Skin sensivity

My leads show under the skin and one area that looks like where they attached is sensitive to the touch of clothes.  My pacemaker has been in since November 27, 2022. I had a hematoma that had to be drained and the healing period has been longer.  Does everyone have this sensivity and how long does it normally last?  This is not pain just a sensitive area.  Is there anything that helps this? 

5 Comments

Sensitivity

by Gotrhythm - 2023-02-07 15:26:57

Everybody's different both in how sensitive nerves might be and in how long it takes to heal.

With my first pacemaker, I had a sensitive place on the arm-side edge of the scar.It would really bother me for a week or two, go away for weeks or months (or years) then come back. It became less over the years but never totally went away.

The best solution I found was to insert a makeup sponge wedge under my bra strap as a sort of bridge to keep clothes from touching the area. I also wrapped a washcloth around the shoulder strap of the seatbelt and secured it with good old duct tape, just to keep the strap from rubbing.

With the new pacemaker (Oct 11,2022) there is much less sensitivity in the area and even that  seems to be going away, although as the swelling goes down the new leads are now completely visible under the skin.

I think how much sensitivity just depends on the person and the place. Even the same person will experience it differently at a different time. If there are no signs of infection, there's nothing to do but protect the area from rubbing and keep your fingers off it.

 

sensitivity

by AgentX86 - 2023-02-07 17:23:44

That's perfectly normal. My skin was really sensitive for about eight months. Then one day I thought, "hmm, it's not sensitive anymore. Wonder when that happened?".

Many of these things, like the constant reminder that you have a pacemaker will just go *poof* one day and you just get on with life.

sensitivity

by jgulleye - 2023-02-07 17:47:35

Angry Sparrow thank you so much for the information especially the racer bra straps.

Gotrhythm thank you for the information on the makeup sponge under the bra strap.

AgentX86 thank you for letting me know that this will pass in time not weeks.

What a great group of people that gives their time to others.

Another note

by Persephone - 2023-02-08 20:12:35

Others have provided great advice and I just want to add that I thought my sensitivity in the PM area would never go away and would always be there. The skin is thin at my insertion point - the typical location just below the collar bone.  About one year out, I was able to forget about it pretty easily, and the skin has thickened over time and essentially feels numb unless I bang it somehow.

Sensitivity at pacemaker site

by jgulleye - 2023-02-10 01:01:37

Thank you Persephone for your comment. It helps to know not everone is good to go in 6 to 8 weeks.

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

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