Pacemaker post surgery discomfort

I am a 60 year old woman. I had lot of mental stress last year and started feeling breathless and dizzy. Went to a cardiologist who ordered a pacemaker surgery immediately. I am still in doubt if I need that as they never put a hollister to check. Post surgery I was given blood pressure medicines to have for life, is that applicable? Second, it's been one year post surgery but Instill have some pain near the wound, while raising arms and feel dizzy in public places. Is that normal? Also will the wound lighten or stay forever?

2 Comments

questions

by Tracey_E - 2016-02-24 10:02:04

They don't always need to do a Holter. It sounds like you were symptomatic so if your rate was very low that's all they'd need to see. How low was your rate?

Blood pressure medication as nothing to do with being paced. The pacer brings your rate up, the meds bring your bp down.I would assume since they put you on them, that your bp was high? Don't be shy about asking your doctor for more information. I find it helps to write down my questions. I have a list in my head, then I get there and smile and nod and say no I don't have questions

If you are still having dizzy spells, write down when they happen and ask about it next time your pacer is interrogated. They can usually tell what the pacer was doing at the time.

If the incision still hurts, tell your doctor. Sometimes they can inject around it to reduce inflammation and help it feel better.

What the scar does depends on our skin type and our age, some end up blending in better than others. I'm super pale and of Irish and German descent, it takes about a year for the incision to get flat and white after a surgery.Scar from my first surgery when I was mid 20's is now barely visible, the one from 5 years ago isn't bad but definitely more noticeable. Keeping it moisturized and out of the sun will help.

Blood Pressure Meds

by NiceNiecey - 2016-02-25 04:02:14

Hi Sue.

Let me first encourage you to fill in your Pacemaker Profile. It really helps a lot: not only the readers but the club member because it forces you find out exactly what your Dx is, what your device is, etc.

Concerning BP med, did they tell you it was for blood pressure? I, too, take a Beta Blocker but it's for aFib, not my BP. Could that be the case with you?

As for doubting whether you need/needed a PM at all, let me just say that I truly doubt a doctor would implant a device s/he didn't think was truly necessary. What's your diagnosis? (Again, filling out the profile helps.)

You ask reasonable questions and I think your doctor can and should answer them. When's your next appt? It sounds like you're still needing tweeking so be sure to let them know how you're feeling.

You know you're wired when...

You can hear your heartbeat in your cell phone.

Member Quotes

It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.