Slow recovery

Hi everyone

 

i am a new member but have actually had a pacemaker since the age of 10 and I am now 47.  Three weeks ago i had a routine battery replacement (it had been 12.5 years since my last one).  The surgeon had real trouble getting my pacemaker out, apparently between scar tissue and cartilage growing around the unit they essentially had to cut it out, and create a whole new 'pocket' rather than using the existing one.  I am improving and my wound looks really clean and nice.  I am however really really sore still.  My sister who is a nurse tells me it is because there is a lot of damage inside that will take quite a while to heal, but I worry I am not going to get back to normal!  Any advice appreciated :)

5 Comments

Healing takes time

by crustyg - 2020-09-24 03:03:02

A chum of mine had his first PM replacement 18months ago and he said that the EP-doc had to really dig the PM out of all the scar tissue - tough and fibrous which was further damaged by stretching it to make the new PM fit the pocket.  Much more painful afterwards than the original insertion had been once the local had worn off.

Listen to your sister, she has this right.  It will get better, and it takes longer to heal as we get older.  Sad, but true.

Best wishes.

Thank you!

by JoannaM - 2020-09-24 06:20:40

Thank you so much for the reassurance.  I need to be patient and let myself heal.  I have also noticed that i am 'babying' the arm on the PM side so am off to the physio tomorrow to get some exercises to sort that out!  

been there

by Tracey_E - 2020-09-24 09:32:01

I'm on my 5th. When I got the last one, they had a hard time getting it out and made a new pocket. I was considerably more sore than after the ones that used the same pocket. It was a good three months until it was fully healed with no residual soreness. Are you icing? Forcing yourself to use the arm isn't going to feel too good, but it's the right thing to do. Ice is your friend! 

Nice to meet you, btw! I'm coming up on 54 next week and got my first in 1994. 

Thanks again

by JoannaM - 2020-09-25 23:34:49

Hi Tracey

 

Thanks so mucfh for your enouraging words!  I know have exercises to do from the physio to help with getting movement going better.  mentally i feel so much better knowing that what i am feeling is normal considering the amount of damage I had.  Thanks for taking the time to reach out!  Lovely to meet you too - my first pacemaker was 1984 :)

sore

by Caguy - 2020-09-28 13:00:11

I thought it was just me, I had my pacemaker put in8/5/20 and am still sore. Sometimes I forget it's there then a pain from nowhere comes,  I see the bump and before it was flat and no bump. I hope it goes away. But time heals all , 

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