New Pacemaker

For years I have had a slow heart beat. My resting heart rate was in the low 40s and I am not an athlete.  Then my Apple watch’s EKG function showed three seconds between heart beats. I called my internist and he had me wear an event monitor for a month. The event monitor report’s conclusion was “markedly abnormal” and “could represent a sick sinus syndrome”. My internist referred me to an arrhythmia specialist and I had a Medtronic Azure PM implanted on 12 January 2021. Surgery was at 1:00 and I was sent home at 6:45. The wound is glued shut and there is no bandage.

I have had little physical pain. I use a CPAP machine and sleeping on my right side with my arm in a sling is a pain. I am feeling fine and not doing anything around the house is a pain.  I’ve got to remember to keep the arm down for four weeks and not lift more than five pounds.

At my wound check on the 18th, the tech said that the battery should last 13.3 years. The PM was firing 50.8% of the time for the upper chamber, and 1.3% of the time for the lower chamber.

I am concerned about the automobile shoulder harness pressing on the wound when I drive. Also, I normally wear suspenders with my slacks. That may be a problem.

On nice days I am taking some walks. I am not sure when I can start pushing the pace or ride my stationary bike with some vigor.

I am thankful that I found this site. Before the procedure the only thing I was told was that I was getting a PM and how to prepare for the procedure.

2 Comments

New PM

by AgentX86 - 2021-01-23 00:51:18

LLL, welcome to the broken hearts club. ;-)

After only ten days you're in excellent shape but why aren't you doing anything around the house?  You should be doing everything you were once doing, without the arm movement and weight lifting you've been advised against.  You can't baby the arm.

I found the best solution for driving is one of the sheepskin shoulder harness covers.  They wrap around the shoulder harness and can be moved where necessary.  I found it best to position the pad over my sternum such that the strap is lifted over the PM/wound.  After three years, I still use it.  They're available on Amazon and probably every auto parts store in the country (probably WallyWorld, too).

Push yourself as far as you feel like pushing it.  Don't do more than you feel like you can but there is nothing should be holding you back.  I was back to my walking the day after I was discharged from the hospital (overnight stay).  I had some shoulder pain but a sling while I was walking too care of that.  I didn't need that after a week.

You're doing great!  You'll be fine.

 

Ah---there's the rub!

by Gotrhythm - 2021-01-24 14:43:10

Those sheepskin harness covers are nice, but I found wrapping a folded, soft wash cloth around the shoulder harness at pacemaker height, and securing it with duct tape to be a perfectly adequate fix. The problem went away after a few months so I was glad I hadn't put a lot of effort into solving it.

If you want something a little more high tech and polished-looking, there are specially made seatbelt adaptors available as well. Click on one of the boxes at the top of the screen.

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