Weird sensation when sitting in recliner

Hi everyone!

About 5 times now (over the past 6 months or so), I've had a weird sensation while sitting in my recliner. Each time, I'm usually just sitting (very relaxed) in the evening and I feel a quick sharp pain in the area of my heart. I've never had a shock from my ICD, but it almost feels like a very, very short shock. When I get up from this particular recliner, and touch something metal, I often get a small static electricity shock. I wonder if this has something to do with it...?

I've written down the date and time before, and have brought it up at my appointments, but they've told me that nothing was recorded. So maybe it's all in my head...?

Any thoughts?

1 Comments

Oh I know all about static shocks and little shocks that occur for no reason too

by Gemita - 2021-03-11 12:36:55

Hello Lildanishgirl,

It is definitely not all in your head.  It is really happening, but it is unlikely to be an ICD mini shock since I would think you would really feel that and in any event, your pacemaker team would see any ICD activity recorded on your records. 

I believe these little sharp shocks you feel are something to do with a nerve problem, possibly stemming from your implant surgery.  Nerves can be irritated during the procedure (or any other surgical procedure you may have had)?

Sharp pain coming from the chest to me = nerves, or a type of pleuritic pain.  You say you have had it may be 5 times over the past 6 months.  I used to experience these sharp, sudden pain symptoms left chest running into my back up to two or three times each day shortly after my implant procedure.  It certainly shocked me.  

I wouldn't be too concerned about intermittent pain like this happening say once a month.  If it becomes more frequent then I would speak to your doctors.  There are many health conditions that can cause nerve pain like this including diabetes, MS, infection but in my case it was definitely related to my pacemaker procedure since three years on the sharp pain has subsided.  The same happened to my husband who had a very traumatic pacemaker implant procedure causing a serious bleed, leading to pleural effusion.  He suffered pleuritic pain (sharp left sided chest pain) for months.

The static shocks still continue for me, especially in winter but this should improve with the warmer days ahead.  Increasing humidity in the home in dry centrally heated conditions will help too.  I try to wear cotton, natural fibres under jumpers rather than synthetic ones and go slowly up to a doorknob or radiator!!  Ouch

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