Ugly Scar Post PM Surgery

I had my third PM inserted on 19.3.09 and to my surprise I have the biggest lump just below my scar I think it is the lead sitting on top of the box. I am still quite bruised. Looking at my scar is making me feel very tearful and upset as it is "ugly". My chest now has 4 scars and this ugly lump that is about 1" long and the pacemaker box is extremely visible under my skin and shows through t-shirts. It is the worst of the 3. People I have shown are all quite shocked about how its looks,


I have malignant vaso vagal syndrome and needed CPR on my first tilt after being asystolic for 37 seconds.

I am feeling very tired and have some really strong flutters esp if I lay on my left side.

Has anybody had a similar experience or advice and what did you do? Is another surgery possible to tidy it up?

Thank you love Shani York Uk

6 Comments

My thoughts...

by turboz24 - 2009-04-03 11:04:03

I to have a large bulge (probably 3/8" off my chest) from my ICD and it's visible through most t-shirts.

Here are by basic thoughts..

Does it cause you any excessive pain? Some pain from the implant will be considered normal, but not constant insistant pain.

Does the doctor feel that there is a risk of skin failure or any signs of skin failure?

I probably hate my implant more than most people on this site. I haven't even looked at myself shirtless for 1.5 years (last person to see me shirtless was my doc/nurses 1 year ago), but.......

I really don't want to get knocked out, cut up again just because I can't stand to look at it. I can handle not looking and keeping it covered for 5 or so years until "normal replacement time" or if it's removed. Now, if the Doc said it would cause less pain + look better I'd probably get it moved, but he has said it will probably still be painful no matter where it's placed, so...

Your scar.....

by maryanne - 2009-04-03 11:04:09

Well if you think there is something sitting on top of your PM you are most probably right. Have you shown it to your Doctor? It is possible for leads to migrate. That happend to me with PM #4 when they also capped one of my leads. The capped lead migrated and was sitting right on top of my PM, I showed it to the doctor and an immediate appointment was made to have a revision ...at that time the surgeon also embedded the PM further and moved it closer to my axilla. Because it was my 4th PM there was a lot of scar tissue to deal with as well.

I hear you about the scars.....after my PM and Lead extraction in December along with the sternotomy and PM # 5 inserted in in a new site my chest looks like a very bad Van Gogh painting. Hubby and I have this joke now that if when I pass I need an autopsy that all they would have to do would just cut on the already dotted line. Sometimes I think if I don't laugh about it I might cry....I'd rather laugh.

I hope you get some answers about the positioning of your PM......best of luck to you....

cheers, Mary Anne

I have a solution

by ElectricFrank - 2009-04-03 11:04:48

The best fix for the looks is to get to 79yrs like I am. At this point you don't care about the looks. In fact it is a good conversation starter at the pool.

frank

Scar

by cbulifant - 2009-04-07 01:04:02

For what it's worth, my scar from my first unit is terrible. About 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. my pacer is also very visible through my clothing to include the leads. I'm a man and supposed to be immune from this vanity, but i often get asked "what's in your shirt?" I always thought it was due to my build. I work out alot and have for years so i'm very muscular and more lean. According to my Dr. he says the muscle is helping push against the unit, but should not create any problems. I still have 10-12 years on battery life......so i'm hoping the size will be smaller then.

vasovagal syndrome and braycardia

by Mrs P - 2012-09-15 09:09:08

hi there

i had a similar experience and that my heart stopped on my first tilt! given a dual pacer with a rate response that kicks in when heart rate below 45 bpm!

have alot of palpitations and flutters when its working and my skin is very keloid so my scar is red and deep !

op was Feb 2012 and im 27! i like to think of my PM as a convo starter too and look at it as a war wound

How are you now ?

Gemma from the UK x

Vasovagal, asystolic pauses

by Alwys4areason76 - 2013-04-21 04:04:01

So it's been a while for both of you (Gemma and Shanni) to post but it is rare to find forum posters for asystolic passers with pauses longer than 10 seconds.

I had my pacemaker put in earlier 2013 and its a dual but not a defibrillator, pacing at 60 at its lowest, and no ceiling currently. I have to know. Has it helped at all? Does it save your life? I have other health issues but do you still pass out?

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