Not recovered after more than 3 months

It took time for me.

by Theknotguy - 2018-01-25 00:02:19

After my pacemaker was implanted I started having muscle spasms in one of the muscles in my neck on my left side. (My pacemaker is on the left side too.) I'd just be doing normal things when the spasm would hit.  They would almost paralyze me.  I attributed it to all the trauma that had happened before I got my pacemaker.  (They had done CPR on me.) However the spasms didn't stop.  In addition to the spasms on the left side, I started getting spasms on the right side.  Not as bad and not as often but I still would get them. 

I had seen a licensed massage therapist before I got my pacemaker and went back to see her as soon as I could.  Before she started working on me she went back and took some extra massage classes to make sure she wouldn't hurt me, damage the leads, or cause some other problems.  

It took four years and two massage therapists but finally they were able to get the muscles to relax.  It wasn't instantaneous.  I went from having the effects of the therapy wearing off in one week to finally going an entire month but eventually it did work.  They've finally gotten those muscles to permanently relax.  

While I don't normally advocate supplements, my EP suggested I take a magnesium supplement.  He indicated there had been some success with a-fib and magnesium.  I also found out a minimal calcium supplement helped too.  After taking the supplements it also seemed they helped.

The only thing I can think happened was I was getting a sympathetic reaction to the electric stimulation from the leads in my heart.  My EP said it couldn't happen that way, but I was still getting the spasms.  Like you, no one had any answers.  

Because of the trauma I received before I got my pacemaker, (as I said, they did CPR) it took me two years to get back to a "normal" energy level.  While doing the CPR they broke all the ribs on my right side and I'm still having problems with pain from the broken ribs.  Those first few sessions with the massage therapist were really "fun".  She'd grab a muscle and I'd jump.  Then she'd grab another muscle and I'd jump.  Finally, finally, finally the muscles started to relax.   

I don't know if this will work for you, but it at least gives you an option.  

Pressure In Neck

by Janey L - 2018-01-25 09:07:29

Hi. I too have had the pressure in the neck. I have had my PM for 7 years this year. I had this neck problem after about a year with my PM, after AV node ablation. Pacing techs kept on saying there was nothing wrong with PM or settings, so did my EP. Then someone on this forum suggested I ask about PM optimisation, which I did. I had that done and my neck pressure disappeared. It came back about a year later so they did the optimisation again.

For me the optimisation was a great help. They did a heart echo scan and increased my heart rate in stages, while monitoring blood flow on echo. They altered the PM settings until my blood flow was correct on echo. For me it was to do with the AV delay not being set right. Once they sorted that out I was ok. I am paced in atrium and ventricle (dual chamber).

I know how awful the neck pressure was for me. I hope you get yours sorted out soon.

Best wishes

Janey