Back with another question

Does anyone notice if they lay on their right side their left shoulder rolls over toward the center on their chest and it puts pressure on their device causing discomfort ? Or at least that’s how it feels to me . 

I imagine this device just below my collar bone is laying against my skin and pec muscle ? Something that wasn’t there before .

i might have become a back sleeper 

8 Comments

Things take time to settle

by Pacemaker_Sally - 2019-11-22 02:32:36

I'm 4 weeks post op and also frustrated at only being able to sleep on my back. Mind you, I had some complications that really irritated my pec. 

This week I started to be able to tolerate laying on my right side. I support my left arm by hugging a pillow. That keeps the shoulder from rolling inward.  Still a bit too tender to actually sleep. Hopefully you'll soon be able to sleep on your side when things start to settle down. 

Jigging

by Claracluck - 2019-11-22 04:51:42

I always felt like I had something heavy in a top pocket that jigged about but it soon knitted in. Only notice it now when I'm driving occasionally. 

Back sleeper

by Theknotguy - 2019-11-22 07:59:23

Yes, I can't sleep on my left side because the pacemaker gets pinched between my shoulder an my ribcage.  Hurts.  So I'm now a back sleeper and right side sleeper.  

For some people they can sleep on their left side post pacemaker, others can't.  However, with the pacemaker and CPAP I'm getting better sleep so I don't miss the side sleeping.  

It takes a minimum of a month for things to settle down.  Since I had so much trauma before I got my pacemaker it was two years before I could even attempt to sleep on my left side.   Depending upon your body and how you feel it may take a while for things to settle down as you learn what everything feels like.  

Hope your adjustment to your pacemaker goes well. 

Sleep

by AgentX86 - 2019-11-22 08:11:56

I slept in a recliner for two months after my implant (five months after my CABG). I probably could have gotten away with a month but didn't want to take any chances. When I tried to get into bed too quickly after my CABG I'd wake up screaming in pain.

I'm a stomach sleeper but can sleep on my left side. If I sleep on my back I risk leg cramps. Not fun waking up with light cramps that register n the Richter scale. Anyway we bought a recliner for the bedroom.

After the two months it didn't bother me how I slept.

side sleeper

by new to pace.... - 2019-11-22 08:20:07

I to had problems sleeping at first, the first 2 weeks slept on recliner. that after once or twice.  As i sleep on the right side.  Was told never on the left as that is where the heart is.  Sometimes after starting on right side, find that i had rolled onto my back.  After a while i did not notice the PM  at all when laying on the right side.  been now nearly 3 months since implant.

side sleeper

by Sandraphm - 2019-11-22 16:19:32

I sleep on a wedge because of gird, though two weeks in to having the pacemaker I've been able to sleep on my right side for a short time.  My biggest problem is that my cat likes to sleep on my chest.  I put a folded hand towel over my pacemaker site, in case the cat steps on it.

 

yep

by RedRocksGirl - 2019-11-22 22:17:19

I'm 7th months out and still have some discomfort from it when laying on my left side, sometimes I can be on my left side but a little bit different angle and its fine.  It keeps getting better and better, the first few months I couldn't lay on that side at all.

Back sleeper

by Kettlebell man - 2019-11-23 23:37:43

I've had my PM for two months now. Prior to this I always slept on my left side, I have become a back sleeper now. Have tried laying on my right side a few times but also feel a little pressure on my chest if I stay that way too long. Hopefully this will eventually go away and can lay on my side again. Hang in there, I think all of us realize these things take time

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

Member Quotes

I am just grateful to God that I lived long enough to have my ICD put in. So many people are not as lucky as us; even though we sometimes don't feel lucky.