New pacemaker

Hi 

I am 28 years old and had my first pacemaker for 20 years. Due to complications with my pacemaker I had to have my new one fitted pretty quickly this week. As this is only my second pacemaker and I was so young when I got my first one I didn’t know what to expect with the pain level. It has been nearly a week and I’m still taking the pain medication. Is this normal? How long have yous taken off work etc? And when can you get back to the gym 

thanks 

catherine 

1 Comments

Back to activities

by Theknotguy - 2019-08-05 07:52:08

If you had no other trauma, and your work doesn't involve heavy activity, you can usually start back to work in the second week.  If you're doing work that involves lifting, twisting etc., you'll probably want to discuss with your cardiologist.  Exercise at the gym - I'd hold off until the implant scar is healed.  There is some underlying tissue repair that goes on for a while, so I'd hold off lifting heavy weights for six to eight weeks.  It just depends upon how fast your body heals.  

As for pain, if you watch one of the YouTube videos on doing a pacemaker implant, you'll wonder why you don't have more pain than you do.  Most people get along fine after about six to eight weeks.  Some say they had no pain after the first week.  Due to trauma (broken ribs) it took me over nine months before I was able to do lifting and twisting.  

Other people report "ant bites" as the nerves heal and some people with feel an occasional sharp pain in the pacemaker area due to healing nerves.  It just depends.  Usually Tylenol along with hot or cold packs on the implant site help a lot.  

I went back to working in a charity wood shop and was lifting wood after nine months of healing.  I'd be OK while I was at the shop but the next day it would feel like someone had wrapped my pacemaker in sandpaper and scrubbed the inside of my shoulder.  I'd be on Tylenol plus hot and cold packs for the next four days, but my activity was way out of the norm.  Now I can do anything I want without any problems.  

Hope your recovery goes well.  

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