I am a Newbe

I am sooo thankful for finding this site. I am getting my PM on March 24th and am beyond nervous! I have been reading your post and have gained a wealth of information here. I just wish I wasn't so frightened. What am I frightened of? EVERYTHING! Waking up in the middle of surgery, the pain that follows and not being able to use my left arm for a while. Let me just say I have been practicing for the past week and it is darn hard to pull up a pair of jeans with 1 arm. :)

Bonnie

10 Comments

Fear of the unknown

by Jonny - 2014-03-14 01:03:49

Fortunately by reading some of the posts on this forum it wont be such an unknown. Many of us only had a local when having the PM implanted so waking during the procedure should not be as frightening as you might imagine, if it were to happen. I had very little pain during the procedure and was pleased I went for the local as recovery was very fast. There is very little pain following either. Just follow the instructions and you'll be fine. As Grateful Heart says keep that arm moving as normal except not allowing the point of the elbow to go above shoulder height for a while. Best of luck.

Thanks so much!!

by 1bcampbell - 2014-03-14 02:03:33

Thank you so much for the encouraging words. You guys are awesome!! It's so nice to know I have a place to go for answers to my questions.

It's normal to be frightened

by Grateful Heart - 2014-03-14 12:03:03

It's the unknown to you, but you'll be ok.

Pull up your jeans with both arms! :-)

Use both arms, just don't raise your elbow on the PM side above your shoulder for a few weeks, usually 6 but go by your Doctor's orders. You want to move your arm though, you don't want to get "frozen shoulder" by not using it. That would be a new problem.

You'll be fine, we've all been through it.

Glad you found us! This is the place to learn.

Grateful Heart

good luck

by bluebowtye - 2014-03-14 12:03:12

Hi Bonnie,
It is a scary thing for sure but really it's not all that bad. I just had my PM implanted on 2/17 and am doing really well. Like Grateful Heart says you do want to use your arm, just don't raise your elbow above your shoulder. My Dr. told me for 4 weeks. Since I was home I just wore pull-on workout pants and a zip-front sweatshirt for the first few days to make getting dressed easier. I did not find the pain to be that bad. I was on just Tylenol for a couple of days and that was it.

I wish you the best of luck. You will find this group to be very supportive and helpful.

Take care,
~Sheila

will be fine

by wjs1954 - 2014-03-14 12:03:54

like the others said,,

we all were nervous, some more than others (me),,

it was fine, i got mine 2-24 all is well..

you will be superwoman

by mrsbrooks - 2014-03-15 06:03:44

You will feel so much better afterward. Look forward to that. They put everything in while I was in "twilight" sleep. The best thing you can do is to relax and let the surgeons handle everything. My PM is now 5 years old. This procedure is not as bad as most dental work! Remember your PM card for airports, and wear your ID bracelet. Best of luck.

Hi Bonnie

by Marie12 - 2014-03-15 06:03:51

As everyone has said, make sure you move your arm after surgery. Yoeu shouldn't raise it above your shoulder but the rest is ok. Before I left the hospital, I was given four physiotheraphy exercises that helped to keep me from getting frozen shoulder which can easily happen.

As to waking up...I was only lightly sedated and mostly awake for the procedure (with the exception of putting me out when they tested my ICD). It was really OK.

You made need a few months to adjust and my recommendation is that you give everything at least six months. If you are feeling anxious or depressed afterwards, just remember - at least six months.

Me too

by boochance - 2014-03-15 11:03:08

I so relate and empathize with people who get very anxious about any medical procedure. I only had 2 days notice before getting my pacemaker four years ago when my SSS was diagnosed. I was a wreck worrying about the whole thing including fear of getting an infection from the hospital due to being a bit of a germaphobe. It went well really. I had morphine after surgery so pain was controlled. Spent one night in hospital. I had some shooting pains for a couple of weeks afterwards while everything was settling down but not nearly as bad as dental procedures I have had. It's been great not to have the heart spells I had for years with racing heart, then very low heart rate. It went undiagnosed for years and I lived in fear of them. It is wonderful not to have had that happen again. I am so glad to have my pacemaker.

And Again

by BPM - 2014-03-17 01:03:03

Im having Pm in April as well, am highly functioning n competent in my life but turning to Jelly, breaking out in sweats, nightmares etc at the thought of it, thats what anxiety is- fear of the unknown, although I can rationalise the need for it, the irrational fear just takes over, putting lots energy into believing it will be fine, and reading lots of entries on this site is v helpful.
I admire what people have been through and the support they are offering to others,
I really want to believe it will all be fine :)))
Trust!!!

BPM

More Thanks Then You All Know!

by 1bcampbell - 2014-03-17 01:03:37

I can not begin to thank you all for the response. I am feeling a lot better about next Monday. 6 more days...I'm ready...I just want to move on and feel great again!

I love reading all the post. You really can gain a wealth of knowledge on this site.

Thank you again for all the supportive kind words. I'll keep you all posted.

You know you're wired when...

Friends call you the bionic man.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.