Anyone have their PM in a different or alternate place?

SORRY

by BOBJ - 2017-03-31 16:26:12

I have mine in a slighlty unusual place but since I am male my insight probably will not help you much. I do think that your breast would probably cover it though. Mine is under the muscle and you cannot see it at all. 

Can they make the incision under the breast like they do with implants?

don't worry about visibility

by bridgermichael - 2017-03-31 19:43:20

K 

dont worry about what a tiny under skin "pocket " is going to look like in the above breast area - any man in an intimate situation with you is really not bothered about this - in fact if you find alternative location it may be more significant -I'm sure you will not put anyone off from having a loving relationship because you have a small scar and an under skin implant ! trust in yourself people will want to be with you for who you are and not worry about these things - to be fair I expect you have a lot more energy than you used to so use your female charms and put positive outlook ! 

burying it

by Tracey_E - 2017-03-31 21:56:04

I had my first 4 behind the breast, put in from the side. My 5th (and current) is under the pectoral muscle, put in from the chest but lower and more off to the side than the usual spot. Both were done by a plastic surgeon, excellent decision on your doctor's part to let a specialist handle this part.

Honestly, I think behind the breast is overkill. Replacements were much more painful. It's harder to run the leads from there so when one of my leads went bad, it was a bit of a hassle to get the new lead in and I ended up with a scar on my chest just like most everyone else because they had to put the new lead in a different vein then tunnel it to the device. Scar tissue built up and got painful, so the plastic surgeon rebuilt the pocket on #4. It got stuck, that's why they moved #5 to subpec 

If it's subpectoral and you have any padding at all up top, you will not have a lump. Have you seen one in person yet? If not, ask, because you'll be surprised how tiny they are. They can put it in a little lower and deeper than usual so any scar is covered by a tank top or bathing suit top. My first 4 were put in from the side, which meant a bra was uncomfortable for months after each replacement. 

Hope that helps. If you want to chat, feel free to private message me. I'm 50 now, was 27 and underweight when I got my first one so my doctor worked hard to make it inconspicuous. Back then, alternate placements were unheard of so they were pretty much making it up as they went along. It's more common now, subpec much more so than submammary. 

Pacemaker in Subpectoral position

by RachB - 2017-04-05 07:45:14

Hi,

I'm a 45 year old lady and had a medronic pacemaker implanted in a subpectoral position 2 weeks ago.  I have a small scar just under my collarbone to the left and you can't see the pacemaker at all.  I did have alot of bruising and was quite sore with limited movement due to the pressure applied to insert the pacemaker but like you didn't want it noticeable so can put up with that.   Good Luck with your surgery it is honestly a simple procedure and you should recover quickly.

Thanks!! Your Comments Help A Lot

by K lady - 2017-04-06 11:47:58

Thanks guys!!    I really appreciate your comments.  Yes I have seen an implanted pacemaker and it really stuck out far on a man.   It was very obvious.  I have recently lost over 50lbs and two bra sizes.  I don't have much fat left there at all.  That's another reason for sub- mammory  positioning.  

Yes- the surgeon plans to place the scar below the breast just like breast implant surgery.  I'm a bit concerned about that because I am a C cup and there is NO way I'm going without a bra for months in public.  I'm going to call the nurse and research a bit to see how women with implants cope and heal.  I've heard good and bad things about the incision being on the side of my breast.   Not sure if it's better or not. As you can see this seems  complicated.  I am not very comfortable with hospitals and doctors and changes to my body in general.  That's why I have been avoiding it.  I'm fighting the urge to run away and hide (lol).  Thanks again for your comments.  They have been so very helpful.  

leads

by Tracey_E - 2017-04-07 15:04:32

I don't mean see one implanted, I mean hold one in your hand. They come in all sizes so don't assume that because you saw one bulging that all of them do. There are thousands of members here. Most of us can barely see them. ICD and CRT are considerably larger than a regular 2 lead pacer. Mine is only a little larger than a silver dollar. I work out with the same people every day at the gym. I always wear a tank. Half of them have no idea I have a pacer. It can be done on the chest so that it's inconspicuous and the scar is not noticeable. 

Ask them very specifically how they plan to run the leads if they go in from the bottom or side. They have to get in the vein and to the heart. Leads last on average 15 years so you are going to outlive your leads. If they are doing a lot of tunneling, it's that much more complicated when one needs replaced. BTDT, don't recommend it. I would avoid a lot of tunneling. 

I wore tanks with the built in shelf bra with a loose blouse over it at first, then athletic bras, until I could wear a regular bra again. 

Just gonna be blunt and throw this out there... don't jeapordize your health over vanity.  Don't overthink it, just do it.