Ouch!

Ouch!

by Selwyn - 2020-08-14 07:46:24

Symptoms not related to pacemaker. I would suggest a medical opinion. Numbness of the face is impossible to explain  as being pacemaker related. Possible symptoms may fit in with anxiety if relevent. 

Itching makes me think of allergy

by crustyg - 2020-08-14 07:53:54

I'm not sure that I would believe anyone telling me that the PM pocket or skin incision itch is normal - but a lot depends on how *your* skin handles the dressing and any external skin closures.  I'm not formally allergic to any ordinary skin adhesives but after three or four days I find Micropore (TM) makes my skin itch.  But I do have a history of atopy (excessive sensitivity to external antigens).

There is an *extremely* uncommon problem for PM / ICD patients, titanium allergy.  It's really rare, but real.  There are a couple of contributors here who have it.  And since your PM casing is made of titanium it is *possible* that you are becoming allergic.

In your case I would be asking about any lifetime symptoms of eczema, allergic conjunctivitis, seasonal rhinitis, asthma, rashes etc.

I would start with my PCP who should know a lot of this lifetime history about you and take it from there.  I sincerely hope my crazy, rare complication suggestion is wrong - it's a real challenge getting it fixed - but it *CAN* be fixed.  Just costs - someone - money.  And a re-operation.

[Edited] I suspect Selwyn's wise words are the nearer the mark.

Itch

by AgentX86 - 2020-08-14 12:02:15

Crusty, this is a VERY common problem and, I believe is caused more by nerves healing, than any sort of allergic reaction. It's been reported here many times and I know it affected me for months after both my  CABG and PM implant.  No redness or any sort of irritation but an insane ithc. Some weeks after my CABG, I woke up one morning with scratches all over my chest where I'd done a real number on myself with a sharp fingernail.

My right nipple was insanely sensitive , too, but we won't go there. ;-)

Now in afib

by Original Cyndy - 2020-08-14 12:51:44

Thanks folks--I had posted elsewhere about being hospitalized 5 weeks out due to some kindo ofinflammation on my incision site; theretofore unknown adhesive allergy had kicked 2 weeks n pre-implant while wearing monitor; each kind of adhesive created its own kind of rash/reaction... But that had all dissipated weeks before the inflammation incident in early June.. I complained (well, mentioned) the itching at every visit/consultation with anyone since implantation It was actually the clinic nurse on Friday who said it's very common and she hears that all the time... I DON'T scratch, tho.

Anyway so a few minuttes ago, I took my BP/HR, and it showed afib! First time since PM. GRR. So I  ran a 6-lead EKG on my Kardia device, which first showed unreadable, with HR 102 and extremely wide smooth waves on 3rd line (plus downward points); unclassified, which still "looked like' afib but not identified as such, and finally normal, all in the space of a few minutes. The pacer clinic asked me to send a transmission but assured me that if there was an incident, it would have sent... But the monitor app was not turned on! Message said b/c my phone was in battery-saver mode. OMG. No wonder no transmissions since May (pre hosp by a few weeks). 

better now

by Original Cyndy - 2020-08-14 14:15:15

Clinic says all is well, nothing "happened," sometimes when BP monitor picks up afib it's due to pacer adjusting HR... Ditto with Kardia. Okay. Also that it still would have recorded any event (although not sent transmission) in spite of battey issue with app.