A Pacemaker - What??

New to the web site and PM! My story in a nutshell... Right before Christmas 2015, went to Dr. for sinus infection! Just wasn't feeling well, little dizzy, etc. Dr. did an EKG & my resting heart rate was 35. Diagnosed w/ Bradycardia. Went to cardiologist 3 days later; had big change in EKG again and poof! I had emergency PM surgery that afternoon! Then 6 hours later, I had Pericarditis - Very Painful-constant pain! Lasted 30 hours! Few days in hospital & mega doses of meds. Recovered now. At last appt. my Dr. said I had been in CHF (congestive heart failure)! Tell your dr. of your symptoms, no matter how trivial they seem to you. I do have some questions...

Did anyone else experience Pericarditis after surgery?
Does anyone have problems sleeping on their sides, especially left side (PM on that side). Suggestions?

Thanks! Momma-K


2 Comments

Sleep on left side

by Theknotguy - 2016-02-01 10:02:51

My pacemaker gets pinched between my shoulder and ribcage when I sleep on my left side. The only thing I can do is to put a small pillow or the corner of my sleeping pillow over my left shoulder. It's just enough padding to prevent me from pinching the pacemaker. Not like it used to be before the pacemaker but it helps.

Hope everything else goes well for you.

It's been seven months

by BetsyQ - 2016-02-01 10:02:56

for me and I still have to be careful of arm placement when sleeping on my left side because it feels like it is pinching in the pm area. It took trial and error to find a comfortable position for sleeping.

Hope you are able to adapt to this new way of life soon.

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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.