No stamina and very sore arm and neck

I am now 2.5 weeks past PM insertion and I was told by my medical people that "some patients are back to work within a week". I have a desk job and tried to go back to work half days last week. I found the following: I have no stamina. Secondly, I have a very stiff and sore neck. Thirdly I have a weak and sore left arm. Is this normal?


7 Comments

Everyone is different

by kaka - 2008-03-18 01:03:09

Hi, After my surgery I had to wear a sling for the first week. So I never had a good nights sleep plus I was sore and stiff from sleeping with my arm on a pillow.I was not allowed to drive for 3 weeks....so I couldn't go to work and I really needed the time to recuperate.

Pamper yourself,you and your body have gone through alot....You owe it to yourself.

Feel better
Kaka

Sounds normal to me

by hotform - 2008-03-18 01:03:43

Bobbie,
This all sounds very normal to me. I had the stiff neck and a sore left arm.
I went back to work 2 days after I had my pacer put in. I worked 12 hour days back then in a strenuous setting. I felt pretty much like you do. The difference for me is that I take a no prisoner approach to life and I refuse to let anything keep me down. So I hurt, but I picked myself up and made myself go to work. I really think if helped me recover faster in the end. It also took my mind off the pacer and put it back on my normal life, which is something most of us need after implant.
My philosophy through it all has become "always take the offensive, never dig in"
So I try to be aggressive with life and not let anything slow me up or keep me from achieving my modest goals. I just wasn't going to let anyone tell me that I couldn't do something once I was implanted, and certainly wasn't going to let anyone I work with see me in pain or not able to do my job.
Ultimately everyone feels pain at different levels though and you must do what is best for you. You know your body better than anyone else. After 2 or 3 weeks you really should be feeling very normal again. Rick

Endurance

by heckboy - 2008-03-18 05:03:22

I noticed a few weeks after my PM replacement that while it was working, I didn't have my endurance back. I went in for an adjustment where they shortened the time between the atria and ventricle beats and I felt much better.

Before the tweak, I felt like I couldn't get a deep breath just walking up a hill... after, i was after to double time it up a mountian hiking in Jordan.

Every Situation is Different

by bjmcpherren - 2008-03-18 11:03:21

Everyone is different. I have had 4 pacemaker implants and I believe 4 lead replacements. Most of the surgeries I was back to normal within less than a week doing my normal routine. But my last lead replacement in August 07 (6 months ago!) I am still not back to where I was which is very discouraging. But whatever your situation is just hang in there. Some people take longer to recover, it also has to do with your condition - we are all different. I wouldn't say 2.5 weeks is uncommon.

Very sore

by trlam21 - 2008-03-20 10:03:55

I am on the same page you are. I have had my PM for 5 days and I was told to go back to college. I am so sore and my arm is in a sling. I have chated with a lot of people on this site and they all say dont push yourself it will take some time to get your energy back. You are not in this alone, the people on this site are awesome and you can ask them anything.
Tiara

Thank-you !!

by bobbie48 - 2008-03-22 12:03:11

I am still pretty fragile(3 weeks post implant). It is very comforting to know that my problems for the most part are not unique. I went back to work last week. I still do not have the stamina that I would like, but being back in the office was therapeutic. I am moving on, albeit slower than I have anticipated. It is easier to move on having had the benefit of the comments from a "caring group of new chatline friends". I had an appointment @ PM clinic thurs. and my ventricular setting was set lower to 70 bpm and I am still on antibiotics because of my reaction to the steri-strips. I still do not sleep very well. I am thinking that next time I go to the PM clinic I might get them to help me with this, either by reducing my bpm standard setting from 60- 50 bpm or by having them program a rest rate into the scheme of things. Will this help me sleep better?

Walk andMove

by hethrows2 - 2008-04-27 03:04:19

I had my implant in Aug. 2007. I am 67 and was used to very rigorous activity. Advice was to start slow in the recovery phase, that is good . I started with 5 minute walks away from my home and back, after 2 or three days of 5 minute walks i added 5 minutes to this exercise. this was repeated until i felt like a 2 mile walk. This was great ! I then added a mile. this was too much too soon! no damage just seemed to recover more slowly .Also,( natural swing of the arms I believe helps to reduce the chest and shoulder stiffness) I went back to the 2 mile and have increased the speed gradually. this is easier to monitor for me and now 3 miles feels good. I have also returned to weight training don't do this however without the advice of your MD and an exercise physiologist.

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