Location relative to muscle

Hello, I'm having my first pm installed in a couple of days. I'm a 62 year old female. My doctor offered me the option of installing the pm underneath muscle, rather than just under the skin, so it's less visible. He said that there would be just a little more discomfort while the site recovers, but because I am lean this would be less visible. Has anyone opted for this? thank you, M.

6 Comments

Bury it!

by Bostonstrong - 2014-03-24 09:03:03

Mine is just under the skin and still uncomfortable. The harness/gear I use when paragliding irritates it, the seat belt irritates it, getting hugged is painful, sitting in aisle seat on a plane and getting whacked by carry ons from other passengers irritates it. I will be doing some backpacking in the Rockies this summer, really wish I had asked to have it buried. Got it in June btw. I also have to hide it really well or I wouldn't be able to do some activities (paragliding), seems like the liability folks aren't real keen on pacemakers. It doesn't stop me from doing anything I want to do but I think if it was implanted deeper it would be more comfortable.

bury it

by trish - 2014-03-24 10:03:45

If you have the option go for muscle placement. Mine implanted 10 weeks ago is not. Seat belt even with a protector is uncomfortable as is leaning over from waist as in weeding etc. Trish

Good question

by 2219kg - 2014-03-24 11:03:49

I was wondering the same thing. I will be getting my first pm in april. If you don't go with the muscle placement, does the irritation from leaning and seatbelts ever go away?

Under the Muscle

by D from NYC - 2014-03-25 01:03:26

I got my CRT-D last July under the skin. I'm a little bony up top and after the swelling went down the device was sitting right on top of my left chest. It look like I could press the top bottoms is was so pronounce and it look like it could pop out any minute. It was uncomfortable - wearing seat belts, turning over in bed and etc. But I thought that was the way it was supposed to be. A friend who went through the same procedure told me that I should not have to go through life being uncomfortable. I went back to my EP and he explained that I didn't have enough fat for the device to settle into a pocket. He recommended repositioning it under the muscle.

I had the repositioning procedure done this past January and it was one of the most successful things I done for myself. The recuperation was not that painful since you didn't have to be concerns with leads going into the heart and you didn't have to wait to use your arm. I feel so much better and now the chest surface is flat. Go for it!

Location Relative to Muscle

by iheartemh - 2014-03-25 08:03:48

I would say bury it if possible. I had my pacemaker implanted back in July 2013. I did get over most of the sensitivity. However, during a recent mammogram, it felt as though the device was being pulled down and ripped out, so I yelled for them to stop. I then had a vaso vagul response to the pain which led my physician to insisting that I go to the device clinic to have it checked out and also to the cardiologist to see what he thought (because I also have a few blockages). Anyway, while seeing the device clinic doctor, he asked why my pacemaker was so close to the skin surface. I hadn't realized others were not like mine. He told me he could go back in and try to make the pocket deeper, but of course, this isn't without risk. Then, the cardiologist thought that perhaps it wasn't possible to make my pocket deeper if there may not have been enough fatty tissue. So, had I known all of this first, I would have asked if they could bury it deep. BTW, I have also seen online where some younger women are opting to have the incision done beneath the breast so no incision shows. Maybe you could consider this. Good luck.

bury it

by Tracey_E - 2014-03-25 11:03:19

Mine is buried, I love it. I can hike with a heavy backpack, seat belt never rubs, no lump, scar covered by a tank top and most bathing suits. Most people end up with it comfortable eventually and it settles in nicely, but if you have the option of burying it, go for it.

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