Moving pacemaker from under skin to under muscle

I had my first pacemaker implanted in 2014. It was placed just under the skin. My pacemaker had always been sticking really far out of my chest to the point where I can see almost the whole device. It shifts a lot, which is painful. It stings when I move my arm in the wrong way, My bra straps make it super uncomfortable because of how far out it is the straps rub against it, as well as tank tops, even seatbelts cause issues for me. I went for a pm check yesterday. And they pointed out how far it Sticks out and pushes my skin. They called a surgeon in and she agreed that it sticks out too much, and that it puts me at risk for infection if the pm was to cut the skin or irritate the skin, she suggested that they move it, she Also told me that its more risky. The decision is up to me. So I was wondering if I should do the surgery, or just keep let the way it is. And what are the pros and cons of having it under the muscle? 

1 Comments

how much battery is left?

by Tracey_E - 2018-12-02 11:41:39

If your battery is going to need replaced in the next couple of years, I'd wait for that. Otherwise it depends how much it bugs you. I'm the opposite, my first 4 were buried deep and were super comfortable. For some dumb reason the surgeon moved it last time, it's under the pectoral but not the whole way so the edge pokes out. Now it bugs me, catches on the edge of my workout bra and sometimes it shifts when I sleep on my left side. My doc has left it up to me, said he'd move it back deeper if I want. So far I haven't bothered but I've given it a lot of thought. 

Having it under the muscle takes longer to heal and will be sore for a few weeks, as long as a few months. Mine was about 3 months until I was doing my old routine at the gym with no soreness whatsoever. But once it heals? You can forget it's there and it's wonderful. I miss my old placement and would love to have a "chat" with the surgeon who moved it. 

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