Going back in

Had the pacer placed on Dec 12th of last year, had the perforation on the 15th, had a re-wire on the 18th. They noticed a little surface infection at the time and got the wife's permission to move the pacer to the right side, but in the end decided they could just clean it up and leave it on the left. Fast forward to today, the scar closed 95% of the way very nicely, but a hole the size of a BB remains that leaks a tiny bit of clear fluid. I had an office visit with the doc this afternoon and as soon as he looked at it he said it all has to come out. He was the doc that did the revision, and is one of two docs here in Utah that they send everyone to that has infections or re-wires, it's kind of his thing. So now I'll have it all pulled on the 24th, and hopefully a week later they'll throw a new one in on the right side. Not super jazzed about all this.

Besides all the complications I've had already, are there any that I should keep an eye out for? I know most pacers are on the left, and I am right handed. I'm hoping I wont extend this trauma by pulling a wire once they move it. Also worried about the week I'll have no pacer, but the doctor said I "should probably be fine". Lol. Psychologically I could spend some time off the eggshells.

2 Comments

The time between

by bposter - 2018-01-21 13:28:21

Anyone here ever had the pacer out for a week? They told me I was having 10 second pauses at night, and monitored it for months. At some point they just said it was time to get one and convinced me. 

The doctors comment of "you should probably be fine" wasn't as reassuring as it could have been. I'm pacing about 30% of the time because it's set at 60 and most nights I hovered in the 40s.

Time without pacemaker

by brucecal - 2018-01-29 16:08:31

Because of an infected pacemaker and leads after a generator replacement I had surgery to remove the unit. 

Before a replacement could be implanted on the other shoulder I was without a pacemaker for about nine days as the infection healed. Heart rate hovered in the high 30’s and low 40’s. 

Very tired but apparently that is my base heart rate. 

New pacemaker implanted last Monday and now recovering. 

You know you're wired when...

You need to be re-booted each morning.

Member Quotes

Sometimes a device must be tuned a few times before it is right. My cardiologist said it is like fine tuning a car.