Swelling after Exercise

Hi, I had my first dual chamber PM fitted in Feb, i'm 33yr old women, heavily into sports, running, cycle, weights, etc (yep i'm a total gym freak!). I've noticed I randomly get swelling around the PM and leads up to my collarbone, not from any particular sports, although i'm training for Duathlon at the mo, so I am training more than normal. Do other people get this? I take ibrupeon and that seems to help but its not a long term answer, i'm going for a routine checkup in two weeks and thinking about asking if they'll replace the PM deeper, i've read people have had this done on this site? or is it just normal and I have to just suck it up!

Do other women on here wear special sports bra's? I wonder if there's too much movement or friction when I exercise. I see online you can buy customised compression tops but there a lot of money, if they even work?

Any suggestions greatfully received (and please don't say stop exercising). Thanks x

6 Comments

exercise

by Tracey_E - 2015-09-21 03:09:03

Keep exercising :o)

Does it hurt or are you just swelling short term after? I found heating pad on low gets rid of swelling when it's just a small amount. If it persists, gets worse, or doesn't go away easily, I would run it by your doctor.

Can you pinpoint any one exercise that is the problem? I do Crossfit so we go hard and change up what we do every day. I figured out that ring rows don't work for me. I don't understand why because we do other exercises that work the same pectoral muscles, but I guess those get deeper because every time I do them I'm all sore and swollen around the pm the next day. So, now I do something else on those days. Other members have reported trouble with push ups or holding the weight bar in front rack. We're all different so it can take some time to learn where we need to modify or ease up. Are you swimming as part of your training?

If it's bothering you, yes they can probably place it deeper. If it's reasonably comfortable, or even just mildly annoying,I'd give it at least a year before making any decisions. While you are mostly healed, you are not 100% healed yet, and your body will have to adjust to its new normal. That all takes time so don't rush into another surgery.

I do not wear a special sports bra, just one that's very supportive. I don't think there's any one "best" because we're all built differently. I like the ones from Champion that come in regular bra sizes and varying support. My daughter is a miniature version of me shape-wise (sans pacemaker) but hates those, she likes Nike. I don't think compression is necessary, just find something that doesn't rub and keeps the girls from bouncing.

You are at seven months

by Theknotguy - 2015-09-21 06:09:31

You are at seven months and doing exercise. I started doing heavy exercise at the seven month period. Got really sore and had swelling. Followed by itching all over the PM site. I attributed the itching to nerves healing.

Depending upon what I did, I'd either pull the scar tissue which would hurt, or "pinch" the PM between my shoulder and rib cage which would hurt too. Over the next three months most of the pain and swelling went away. But there are things I had to avoid. Mostly "pinching" the PM was the big issue.

Cold compresses, warm compresses, tylenol were the go to fixes for that period.

At (almost) two years, I can do anything I want. Occasionally if I don't warm up enough, I'll still get sore. Mostly I've only needed aspirin or tylenol in these last few months.

Hope everything else is going well for you.

Thanks

by Charlene - 2015-09-21 09:09:53

Thanks really appreciate the comments :-) just working out whats my new normal, the swellings not massive uncomfortable just aches for a day or two. Im lucky enough to be British so we don't pay for medical treatment i'll talk to the consultant in my check-up, but its good to know other people have the same, great advise to try target exercises, thanks again! x

Sorness

by dmedcalf - 2015-09-22 12:09:28

I have had mine since December 30 2014. I do CrossFit and run. I have really sharp pains through my left arm and around where the pacemaker is. I called my dr. And they said since I am s smaller person and I do a lot working out then it is probably my muscles healing around it. I hope you get better. It is great you are working out. I am still not back where I was but I am trying. I would ask your dr if it would help to move it. I may ask mine the same.

Fitness

by qatar8fit - 2015-09-28 08:09:40

I have just had my box changed. I am a fitness trainer, and teach/exercise a lot. I have to be very careful when lifting weights (more for lead damage) but it's this type of work that aggravates the box. I wear a good sports bra and another top when running to stop movement. This helps a lot.
I had mine fitted when I was 32, and I'm now 40. I did find over time it seemed to imbed a little deeper.
Good luck

I get a rash

by lahbigbro6 - 2015-10-19 01:10:31

I wear a sports bra but do not get swelling. I will sore but do not lift heavy weights. If I sleep on my pacemaker side I get a huge rash on that side and itches. Its usually takes a few days and goes away. Actually it happen today.

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