Doing too much?

I'm wondering about the occurrence of PM patients pulling the leads out. I'm 5 days post-surgery and bustling around the house doing light house cleaning. I'm not having much pain, but am I doing too much?
AC

5 Comments

should be fine

by Tracey_E - 2008-11-26 01:11:41

Once you're past the first day or two, as long as you keep your left arm below shoulder level and you don't lift weight with your left arm, the odds of dislodging the leads are very minimal. Your heart is otherwise healthy so you shouldn't have to worry too much about overexerting. If you're off the pain killers, pain should be a pretty good way to judge if you're overdoing it or not. Glad to hear you're feeling good enough to even ask, sounds like you're well on the way to recovery!

hi ADC

by LGreensweight - 2008-11-26 03:11:35

I'm just over a week post-surgery and agree about taking it easy. I was told not to lift the arm above shoulder level for two weeks and not to lift anything over 10 lbs.
I was lucky because my husband won't go back to work until next Monday (he's been off recuperating from a surgical procedure) and he's being doing absolutely everything for me. He's an angel. Actually he keeps a better house than I do.
I just had my incision checked today and the doc says it looks excellent even if there's still some bruising in the area.
You'll be fine.

AC

by Bruce Martin - 2008-11-26 04:11:32

I have an PM/ICD implanted 2 1/2 years ago. The restriction was no lifting over 5#, as well as do not lift the elbow higher than the shoulder on the side of the device. When I went in for my procedure, my left shoulder was a bit tender. Well keeping it below my shoulder allowed it to freeze. Then another procedure was in order to free the shoulder so I could use it once again. It is amazing they can implant a foreign object into the heart, and you are encouraged to get right out there and back to life. It is a wonderful time we are living in, this technology is saving a lot of lives. God Bless and have a wonderful Holiday.

Bruce

I dislodged mine

by Cherthom - 2008-11-26 09:11:53

I was feeling great after my surgery and I am guessing I did too much because a week after my surgery, I started feeling odd and getting a shocking kind of feeling in my chest. Then I passed out. When I got to the hospital, they discovered that my bottom lead had shifted. I had to sit in the hospital all weekend and go through another surgery that Monday. It was no fun and a huge expense to boot!
My advice is to take it easy. Also, since the revision I never felt as good as I did before the lead shifted.
Cheryl

I found out today I pulled a lead...

by BriBoy01 - 2009-01-23 10:01:50

I had my PM implanted 05-15-2008 and found out today I have pulled a lead that will have to be repaired ASAP. I truly do think I caused it to become very loose in the initial recovery phase because I rushed myself back to work. Do yourself a favor and take it as easy as possible.

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I, too, am feeling tons better since my implant.