Sharp Pains in Area Where PM was placed

I got my 2 step, as I call in, PM around Oct. 23rd. 2013. It was due to Electrical issues and my heart beat was around 32 to 50 most of the time. I was exhausted, couldn't climb stairs or clean house. I just wanted to sleep. We did all the test, took the Rytonol, I think I've got it spelled wrong, but it took care of the high heart beat and my heart stoping for seconds, but it didn't correct the low heart rate after being on it for a month. Surgery went well, but was in a lot of pain afterwards. My issues now are, I'm still tired a lot. They did increase the HR from 70 to 80 BPM and increased the range to be higher. I'm still very tired and they increased it about 10 days ago. My other biggest problem is that every now and then, I can be sleeping and I will be woke up with intense pain right where the pacemaker is. I even take a Percocet to stop the pain and it doesn't totally take it away. This has been going on for a couple of weeks now and not getting any better. If you also touch the area over the pacemaker, it's very tender also. I mentioned it to the Phy. Asst. last week and she said that sometimes tissues and nerves can be irritated or damaged and that can cause the pain. I also have a problem with that shoulder anyway and that's shoulder impingement by which I had surgery about 15 yrs. ago and it started acting up again about 4 months ago. I received a cortisone shot in it but it didn't help. The pain goes all the way down my arm and tingles also, so not sure what is going on. Any help if someone else has had this issue please let me know.
Thanks, Granny7

1 Comments

Got the pain too

by Theknotguy - 2013-12-09 12:12:19

Got my PM on 8-Oct-2013 on the left side. They told me not to use the left arm and screamed at me when I did. Consequently the area healed "tight" and has given me pain as I start rehab.

You may be experiencing sympathetic pain from the implant site and where the leads go into the vein.

I would get pain going down my left arm with some tingling when walking, and a thumping in the left jaw. I also had a spot on my back, on the left side, directly behind the PM implant site. The pain would increase as soon as I started to exercise.

So if you don't have an infection and just the pain it may be the nerves adjusting to the implant and the leads going into the vein.

I'm 60 days into the PM implant and most of the pain has gone away. So, depending upon the amount of trauma you received before the implant, it will bear a direct relation to how much pain you have and how you feel. The other factor is how active you were before getting the PM.

I was very active before my collapse which required me to get the PM. Being in good shape helped and will help during rehab, but you still have to go through the slow recovery process. I had major trauma before getting the PM and that factors into the amount of pain and how fast the recovery goes during rehab. Was able to walk several miles yesterday before running out of gas and having to give up. Xmas shopping is exhausting anyway.

Some medical people have indicated it will take me over a year to get back to "normal". I'd like to think not, but I was going fine until my body said, "I quit" yesterday. So even though I'd like to think I'll sail through this with no problems, the reality doesn't match my imagination.

Options:

Accept the limitations for now. Each week you'll be surprised at what you CAN do. Sometimes it's even better than you wished.

You will have setbacks. Recognize them as such and move on. Try not to let them get you depressed and frustrated. (They will anyway.)

Work with therapy people. If possible work with a psychologist. I also found therapy dogs to be good for me. Stay on this forum. It's a wealth of good information and help.

Work with the cardio doctor(s). If they tell you something that doesn't feel right for your body, don't back down. I've seen some very poor explanations coming from doctors, so don't accept something that doesn't make sense. Doctors are being trained to be more communicative, but some still haven't got the message. As one doctor told me, "Ulitmately patients are responsible for their own health."

Hang in there. Life does get better.

Theknotguy

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