recovery time

I had my surgery on March 2, 2018. It was placed so close to my armpit that I can feel it press against the bone in my arm, my arm sometimes goes numb to the fingers. It always aches, it feels as though something is being pulled when I put my arm out away form my body. The area of the implant is still very tender to the touch of fabric, actually anything. There was a stitch that was protruding on one end that they snipped and pulled out, on the other end there was or is still a stitch that never popped out. Both ends are hard to the touch. The nurse and PA keep telling me that it will be alright. There most likely some inflammation behind the pacemaker and it will go away. I am getting very frustrated because I still dont know if this is all normal.

 

                                                     thank you

                                                     sandy

4 Comments

Recovery

by Jimmy Dinfla - 2018-04-10 22:16:21

You mention seeing a nurse and PA.  Recommend setting up an appointment with the doctor/surgeon who installed the device, especially to discuss the placement of the device.  If you are still not satisfied, you may want to get a second opinion.

healing

by Tracey_E - 2018-04-11 09:48:46

I would expect it to still be somewhat sore, you're barely a month out, but not so sore even fabric touching it hurts.  It can take up to a year for it to fully settle in and scar tissue to build around it. If it is not comfortable, they can go in and reposition it however they like to wait at least 6 months to a year to do that, let it fully heal first. 

I had some residual inflammation after one of my replacements. 15 min with a heating pad on low a couple of times a day got rid of it. 

Red and tender is normal. Keep an eye on it. If it gets worse, you need to be seen asap and insist on cultures to rule out infection. Sometimes they'll write us off, or send us home with oral antibiotics.  If there is any chance at all that it's infected, it needs to be treated quickly and aggressively which means being sure you are on the right medication,which can only be determined with cultures. Hopefully that won't be an issue, but just putting it out there.

How long

by Martine - 2018-04-12 22:47:30

Hi, Tracey, how long should you wait to start the heat treatment ?

Ask to be seen by surgeon. Don't wait.

by Gotrhythm - 2018-04-13 13:08:06

I am not a doctor, so this is just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

If the placement is so close to the armpit that you can feel the device against you upper arm, the incision must be getting rubbed and kept in a constant state of irritation. That can't be good. And if it's causing so much pressure that your hand gets numb, that's not good either. It could be pressing on a nerve. You don't want to wind up with nerve damage.

I think you need to insist on being seen soon by the surgeon. Be nice, but don't let yourself be put off. If you don't get good answers, find another doctor.

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Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.