new pacemaker

Painful

by AgentX86 - 2020-04-23 12:36:34

You've just been sliced open and a metal box shoved under your skin.  Yeah, some pain is to be expected.  Most get away with an NSAID but others need a narcotic to dampen the pain.  Some will get away with no pain reliver at all.  Try some tylenol or ibuprofen, and an ice pack.  See how that goes.  I was given a prescription for enough Vicodin for a week but didn't need them.

Post op pain

by Tracey_E - 2020-04-23 14:01:53

Everyone is different, but it's not surprising.  Have you been icing it? I find that helps more than meds. 

It doesn't last long.

by Graham M - 2020-04-23 15:21:53

I used paracetamol for about 3 days, but did not need any after that. I also had to sleep sitting up for the first week, but it's amazing how quickly everything heals up.

If it is still swollen after the first week, you should have it checked to make sure that there is no infection.

Best wishes and welcome to the club.

Graham.

New PM

by WazzA - 2020-04-23 18:12:12

I think it would be highly abnormal if it wasn't sore or painful & swollen. It will return to normal   ( it can take quite some time) other than the scar to wear proudly!

swollen

by candid1352 - 2020-04-24 12:38:52

My first pacemaker it never swelled, but the one I had put in Aug of 2019, it did swell and it looked like a had 3 breats, It took awhile for the swelling to go down. It also itched for a couple of days but that too stopped.

Swelling and pain

by Kayak Queen - 2020-04-27 22:30:20

I had a pacemaker implanted on April 8th for heart block with no know cause. Had much swelling and extreme pain that took almost 2 weeks to resolve. Site looks much better and healing great now but was much more painful than I expected! 

Apparently lots of digging and manipulation during procedure to find vein...😳

Swelling and pain

by Eliza Olson - 2020-05-04 02:13:15

Thanks for all the comments. It helps me realize that my discomfort is not unusual and in some ways I am lucky. The scar is sensitive and sometimes my left shoulder is sore. I have PMR (Polymalgia Rhumatica) so I am unsure if that is the problem or the pacemaker. Today was a great day. I did a lot of housework and I am feeling fine.I even baked bread. I am still experimenting with the recipe.

I was told not to take Ibuprofun but Tylenol was fine. I used it longer than the doctor said I would need it. I think I took it for an extra week after the operation.