tell me it gets better?

greetings all:
i am now 9 weeks post implant with a medtronics adapta for treatment of sick sinus syndrome characterized by bradycardia and irregular heart beat. i know i am early in the process but this PM is hard to deal with. i am thinner and the PM which is located on left upper chest is very visible (not an issue) but seems to protrude much more at the top than at the bottom. is this normal? it also seems to want to "burst though my skin when i move my arm in a reaching motion and is uncomfortable and seems to want to limit my arm/shoulder movements. i know that it wont rupture the skin but does anyone elses look/feel this way? it is almost impossible for me to reach across my body with the left arm to scratch the upper back portion of my right shoulder without the PM feeling like it is restricting my motion.
i know that i am glad to be alive due to the PM but i had not counted on any of these feelings. does it get any better as it sure does suck now!
steve

9 Comments

It does get better

by hooimom - 2008-02-14 02:02:01

I am 18 months with my PM and it really does get better. I lost 20 pounds after my PM and it started to protrude and rub against the muscle. It was really uncomfortable and at times painful but has improved greatly. I found that there were certain things that aggravated it, like lifting weights and heavy objects so I avoided that when possible. You'll discover what aggravates it. It almost never bothers me now. I know it seems like forever, but give it time.

Michelle

axg9504

by turboz24 - 2008-02-14 02:02:18

"do you have any restrictions on doing lat pullowns??"

Nope. I did mention to my doc before the implantation my workouts, etc and was told I could do anything I wanted workout wise.

The Same

by Jules - 2008-02-14 04:02:15

Hi

I am five weeks with PM. Things are getting better but I am like yourself not to big and my PM sticks out. It looks as though I have hidden a pocket watch under my skin. Movements are difficut - I was painting the windows and found reaching very uncomfortable. I suppose we will get use to it and take no notice. But at the moment I am quite nervy about it moving or as you say popping out the skin.

Knowing this site you will get some very positive responses which I will glean as well.

Take care

Hang in There

by Lotti - 2008-02-14 06:02:16

It took over 5 months for mine to stop doing the things your PM is doing now. Try gentle excercises of walking your fingers up the wall a little more each time. I nearly got mine moved but so glad I didn't. I have complete movement now, can lie on my tummy and that shoulder. It's still visible ( and yes mine looks like I've hidden it under the skin too) and it even sticks out under my armpit. Makes shaving quite interesting! But it does not hurt any more. I do however get the odd day where it seems to ache a bit or sting but this goes.
Hope you leave this horribly uncomfortable phase soon.
Take care
Lotti (England)

I can't...

by Shelly - 2008-02-14 06:02:42

... tell you it gets better, but I can tell you I'm in the similar situation.

I'm 11 weeks post implant, not at all thin in the chest area, but I can still easily feel mine, and like yours, it seems to protrude more at the top, so may be that is normal.

I'm also still restricted with movements, the site is tender, aches and stings, even when I'm not moving or 'provoking' it. It doesn't actually hurt - more like constant discomfort.

Are you still getting tired Steve?

I feel like two different people sometimes - energised and a 'normal' 36 year old, then like a zombie, then 'normal' again - all in the same day! It's totally random!!!!

All in all though, I STILL feel better than I did before the PM - just not right.

Sorry, not a very positive response. Here's a smile :-)

Shelly (uk)

I have an adapta too

by axg9504 - 2008-02-14 08:02:32

I have the ADDRL1 model, it has a bigger battery and may also be bigger in size than the regular model (I need to look this up somewhere-if someone here has the same model would you post a reply on whether it is bigger?) . I'm at 5 weeks.Yes it does protrude, especially at the top. I can feel some tension as I move my arm across my chest but I think partly this may also be due to the fact that my left shoulder hasn't had much of a workout since the PM. I can tell you that already at 5 weeks I have already forgotten that I have a PM except for the fact that I can now do things I couldn't dream of without s.o.b before. I wouldn't mind if this thing felt like a 40 lb knapsack if I can run again (just my 2 cents)!

5 months...

by turboz24 - 2008-02-14 09:02:13

I've had my implant for 5 months now and most days it still does hurt/itch here or there. It's nothing that bad, just annoying. I actually have an ICD, so instead of a pocket watch or quarter size, it's about the diameter of a soda can (2.25" or so). It does restrict my movement some, I can't reach the back of my right shoulder anymore, but other than that, doesn't seem to affect movement.

Het turbo

by axg9504 - 2008-02-14 11:02:21

I think you're the one who started lifting after 2 weeks.. do you have any restrictions on doing lat pullowns?? My pacemaker nurse said to stay off of it because she said it would fray the leads. I'll get final instructions in a couple of weeks when I see the doc.

Magnolia: When I got my first pair of hearing aids (they were in-ears, I now have over the ears) I felt like I had rocks stuffed into my ears. But after awhile the body gets used to it. On occasion I have stepped into the shower by mistake. So I think we'll get used to this alien object of a PM as time goes on, as long as it doesn't hurt. mine hasn't... yet

I hardly notice mine

by ElectricFrank - 2008-02-15 12:02:36

I've had mine a bit over 3 years now and I hardly notice it. I'm 77yrs, thin and mine is very noticeable. I can't remember when it stopped being a bit tender, but I'm sure it was withing the first year. I drive an off road 4x4 and the shoulder harness was the last thing to quit being noticeable. For a while I wrapped a towel around the belt.

frank

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