect' myself for a long time and I 'didnt like the thing'.

I am ok with it now and only last evening did 5 miles maxing at 177 bpm I am now 63 years old.

Give it time ...talk to your Medics..and try not to see yourself as a patient.

Keep us in touch, Ian.

Tattoo Man

Hi Lan

by dvdove - 2013-06-05 12:06:19

I have had my Pacemaker 4 years and I actually forget that I have one--- and you will too. I have a small farm and I use my farm tractor all the time . I am a woodworker and use a lathe, radial arm saw , router, power drills, etc. with no ill effect. Having a Pacemaker actually gives me confidence that I will not "pass out" again with Afib . I am a welder and have not gone back to welding . I miss being able to weld but have not been BRAVE enough to try it!! My advice--- keep doing everything you want to do and ENJOY life------- every hour, every minute .
Donald Dove, Grayson,Ga

Thank you

by Ian - 2013-06-06 06:06:52

Thanks everyone for the replies. It does really help to know that you are not alone and going mad.

I'm 56 and had the PM fitted because of a low heart rate. In hospital it was going below 30 at times and i couldn't feel any difference, so i guess it was lucky that the GP picked it up before i started getting problems with it.

I have ben back after 4 weeks and the adjustments they made did make a difference. For some reason they had the upper limit set for a max of 100, which i was reaching even just walking the dog….. They have raised it now, but say they can't allow it to go above 160, so i'me going to have to make sure i keep below that when running. I always used to run with a heart monitor band on my chest, which i'm told i can't do now. Has anyone found a way around that.

And does anyone do weights since having one fitted as i'm starting to get man boobs back. LOL

Thanks again everyone
Ian

monitor

by Tracey_E - 2013-06-06 08:06:04

It's not dangerous to use the monitor, it's that the monitor may not work. Try it and see. Sometimes the pm interferes and the monitor shows no reading, or sometimes it picks up the pm spikes as well as the beats so the number it shows is too high. Or sometimes it works just fine.

When in doubt, count manually. I keep a pulse oximeter (clips on finger) in my gym bag but can't remember the last time I used it. You will feel it if you hit your limit, it's not hard to tell- dizzy, arms and legs feel like lead. I stop, put my hands on top of my head (expands the rib cage so you can get more air) and breath in slowly through nose, out slowly through mouth. This seems to be the fastest way to bring my rate down so I can get back at it.

Ask again or look up your model on the manufacturer's website, most of them can go to 180. One of the mri safe models only does 150, Medtronic has one for athletes that goes to 220, just about everything else out there is 180. They may not want to put it higher than 160, but I suspect they could. Mine is set to 175. I try to stay under 165 so I have a cushion and don't hit the upper limit.

Drs are mixed on weights. Some say don't don't it. Some say it's ok but not too heavy. Some say don't go overhead. Some say do whatever you want. Mine says I'm not going to hurt the leads, go for it, and so I do. I do Crossfit, a mix of running and weights. I've never had a problem. Just make sure the bar doesn't sit right on the pm or leads.

monitor

by Ian - 2013-06-07 06:06:56

Thanks Tracey that is very helpful.
I haven't tried the heart monitor yet as i'm still building up to running again but i do want to get out in the next week or so.
I do only run slowly and try to stay within my aerobic heart rate, so hopefully i won't have a problem but i will look up the PM make so i know just in case i want it increasing.

Ian

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