Dislodging leads

Received pm two weeks ago. Dr. said don't raise elbow above shoulder. Every day it happens at least once. Scared I might dislodge a lead. How long should this be a concern

Rob

5 Comments

Dislodging Leads

by Frankenstein - 2014-08-04 11:08:30

Does the 10 pounds apply to both arms or just the left (in my case)?

How in the world did your kitten kick your pm out of position?

Rob

Lead displacement

by Selwyn - 2014-08-05 01:08:22

Be reassured it is harder than you think to displace a lead using the arm. Perhaps extremes of movement should be avoided for 6 weeks, such as swimming and golf.

Otherwise, I would not worry too much.
There is a nice study looking at this problem evaluating traditional advice.

Read:
Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). Jan 2009; 22(1): 3–6.
PMCID: PMC2626349
Appropriateness of sling immobilization to prevent lead displacement after pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation

Worry not!

Dislodging Leads/Rob

by jenniwoowoo - 2014-08-05 04:08:45

I hear you. I did the same thing and would panic after catching myself. After I stopped thinking about it, I found it much easier not to raise my arm so high. Mine was compounded by the fact I'm a lefty. Relax, I think the idea is not to constantly do it. My Doc said 6-8 weeks!

we all do it

by Tracey_E - 2014-08-05 09:08:37

Everyone does it! It's highly unlikely we'll do any damage from moving our arm after the first few days. Don't sweat it.

Do let it freeze

by Lurch - 2014-08-05 10:08:48

The morning following my implant the doctor came into my room and saw me wearing a sling. He got a little angry and told me to only wear it at night for the first two weeks. He said the nurses always put a sling on everybody and tell them not to use their arms at all. This results in the joint freezing up and causing many more problems.

He told me to be careful about lifting things with my left arm, but to gently move it back and forth to shoulder level during the first two weeks to prevent freezing.

If you raise it too far or do too much, at least in my experience, you start to feel a little pull in your chest where the wires go. For me, that lasted a few weeks with each day being better and better.

Good luck and stay in touch...

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