Creams?

Hi all,
I got my pm back in 2012, after I had an atrial myxoma removed from my heart. I had a love/hate relationship with this board afterwards, because I had a lot of difficulty coping. So this board helped me many times, but also scared me a lot. However, I did learn there is a lot of good info on here. So I come here with a question:

My pm site is crazy itchy. ALL DAY LONG. It has a thick keloid which doesn't help (as does my sternal incision). However, my pm clinic tells me never ever to touch the site and also never to put creams on it. I assume because they worry it will absorb into the pm.
I've read a lot on here about this topic and people seem to be using creams. has anyone else heard this or know the rationale?

5 Comments

lotion on incision

by bluebowtye - 2014-06-18 05:06:08

Hi,
I can't say about your particular situation, but I saw my Dr. 6 weeks after my implant and he told me my incision had healed enough that I could start putting lotion on it. I have been doing so every day since with no problems. I'm not sure about actual anti-itch creams but the lotion does help with my itching. I use the scented body lotion from Victoria's Secret.

If the incision was not healed I could see it maybe absorbing into the PM pocket but not the PM itself.

Good luck,
~Sheila

Scar care

by golden_snitch - 2014-06-18 05:06:41

Hi!

I saw a professor for dermatology, after my first pacemaker scar had become extremely thick keloid. He said to start using lotion on scars right after the stitches have come out or have been resorbed. He said that scars need a lot of attention and care. Even told me to use a cream two to three times per day. That's how I have treated new scars ever since, and for me it works.

Oh, and what also helped after my latest pacemaker surgery, was a Kinesio tape on the scar. This is the colorful tape you often see on athletes. My physical therapist said it works wonders on scars, so I had a scar tape for about three weeks. Felt really good!

Inga

Don't worry about the PM

by donr - 2014-06-18 09:06:57

The PM is in a hermetically sealed Titanium case. Titanium is a metal that is virtually impervious to corrosion. No way it will absorb anything.

Leads, while "Only" stainless steel, are just as impervious to anything you can smear on your body.

Donr

keloid/itch medication

by highdesert - 2014-06-18 10:06:01

Google a product called scar guard md....

Thank you!

by 21daisygurl - 2014-06-19 02:06:12

Thank you everyone for your comments and tips. I am happy to report that last night I quite gleefully applied cream to the site and that helped a lot!

I think the keloid is not to be helped. I form them very easily and am getting steroid injections in the ones on my chest. They offered to do the pm site too but I didn't see the point since they will be cutting there next time I need a battery change.

You know you're wired when...

You invested in the Energizer battery company.

Member Quotes

A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.