Post implant

this is my third pacemaker in almost 30 years. I am 10 day post implant for my new device. I still have swelling and pain that wakes me up at night. It also is difficult to turn my head, it feels like the skin is pulling. I know that the doctors had to go through a lot of scar tissue and scaring and that will make healing difficult and longer than before. But this is waking me up at night, so I'm not sleeping well. I think I need to give it more time and just relax and let it heal, but I think I'm more impatient becasue I'm not sleeping. My doctor said as long as my pacemaker is working fine, I just need to relax. How long do i need to "relax"?

2 Comments

healing

by Tracey_E - 2022-06-01 10:20:15

Your doctor needs to listen to you. The pacer working fine has nothing to do with how you are healing. Pain that extreme after 10 days doesn't sound right to me. I'm on my 5th pacer so I've been where you are. 

Have you tried taking something at night to help you sleep? 

Ice may help. 

Sometimes the pulling is something you have to work through, not moving will make it worse. Perhaps a consult with a PT or massage therapist?

Scar tissue

by Gotrhythm - 2022-06-01 13:25:06

Scar tissue is tighter and less elastic. As a wound heals the scarring causes a pulling sensation and sometimes stretching it causes out-and-out pain. But the less you move and stretch it, the tighter it will become, and the less you will be able to move without pain.

First you need to know for sure if the pain is being caused by scar tissue. But if it is, then just relaxing and waiting for it to heal will only result in more pain over a larger area.

 

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