This new experience...

I was diagnossed with cardiomyopathy 4 days before Christmas 2007. I had an enlarged heart which the doctors felt was the result of a viral infection in October 2007. After a series of tests and some very bad EKG readings over the past 5 months, I was fitted with a pacemaker/defibulator on April 28, 2008. I am back to work and feeling okay except for sleeping. I have a hard time getting comfortable and feel like my impant moves when I lay on either side. Also, the implant area is still sore especially at the end of the day. Am I impatient? When does this get comfortable? Or doesn't it?

5 Comments

Thanks!

by tenger - 2008-06-02 02:06:13

Thanks for the information. It sounds like you have had essentially the same experiences that I am having. I am going for a checkup this Thursday to get my first reading from the implant and take home my monitor.

Thanks again!

Terry

Welcome!

by Swedeheart - 2008-06-02 02:06:42

Welcome tenger,

My implant was on Feb 25, 2008... I am almost at day 100 since surgery. It took me 2 months before I could sleep someway other than on my back... I can now sleep on my right side, but when I try the left it is still sore and after about 5 minutes I am turning over again.

The weight of your implant will shift back and forth, although I believe the standard protocol is to stitch it in place to avoid having it "migrate". You are just at 4 weeks so you need to still be very careful about moving your arm above your shoulder or irritating things. I have heard a variety of "times" but it seems that it takes 8 - 12 weeks before the implant begins to really firm up in place, that goes for the leads too!

When they made the pocket for the implant they created a space which in inches is quite a bit of length. The more "inches" the longer healing time. So, be really, really, patient and it will get better. Just not as fast as most of us would like. The doctors really tend to play down the recovery time, and tell you that you will feel better right away! Your heart may be safer, but you need to heal and truly recover from the procedure.

If your implant is sore at the end of the day it is likely because of movement of your arm and muscles in the area. All the movement irritates the healing tissue just a bit... sort of like pushing on a bruise. You need to use your arm so you do not get a frozen shoulder, but you also need to not over do it so you aren't in pain. Some folks here suggest icing down the site to ease the discomfort while you rest.

Many folks tell me after a time they forget they have an implant! I haven't quite got there yet... but there are a few times (hour or two... maybe) when I forget mine ~ I think that is progress!

Good luck. Hopefully others with an ICD can respond to your question and give you their experience. I have a PM.

Swedeheart

DISCOMFORT

by peter - 2008-06-02 03:06:46

I have cardiomyopathy and a biventricular pacemaker and AV node ablation. I was in great discomfort/pain for about 7 days after implantation of pacemaker. This reduced to an internal itch for about 8 months. Your pacemaker is larger than mine as it is also a defibrillator so its quite probable that you will suffer discomfort for longer than most. My pacemaker moves around by about 3 inches but it does not bother me. Every patient is different. Unfortunately some doctors dont want to hear about problems like yours. If you are still in discomfort after a year I would press for something to be done about it. Cheers Peter

occassional pain/discomfort

by turboz24 - 2008-06-02 10:06:34

I'm at almost 9 months since my ICD implant. It has never constantly been uncomfortable, but it does ache, hurt, itch at times. Sometimes it is just a short term, 10 minute pain, sometimes it lasts for a day or 2. It's off and on.

I would imagine most people have some residual pain from the implant, considering how large the ICD's are, but I guess it would also depend on how much "padding" you have.

Sleeping

by Janice - 2008-06-05 03:06:19

HI TERRY,

I HAD MY IMPLANT ON SEPT/07. LIKE CATHRYN B., I COULD SLEEP ON MY RIGHT SIDE RIGHT AWAY, WITH A PILLOW FOR MY ARM. ON MY LEFT SIDE WHICH IS WHERE MY IMPLANT IS, I JUST RECENTLY AM ABLE TO SLEEP COMFORTABLY. I DO WAKE UP A FEW TIMES A NIGHT, BUT GO RIGHT BACK TO SLEEP. I TOO STILL HAVE LITTLE ACHES AND PAINS, ESPECALLY WHEN I COME HOME FROM THE GYM. I JUST RECENTLY STARTED BACK ON A REGULAR BASIS OF 4-5 TIMES A WEEK. I ALSO FEEL A STINGING SENSATION SOMETIMES AROUND MY SCAR, AND ONCE IN A WHILE I WILL FEEL A FLUTTERING. I AM ASSUMING IT IS WHEN MY PM IS "KICKING IN"? I WILL HAVE A CHECK UP IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, AND WILL FIND OUT IF ALL THESE THINGS ARE "NORMAL". TAKE CARE AND IT WILL GET MORE COMFORTABLE.

JANICE

You know you're wired when...

You fondly named your implanted buddy.

Member Quotes

Yesterday I moved to a new place in my mind and realized how bad I felt 'before' and the difference my pacemaker has made.