Burning and tingling pain

I had a defibrillator (Guidant ICD Model T177; Guidant Lead Model 0185) implant surgery in May, 2007. Since then, I have had burning pain and tingling sensations in both arms from my elbows to my fingers. My doctors does not believe the pain relates to my ICD. They think it is nerve damage. Recently, I had an EEG (nerve conduction test) and myelogram cat scan of my cervical spine. Both test were negative. My neurosurgeon says the only thing he can do now is to remove my ICD and do an MRI of my brain. He does not want to do that. My pain is 24/7 and intense. I still believe my pain relates to the ICD. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms after an ICD implant? Thanks.

4 Comments

Nerve Pain

by donb - 2012-12-09 07:12:50

Hi, Thought I'd relate a similar experience from dye injections. My 1st encounter was from a spinal injection 52 years ago diagnosing L4 & L5 disc rupture. Besides having severe headache I had similar pains as you describe. About 10 years ago the injection for a liver scan again caused reaction. Just this March I almost got to meet my maker from a Lexiscan injection during a chemical stress test. Naturally I'm banned from MRI exams with my PMs' in the last 20 years.
As I'm not in the medical profession but I learned over the years many patients have suffered with strange after effects from tests. As what you're discribing to pains in "both" arms & fingers sounds similar to my upper back vertabrae fractures of two spine bones T2 & T7 between my shoulder blades. Surgery was not in the picture but time ;& therapy took care of that. As this came on in the last 5 years since your PM, stenosis (arthritis) can cause lots of nerve pinching. As I've gone that route also 12 years ago, lower back L1 through S1 & doing well at age 80.
Hopefully you will find an answer soon. Forgot to mention I had a full body cat scan to find my upper back damage and also with my lower back (laminectomy) with my surgeon from only cat scan. Hope you've been to a good experienced neurosurgeon!!
DonB

Brachial Nerve Damage

by lesli.w - 2012-12-15 11:12:37

The doc who implanted my PM 1 1/2 years ago nicked my nerve plexus (near the shoulder joint) and left me with numbness, tingling, strange sensations, in my thumb, next two fingers and the forearm on the brachial side. I was in agony after the surgery but the doc didn't have a clue what she'd done, and treated me like I was exaggerating any minimal pain I should be feeling. It took her weeks to admit she may have nicked a nerve, but by then I had already decided to switch cardiologists. At first I tried physical therapy, but that didn't help. I went to a neurologist, but he could just tell me that the nerve channels were intact and I should just give it time, as nerves can heal themselves. I recently tried acupuncture, but he gave up on me. So, 1 1/2 years later, I'm still taking Gabapentin for nerve pain. The best way to describer the sensation in my 3 fingers is they feel like they always have a bandaid on them. They're slow to feel pain so I burn myself easily. But when they do feel pain it's a heightened feeling. And when I touch something cold, it feels wet. I may have to resign myself to the fact that this uncaring doctor gave me permanent damage. So if your doctors are saying it's nerve damage, are they admitting they did this to you?!! Let me know their response.

Nerve Damage

by rickprigge - 2012-12-18 08:12:51

My Doctors - family, orthopedic, neurologist and neurosurgeon - all say that my ICD could not possibly be causing my pain. They all thought it was coming from my neck. My tests proved otherwise. Now they say pain is coming from my brain and they can't do an MRI because of my ICD. My cardiologist says she has never heard of nerve pain in both hands being caused by an ICD procedure. That's why I wrote this post. I think she nicked a nerve and I am permanently damaged. Does your nerve pain affect both arms. Thanks for the post.

You can have Extracardiac stimulation (muscle/nerve stimulation)

by juliaaa - 2014-11-05 08:11:03

http://www.vicare-medical.dk/admin/UploadFile.aspx?path=/UserUploadFiles/CRM/Vitality-2-ICD.pdf

Potential Adverse Events
Based on the literature and pulse generator implant/explant experience, the following alphabetical list includes possible adverse events associated with implantation and explantation of a pulse generator system:

Extracardiac stimulation (muscle/nerve stimulation)

You know you're wired when...

You have rhythm.

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