Upcoming PM surgery, SCARED!

Pre Surgery

by FaithGrace - 2016-09-05 00:44:35

You will be okay, I'm sure of it.  I had a Pacemaker put in just over four weeks ago for 3rd degree heart block.  

My Electrophysiologist reassured me that the surgery was necessary, it was a minor outpatient surgery, and I would feel so much better afterward.  All of these things kept me calm, and I just knew I needed to trust him with this and that I was going to be alright.  

With your littles, you will be sore after surgery and will need some help the first few days.  The first day especially, you will be very tired and will need to sleep a lot.  For me, the first 3 days were spent icing the area and resting a lot.  The rest of that week did get better each day, but I was still pretty sore.  Each day after that got an little easier.  

My advice is to remain calm and positive.  Be informed, and just ask enough to know what to expect, but not too much that you get overwhelmed.  

The surgery along with the anesthesia went very well for me and I'm sure it will for you also!  Trust your team to help you through.  If you want more specifics, just ask and I'm happy to share.  But for me, just the basics were enough as I wanted to be focused and stay positive.  

You'll do great! It'll be over and you will be on to recovery and feeling good again!! Wishing you all the best! 

most importantly - relax and follow instructions for recovery

by techiej - 2016-09-05 11:19:32

My PM was the 7th (of 8) procedures that I had over a 2 year period and was the easiest on me physically.

While they will put you to sleep it is generally "just under" as they apply a local to the area and the time it takes is usually quite short (in my case 70 minutes).

I checked in to the hospital and once prepped - IV line, discussion with EP & others - it was just waiting until it was my turn.  They took me into the OR, had me move myself into position, applied some sensor pads (self-stick), did a safety check (confirmed name, etc.) and then ran propanol through the IV which knocked me out.

When I came to they were wheeling me to radiology so that they could get some images of the leads and gave me a box lunch to take to my room.

Spent the night in the hospital and then a rep from the PM company came by in the AM to check the readings, a PA from the EP's office to check my vitals and I was discharged - they even had me walk rather than get wheelchaired out of the hospital.  BTW, I felt better than I had in a long time after the PM (brady + poor recovery rate).

Was it sore afterwards?  Yes, but not awful.  I only ended up taking a couple of the pain pills the first day and then just used tylenol to manage the pain.

What I found helped me the most - in all of my procedures - was to walk as much as I could as often as I could...this can be in the house and does not gave to be brisk.  Most importantly try to relax as much as possible...it's hard, but if you have anxiety it will not help.

The important thing is to follow the instructions for keeping the incision site dry, limited movement/range, limited lifting, etc. for the time that they tell you.  This will be hard with little ones but do follow the care instructions.

Good luck and am sure that you will do fine!

A better Hospital

by oldearthworm - 2016-09-05 12:30:29

Yours must be better than mine   ..  Techiej 

Canadian ?

SSS and bradycardia as well, maybe my age  ..  75  ..  I was in  for 4 days , that was hell !  Bur the surgery  ..  or surgeries  ..  a piece of cake  ..  almost enjoyable , despite my unfounded fears and imagination  ..  we DO live in a wonderful age  .. 

Even the post-op care was easy , but then , I am married, this makes things  ..so easy  .. I hope that I can reciprocate.

Piece of cake

by Good Dog - 2016-09-05 16:00:50

A pacemaker implant is not in any way a life threatening surgery. So there is nothing to worry about. It is really an easy and safe surgery. You can ask your Doc for the level of anesthesia you are comfortable with. They usually don't knock you out completely, but you don't feel a thing. It is human nature to be a little fearful. I think that everybody is. I have had three battery changes since the original implant and I still get scared ahead of the surgery. Then I always feel a little foolish afterwards.

Just chill and...................milk it for what it is worth. Although you won't need it, have somone baby you aftewrwards. That is a part of the pay-off.

I too was born with a 1st degree AV block and it suddenly went into a 3rd degree in my 30's. I have to tell you that after having a PM for 30 years now, it is the best thing that ever happened to me. It has allowed me to lead a completely normal life in every way. So you too will find it to be a very gradifying result.

Knowledge can replace fear

by Terry - 2016-09-05 16:45:56

This is new to you, so here's the latest. If you are near a university hospital, the chances are you will get the latest treatment called His bundle pacing. The bundle of His (the doctor who discovered the cardiac conduction system many years ago) activates the heart normally, and can avoid the published 10% heart failure risk in just two years. See His-pacing.org for more details. Be sure to ask your doctor about how to avoid heart failure and bi-vintricular pacing which requires 3 leads and does not provice normal, physiologica ventricular activation. I don't know of any pacemaker patient with heart block who did not develop heart failure after decades of pacing the right ventricle.

Terry

Surgery is fine

by LondonAndy - 2016-09-05 19:14:20

Hi RobinClaire

I had a PM inserted for complete block one week after having a replacement heart valve fitted, so admittedly for me it was the lesser of two procedures but I honestly think you will be fine.  Here in the UK alone they fit 40,000 of them every year, so they are highly practised and this is completely routine.  As GoodDog says it is light anaesthetic and a small incision.  I have had no problems with my PM - I didn't even think about it for 4 months after I left hospital, and frankly I came to this site to find out what sort of issues SHOULD I be thinking about! You may well be in and out of hospital the same day.

As Techiej already said, it's important to follow the instructions for recovery afterwards, keeping the wound safe and infection free, and not lifting your arms above a certain point to avoid the risk of pulling the wires out of the heart before they have had a chance to bed in.  Sounds dramatic I know, but reality is not anything like as scary.  I am sure it will make a a huge improvement to your life, and I am confident your fears before the event will soon pass.  Do come back here after your procedure is done and tell us how it went.

Best wishes

good luck

by rcescato - 2016-09-10 12:08:07

I had mine put in 5 weeks ago. I was a little scared but it was amazing how easy it was. I was in surgery around 7am out by 8 or 815. I put in twilight and up for most of it.  by 945 I was put in my room and let go by 9am next morning.  The first 3 days it was weird to do nothing and by the 5th day I was anxious to go. I went to work on the 7th day. Prayers will be sent out to you. Good luck

               Rich