Possible infection?

i had my pacemaker put in last July and it's been mainly fine - just the odd bit of fine tuning needed.  Every now and then it itches and I feel like ripping it out, so my cardiologist put me on Gabapentin to help calm down the nerve endings.  I have been taking this for about 3 weeks.  Last night though, I felt really poorly, I was cold and shivering but I was burning up and felt really achey.  This morning I feel a bit better but it aches/burns around my pacemaker site and it is tender to touch and is slightly swollen.  I can't lift my arm very high as the pacemaker site hurts, it's like I had it done again. 

Any ideas or advice wèlcome

4 Comments

Call your doctor NOW

by Tracey_E - 2017-09-24 09:56:34

I'm no doctor but swelling, new pain, fever are three signs of infection. It needs to be treated quickly and aggressively. Don't let them write you off or send you home with antibiotics and take a wait and see attitude. You need cultures to confirm if it is infection, and if it is you want to be sure you are hitting it with the right meds asap. If the infection isn't quickly contained, they'll have to take everything out, wait for it to heal and the infection to clear, then put it in again somewhere else. I don't mean to scare you, but fast treatment is crucial. Good luck

Please and certainly not to alarm you ....

by MartyP - 2017-09-24 10:11:17

I had  checkup with my EP last week ("Pacemaker Pam") and when I see her we usually talk about various things she's either seen or heard about over the years.  This time we talked about infections as I was lamenting that there seemed to be a lot of them; but she said of the thousands of PM's implanted "we on this site" only hear about the few that occured by people who share the information on this website.

But during our talk she told me of a patient that she had a LONG time ago ..  that thought s/he had an infection, feeling it at the PM site.  As hard as the doctors tried, they couldn't find it.  Being so frustrated and knowing the paient did have an infection (I assume from blood tests), they decided to open the incison point and see what what was happening. 

What they found was that the infection was UNDER the pacemaker and that's why they couldn't find it.

Could this be the cause of your problem?  HIGHLY UNLIKELY, but if the problem continues and they can't find it, it might be something to talk with the doctors about.

Please keep us informed about how you are doing as this is an important topic and somewhat concerning for many of us.

Marty 

TraceyE's Advice Is Much Better - Thank You Tracy

by MartyP - 2017-09-24 10:16:57

She's right .... When I have been unsure of something a smart person I knew years ago said

"When There Is Doubt, There Is No Doubt"

 

Re: this is what I'm going through too :(

by bionicgirl - 2017-10-12 06:15:04

Hi I'm Yaya from Jakarta and it's been a week since I experienced pain and swelling in my pacemaker's area.

 

I have done EKG, USG and blood test..and the results turned okay. Now I have been given Durogesic Fentanyl patches to be patched under the pacemaker area. But the doctor said if next monday i still feel the pain and it  is still swollen..then the pacemaker will be moved :(

 

Oh Nooo...another surgery :'(

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