Many Thanks All

So glad to have found this community and grateful to be able to read your experiences. I'm a very keen cyclist and until a week ago I thought I was fit and healthy. On Sunday however I started blacking out every time I feel asleep (it happened about 12 times before I was admitted to hospital), by Monday I had received a pacemaker and on Tuesday I was discharged. Less than 1 week later and your stories of hope are giving me great comfort - many thanks.

3 Comments

healthy

by Tracey_E - 2014-10-06 10:10:59

You ARE fit and healthy! Electrical problems have nothing to do with how well we take care of ourselves. Poor diet and lack of exercise brings on plumbing problems, electrical is often just a fluke. If you were in good shape before, that means you can heal and get back to activity that much faster. Good luck, and welcome to the club.

Thank you

by Shaun - 2014-10-07 04:10:16

The first week of my PM implant playing out the role of a patient was not overly stressful. The start of my second week, the dressing came off and I had my first shower. I now realise that getting back to normal is not going to be as easy as I thought. The stiffness, tightness and swelling in the shoulder is not the dressing, it's me and my new PM. That's going to take some getting used to. The breathlessness, light headedness and sensation of my own heart are probably down to needless worry, but my wife contacted the doctor anyway for peace of mind (never used to have these symptoms before during the day). Apart from the daytime stress induced symptoms, I'm having the ocassional night sweat, so I'm on antibiotics just in case and had some precautionary blood tests. But at least I am getting some good night sleeps, it's my poor wife though who worries at night after the experience she went through with me.

Stiffness

by SteveE - 2014-10-09 09:10:52

You didn't mention your age, but at "my age" - 67 now, it seems that the stiffness in my shoulders, knees and back never go away! I guess that's the effect of 30+ years of running and weight lifting. Such is life.

At any rate, the worst of the stiffness should begin to resolve over the next month or so. I'm sure they also gave you some restrictions on range of motion for your arm nearest the implant. Remember that this, too, will add to short-term stiffness, just from not using your normal range of motion. It all gets better, but we all heal at different rates, so your mileage may vary.

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for gaining an extra ounce or two.

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