Hand swell and Arm swell

Since my pacemaker implant on my left side 2 years ago, my left arm, leg and hand have swelled up quite a bit. Reading and research has shown many people with implants, either side, has experienced the same. My doctor and heart specialist who implanted the device, both do not agree the device implant could have caused such a thing to happen. There is alot of eveidence that shows otherwise. My question then is has anybody reading this experienced the same symptoms and has there been any treatment prescribed. If there has what has been prescribed and has there been any prescribed treatments or medications? My doctors claim its only lymphodema and prescribed an arm sleeve. Im tired of treating the symptoms and not the cause. Thank you to everybody.

1 Comments

swelling

by 6feetaboveground - 2018-01-12 20:53:34

If it is only your arm and hand that is swollen, you may have a narrowing of the vein on that side where the pacemaker leads are located.(subclavian vein stenosis)   The vein can sometimes occlude completely but usuallly there are a lot of smaller veins (collaterals) that take over.  This can be diagnosed with a venogram (X ray of the vein with contrast) or with a CT scan.  An ultrasound may miss it.

It can be treated often with a balloon angioplasty of that vein but it may recurr and have to be repeated.  Some cardiologists or vascular surgeons would do this procedure.

It would not cause leg swelling on one side.

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I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.