swimming

when I swim, my left arm swells up and goes numb so I have to stop for 20 seconds at the end of each length until the swelling subsides (no blood return since they put the leads in a vein).

Does anyone else experience swelling. I don't have blood clot and this happened right off the bat six years ago when I had my pacemaker.

Is there a solution to this.

3 Comments

swimming

by aldeer - 2007-12-06 02:12:55

Hi... I have not experienced the swelling, but I do sometimes get a strange (can't explain it) feeling in my arm. I try not to reach out so far and not pull so hard with that arm. I am left-handed so have had to learn to do many things with my right hand. My concern is that the lead wires are on the surface (just under the skin), so I am really "babying" it until I see my cardiologist on Tuesday for the three month check. I don't go to see my doctor who did the procedure because of distance traveling. Sure hope your doctor finds out just what will help you or that someone else in our great club will know. aldeer

swimming

by patpeter - 2007-12-06 07:12:26

Sounds like something , like your PM or a lead, is pressing on a nerve, that would cause numbness. But to have that reaction so quickly and then have it subside in 20 sec. is baffling? I know I'm not being much help but maybe you should have it checked out by your MD?
Pat

Left arm swelling

by Alice - 2007-12-12 12:12:50

Hi... I too have a problem with my left arm. When getting my PM inplanted I weighed about 127lbs, the nurse said they usually place the device in the fat layer but I didn't have any. So the surgeon had to really force (push hard) twice to get the device in my chest as he hadn't made a big enough incision. After I healed and got back to physical activity I noticed my left arm would go red (quite noticably) and swell when I was really active or even if it was a really hot day. I told my cardiologist and he researched it and couldn't find anything. He thought there had been some trauma to the area when the surgeon "pushed" as there is a cluster of veins/arteries where a PM is usually placed. He offered to move the device to the other side but I declined (are you kidding was my first thought).

You can see the redness in my arm, it starts level with the PM and goes down my arm but the arm colour is normal above the level of the PM. It looks weird.

I had a fitness trainer and she had to adapt my use of weight machines to avoid this and to use lighter weights.

I have had my PM for 9 years now and I am a pretty good golfer and this condition doesn't hold me back at all. I got used to it.

Alice

You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

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A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.