1st PM, 5 weeks in, sub-pectoral implant, have a few questions

5 weeks ago, I had a sub-pectoral PM implant (Biotronik). I seem to be doing pretty well (was asymptomatic before hand, so hard to tell) but have some follow-up questions

1. I have a feeling of pulling at the incision site and it travels to the crook of my underarm. It gets worse with normal daily activity, so by the end of the day it can be bothersome. When will that feeling go away?

2. My scab has fallen off except for a small dot at one end. Is that a stitch? That area is also raised slightly. At what point might I use a scar cream or silicone patch to minmize the scar?

3. Are there exercises that I should be doing with my arm to strengthen the area?

Thanks!

3 Comments

Five weeks

by AgentX86 - 2022-01-18 22:07:24

It's way too early to be worried it.  Yes, pulling is "normal".  You've just be cut open and scar tissue is forming.  Keep moving it or the tightness may become permanent.  Particularly, you need to move your shoulder, withing the parameters that your EP set, thought at five weeks you should be good for any arm movement other than some extreme shoulder motion.

Everyone is different but it's not unusual to have some symptoms for some months as everything heals.  Mine was sore to the touch for eight months, give or take (I forgot about it so don't remember when it stopped hurting). Itching or "ant bites" are other very common sensations, as nerves stitch back together.

I doubt there is a stitch left.  Most of us didn't have stitches at all.  Most such wounds are glued together with the equivalent of super-glue, with Steri-strips as suspenders. The glue gets absorbed by the body and the Steri-strips fall off after a week or  two.  If they haven't fallen off by the time they do a "wound check", the nurse will pull them off.  If you had the wound check and everything looks OK, a topical oil can be used to keep the scar moist.  I was told to use vitamin-E oil for a recent surgical wound but there are dozens of products that'll work just fine.  Keep it out of the sunlight (though that isn't much of a problem now ;-).

Just use your arm/shoulder normally. The big thing is to not baby it. The goal is to forget that you have a pacemaker. You'll be there sooner than you think. There shouldn't be any problem exercising but ask your EP (or his nurse).  It's unlikely but there may be some reason that you shouldn't be aggressive but they should have given you specific instructions.

Stitches

by Persephone - 2022-01-19 17:12:32

Hi LGreene - hope you're feeling well.  I had a subQ implant, not subpec,  and had a stitch that didn't seem to want to go away for quite a while - your description of wondering about the small dot at the end of the incision site seems very similar to my experience.  All healed up fine in my case - can you send a pic to your doc if you're feeling concerned?

5 weeks

by Dolly1974 - 2022-01-23 19:13:57

Hi I'm just over 5 weeks in with my pm and I have the exact same feeling of pulling with mine too and it also follows over to under my arm it might not happen for a day or two and then bang it's there I have pm check this week so I'm hoping to find out what it is this is my third time having this surgery and this has never happened before 

 

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