Pain and Swelling around Pacemaker

I am on my second pacemaker. My first pacemaker was implanted in 2005 and in 2013 the battery was low so they replaced it. I haven't had any complications with my pacemakers. Recently however, I've started having pain and swelling around it. Approximately two months ago I had a really bad scare when I laid down in bed and it looked like pacemaker had flipped and was poking out way more than usual. I waited until the morning but it did not go away and was sore so I went to the ER. After some blood work they told me nothing was wrong and I just have a large pocket so it was moving around. I have tried to just go on and ignore it but the pain is steadily getting worse and it is visibly swollen around it and into my armpit. The pain has started going into my breast so I went and saw my doctor who sent me for a mammogram thinking the pain was from something going on in my breast. The mammogram was clear. The pain is now moving up my neck and into my arm. It is not extremely painful, just sore really but if I touch it the pain gets much worse. I have been keeping a heating pad on it as it seems to help. I haven't had a fever but I have felt just an overall feeling of not feeling well. I feel tired a lot and get short of breath easily. It seems impossible that this could be an infection since it's been so long since it was placed but is there something else that could be going on with my pacemaker? I don't want to keep going to the doctor to be made feel like I'm crazy because nothing is wrong but I really feel like something is wrong 😔

4 Comments

Call the doctor . Now.

by Gotrhythm - 2017-05-07 14:34:05

Pain and swelling around the pacemaker is a bad sign. Do not ignore it.

Even after a couple of months, yes, it could be an infection. Even if you don't have a fever, the general feeling of malaise could be a symptom of infection. Go back to the cardiologist. Insist upon being seen. 

Go back as often as you need to. 

I agree

by dwelch - 2017-05-10 00:04:57

call the doc, sounds like you moved it around.

 

We are always at a high risk for infection, at any time from the first implant on we have to be careful if our body figures out its in there it may start to reject it...not just the first days/weeks/months.  Not saying that the pacer itself or leads will cause the infection, but after inplant and settled in and that heals other infections, a cut on the leg, etc.  dont mess around if you get an infection from somewhere else.  Now if you cut yourself inside, hmmm...dont know how that works...

having the thing flip around in the pocket not heard of that one.  iam on pacer number five now two weeks into it.  30 years with pacers, pretty sure I moved one and caused the lead to slide over the top on number one.  and pretty sure my pocket is well formed, mine dont move around or flip over, etc...

If you need to use the ER to get to a cardoligist do that, if you can call your doc/nurse and get a visit do that.  dont worry about their feelings as to how many questions you ask esp the "is this normal" ones.  it is your LIFE in the balance here, it is just their job...

Hopefully this is something else, and or whatever you did is muscular and will ache for a whiel and subside with time.  but worth checking out with someone who deals with pacers/icds not a generic ER doc...who normally deal with everything but...

Went to doctor

by Tnackt - 2017-05-10 14:20:51

I saw Cardiologist yesterday and after hearing my symptoms and feeling around he sent me to the ER to check for infection. They did bloodwork that was all normal and a CT Scan and they said that looked good and sent me home. I'm glad it's not infected but still wondering what's going on. 

Similar issues

by AB4family - 2017-05-31 01:47:23

Im on my second pacer. I got my first one 11 years ago. I got my second one 5 years ago. About 6 days ago ive been feeling the same way you have been. The only difference is my pacer didnt flip. I feel like it movrd lower towards my breast though. I went to the ER tonight. They ran blood work, xray, ultrasound, ekg, and etc. The only thing they could not do was check my pacer directly. I was going to call my cardiologist tomorrow. I feel like im going crazy because to me the pain is all too real. I wish i could just get an answer. Ive never had a problem with my pacer before now. Sometimes i can feel my heart race but the only time ive ever had pain surounding my pacer was after surgery. Im well past surgery 5 years to be exact. I am blown away at how much pain i am in and they can not find a problem. 

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I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.