update 8 days after pacemaker implant

• by prosk2008
• 2016-10-28 18:03:50
• Surgery & Recovery
• 1484 views
• 5 comments

First, i confess to being relatively techno-disabled so i have not figured out how to post a comment that responds to or follows the comment trail that resulted from my original post on 10/16. Second, i mostly really wanted to thank all of you who offered comments about questions i had about my then upcoming surgery and the issues i thought i would face in the next 7-10 days after. here then is a brief update on life post-surgery on 10/20:

1. Dual chamber pacemaker (Biotronik) -- 2-hour surgery stay --hydrofiber bandage to stay on for 5 days but theoretically could shower with it. ( i did but only once)

2. 2 days in hospital --one additional because my diagnosis was tachybradia arrhytmia (sp?) --so pacemaker for the low HR and sotalol for the high HR --and adjusting to sotalol requires an extra night in hospital. But honestly felt fine from outset; could walk; converse, do email; had not had any symptoms before and none since...though did develop a bad itchy rash reaction (lasting 2 days) in area all around chest where the pre-surgery antiseptic was appplied.

3. Limited left arm activity but very hard to avoid, especially once bandage off and no pain at all in area, though there is a bump and the bandage strips. best i can tell the home monitor is working and sending information so i assume leads have not been dislodged, or they would have called??

4. sleep on back and right side -helped by Tylenol PM. able to walk 2-3 miles a day, and work, though i have stayed home.return Monday. high BP readings are the issue now, as result of substtuting sotalol for labetalol, i think. just added a medication to see if that helps.

5. due to have check-up 11/29. so, so far so good. anxiety greatly diminished once i had the surgery and was able to see and experence pretty quick recovery, i think. But i feel great empathy for those of you who are having issues, and am glad to help in any way i can. i remain very grateful for your responses to my initial outreach.

thank you.