my pacemaker battery change

Thank you all for your support. I really feel relieved and when I go for my pacemaker pre-op and registration on Monday, I'll ask about the sedative they will use. I would like to be out. I'm on Coumadin and my cardiologist likes my INR between 2.5-3.5. It was 2.7 yesterday so they're keeping me on the same regimen of 7.5 mg 4 days and 5 mg on 3 days. . I won't take the percocet the night before. I usually have been taking it only at bedtime because of the 4 broken ribs which are healing. My physical issues at this time (aside from this pacemaker thing) are due to the terrible car accident. Lousy and bruised knees, chest, hip, legs and ankles. The ribs were very bad but it's 28 days now and they definitely are feeling better. I'll tell the physical therapist about the left hand which is the most troubling. I'll let you know when I come home how it went and thank you all so much for giving me the relief. All I could do was cry and feeling sorry for myself because of all my other boo boos still hurting. THANK YOU. Marilyn1957

6 Comments

Naughty Marilyn!

by donr - 2014-01-28 08:01:26

That's a lot more than an injured wrist, All that damage makes this a different story - especially the 4 broken ribs. I suppose the ribs are on the LEFT side, also, the side they are going to replace the PM on. This will be uncomfortable.

You do not treally need general anesthesia for this. The sedation plus Fentynal should take care of you.

BUT - this is something you want to discuss w/ the anestheologist on the Pre-op meeting. General anesthesia can lead to barfing when you come out from under it - that is going to hurt your ribs something awful, The sedation USUALLY does not do that.

I'd say that I'm surprised that they are going to cut you w/ an INR that high - but then recalled that when they did my replacement they did not take me off Coumadin beforehand.

Good luck

Don

Ribs

by Theknotguy - 2014-01-28 10:01:29

Four broken ribs? Ouch! I only had one broken rib and a collapsed lung.

Some suggestions:

I had to get a hug-bear. That's a stuffed animal or pillow I could squeeze while I tried to cough. It helped a lot. You'd squeeze on the hug-bear while coughing. It really helped with the pain while coughing.

Don't know if you are home or not.

I also got a long pillow. I used it while sleeping in bed. Anytime I wanted to lay on my side I would use the pillow. As I turned on my side I'd lay on the pillow. It helped with the pain. You got a few minutes of sleep on your side. When I laid on my side without the pillow, it felt like my left side was collapsing onto my right.

Another thing. As you start to heal you may experience more pain. With the broken ribs and the pain involved, the brain just shuts off when it can deal with the pain no longer. So you may experience blank periods. As I got better I started to experience more muscle pain. It was a sign I was healing and the brain could deal with the lesser pain. So you should look at the lesser pain as a step ahead instead of just more pain.

Drink plenty of liquids. It will help with the healing.

If you have a CPAP, use it when ever you take a nap and to sleep at night. It will keep forcing air into your lungs and you won't have to breath as hard. CPAPs need a prescription to get, so if you don't have one, you probably won't be able to get one. If you have a CPAP, use it.

Heating pads dry out your muscles. So they cause more pain in the long run. They also aren't good to sleep on.

To keep your muscles loose, put a beach towel on your bed and sleep on it. The extra nap on the towel will keep the muscles warm and keep them loose so you can sleep better. Use the beach towel instead of a heating pad. A beach towel will cover the area from your lower back up to your head. If you have broken ribs your neck muscles will be sore too.

I had to sleep sitting up for about the first four weeks. Then gradually started to lay flat. I'd also take a small towel, roll it into a "log", then put the log behind my neck. It really helped with the sore neck muscles while sitting up sleeping.

Hope some of these suggestions help.

Theknotguy

car wrecks

by jimkirschvink - 2014-01-29 11:01:30

I've often wondered what the effects of a bad car wreck would be on the PM. Especially where the seat belt rubs across the PM. Has anyone out there had a bad accident that's effected the PM?

pacemaker battery replacement.th

by marilyn1957 - 2014-02-01 02:02:06

Yes, I was wearing the safety belt and that was the left side ribs and hand (considering I'm left handed).

Today is 1 month and walking without the walker. Have physical therapy 3x a week but that will stop for two weeks after the battery replacement because I have to keep the left hand (which is still so sore and hurts even with ice, although I'm working with a rubber ball to move my fingers... very slow and painful and next week I cant do that.).

I will definitely ask about the Fentynal. I'm praying that my INR will be at an acceptable level. I won't take my diuretic the morning of the procedure even though they said to take my usual meds. Last time, I did and they had to put in a Foley (ugh) because of the diuretic. I wont take that chance again.

I did the pre-op info on the phone so I think it'll only be blood work, vitals and INR on Monday. That will really be enough.
I have felt so un-groomed (like a puppy) without having a haircut in over 12 weeks. ... I was due January 2nd...that was already 6 weeks.... I want to feel like l look nice for my own self. I hate looking in a mirror and it's not a matter of vanity...it's just ugly!

I think if I get a haircut I'll feel more like myself and today will really be my first outing... Hoping they can wash my hair over the sink rather than sit in a chair with my head back although the ribs are feeling better but not all better. Gotta take the easiest road, but I think it'll give me a lift mentally. A dear friend is taking me and bringing me home.

I find that whatever I do tires me very quickly and the shortness of breath (I hope) will be relieved with the new pacemaker battery. The light on the machine in my bedroom was always green. It's now Yellow. Gotta have this done before it turns RED!.

I'll lt you know how it turns out as soon as it's done. Wednesday is the day at 11:00 a.m. surgery scheduled for noon and I'm blessed as my daughter will be flying down to be with me til Tuesday. Thank you all for your incredible relief. Marilyn .

I forgot to mention

by marilyn1957 - 2014-02-01 02:02:40

Some of my additional discomfort is that they never asked me what my dominant side was...They took for granted I was right handed and they inserted the pacemaker on my left side.

That's my biggest concern because my hand is still a mess. Can't hold a pen.. But I'm typing very slowly trying to make the fingers work (as an exercise).

Oh well, wish me luck. I'll be in touch when it's all over and once again..thank you all. Marilyn

Can't believe they put it on your left side

by garydiamond - 2014-05-24 06:05:14

Wow what a story, I broke two ribs, and can fully understand the pain, Don't cough, or sneeze, hope your doing better now

You know you're wired when...

You can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.