How do i know if my problems are real?

I hae posted before, and you have all been great! I am i week shy of having my pacemaker for 3 months.  I have had to see the rep to tweek my pacemaker and Im still waiting to just move on with life and forget I have it.  I got the pacemaker because of sss and bradycardia.  I had a fib since I was in my 30's and had an ablasion in 2013.  I am almost 65, and tall and am told slightly built.   The first time I saw the pacemaker rep, I had better breathing and less dizziness, but always tired and no energy.  I felt every time the monitor went off, so he made it so I couldnt feel it when it was helping my heart out.  The next month I went in I was adjusted so I had hopefuly more energy during the day, but got back more difficulty breathing and I am more dizzy.  I developed a cough that I cant control since the surgery, expecially when laying down. And when I was given the ok to start doing things that was restricted after the surgery was the time my shoulder froze up on me.  that is better now, but not great and I am supposed to start therapy on my shoulder this week. This last week I developed soarness around the surgery area again and noticed I can feel both leads coming out of the top of the pacemaker and dont know if this is normal and just didnt notice it before.  I also developed a knot feeling right where I thought my stomach would be that is bothersome and doesnt like me to sit or do anything bending over, and my left shoulder is getting either muscle spasms or shocks.  I am to see the heart doc for the first time since the surgery on feb 27th for my first check up.  I am thinking I should postpone the therapy until I find out whats going on?  I am starting to feel like a real cry baby about this, and I am just waiting for my ah-ha moment so I can just move on and start just living again.  Am I just healing slowly and not giving it enough time, or have I had it toyed with by the pacemaker rep to often or can they keep tweeking it until I feel the best I can...?  He says its doing its job and that I definatley needed one because it is working for me, and Im just one of those sensitive peope that feels everything and hes got one more person like me.  Poor guy!  These new feelings just dont seem right, but Im not sure what "right" is, or what I should be feeling.  In my mind I shouldnt be feeling anything at this point and should be good to go and do everything I used to do and not even know its there?  thanks everyone in advance.

1 Comments

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by dumb - 2017-02-11 18:12:07

Your pacemaker will not shock you.  I would guess the shock like sensations are from healing. Many of us reported the same thing while we were healing the muscles and nerves that were damaged or irritated during the implant procedure.

The comment about things not feeling right probably means, feels different. If you had sloppy posture for years and you went to a dance class and learned to improve your posture, you would feel like your posture was way off, not quite right out of kilter. However you would be wrong, it would be improved.

I am not sure what you mean about  "I also developed a knot feeling right where I thought my stomach would be that is bothersome and doesnt like me to sit or do anything bending over...".  If you have a hard knot someplace you need to have that checked out immediately, no fooling around to see what happens.

Often as the swelling and bruising leave it is easier to see the outline of the device, feel the wires and attatchments with your fingers. Do not touch the site, do not feel around it, just leave it alone.  It is naturally tender if you keep feeling it soreness will continue and you risk other problems.

You need to go for your shoulder therapy ASAP, the longer it is left untreated the more problems you will have and they are likely to become long term.

You probably will not have an Ah, awakening, just a recovery that will take weeks, months or years.  I was 8 months into my device before I felt a breath of improvement.  My second device was when the big improvement came.

Cardiac Rehab from a reliable resource is your best bet for recovery.

You are an adult, I am sure you know if your difficulties are real or just for fun.

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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.