bulging pacemaker

Hi everyone
I had my pacemaker put in on 12/18/07 , i have had constant pain since then and the cardio nurse told me it was healing fine ??? i have noticed the last two days it seems like it is bulging out a lot! i can tell something is happining b/c my skin feels really tight. Has anyone had this happen?
thanks
Steve

5 Comments

Better to be safe....

by GN - 2008-01-01 08:01:29

Can't speak from experience Steve as mine is going in, in 8 days but from looking out there in there on the information highway, if the wound isn't healing (nurse has said the contrary) then always have it checked out but if you've got pain even after taking your prescribed pain relief then also to be safe, get it checked out. Take Care, Gary

? infection

by kmhayward - 2008-01-01 09:01:44

Does it feel hot to the touch? Is the incision line red and/or inflammed. Is it oozing? If the answer is yes to any of the above then seek out a doctor as this could indicate infection.
If no, then it may be that you have banged it or pulled it or are trying to do too much. U must give it time to heal. Make sure you follow the advice about arm restriction.

Hi Steve,I'm new here and read your post.

by Megg - 2008-01-02 02:01:14

I had a pacemaker fitted 7 days before you had yours done and I am not having any of the problems that you describe. There is a very slight bulge where the pacemaker sits but not very noticeable, and apart from the site being slightly sensitive,there is no pain.Check with the pacemaker tem that implanted it.Good Luck

keep an eye on it

by momof3greatkids - 2008-01-02 05:01:07

hi
my son had a pacemaker put in when he was 9 months old and it was bulging bigger and bigger and finaly about 2 weeks after implantation he was so cranky and i took him to the doc and he actually had a pericardial effusion due to the pacemaker and the theory was that the pacemaker was infected and the infection traveled along the wires and got to his heart.....they said at the time over and over again that if it doesnt break the skin he was ok but really it wasnt,,,,if they had done a echo cardiogram they would have seen the fluid around his heart and it would have avoided one hell of an ambulance ride and a week in cicu...very scarey....
they said it's rare what hapened to him and his is in his stomach but just really keep an eye on it....
good luck
happy new year
:)

I have seen it

by Holly - 2008-01-18 02:01:42

I am a ER nurse and also new to this site. I have seen a pacemaker actually start pushing through the skin with the metal showing. I have seen this twice. I just had my pacemaker placed on Friday and asked the doctor about it. She said that she has never seen that before so it may not be that common. I also know that the two that I did see do that were on elderly people. I would keep a close eye on it cause you dont want an infection to start.

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