pacemaker has moved!!!

advice needed! I had my second pacemaker place 1/22/09. sent the next 7 weeks at dr appts b/c of incision infection, the stitches inside raising to the top thru my incision and needing to be pulled out multiple time. finally got the ok from dr and spent a blissful 2 weeks not going to the dr. All throughout I kept telling Doc it feels like pacer moving. He listened but said it was probably due to swelling etc.... and no cause for concern. NOW swelling is gone and pm is lower in my chest and to the outside near my underarm. almost feels like its in my breast tissue! complained to doc again a week ago who said to wear sports bra for more support!!! they saidthat to go back in is worrisome b/c of my recent infection and reaction to desolvable stitches. now a week later i cant lift arm or bend forward without discomfort... lower corner of pacer actually jabs me!!! now surgery is the option... has anyone had this problem and the surgery, they say they will secure the pm to the muscle... scared of more surgery!!!!

4 Comments

Real Pacemaker Trouble

by Nim Rod - 2009-04-20 09:04:49

I'm not even attempting to tell you what to do, BUT, if I found myself in your situation I would find myself a real doctor before this quack kills me.

Securing pacer

by ElectricFrank - 2009-04-20 11:04:13

For what it is worth, the recommended implant for a Medtronic pacer is to suture it to the underlying tissue to maintain it in place. I'm sure the other makes have the same instructions. It seems like whenever one of the forum members reports a moving pacer this is the problem. Not only that but they have other problems as well which makes me wonder about the competence of the doc.

Having said that it is possible that the doc avoided the extra sutures for some legitimate reason. I can't think of what that reason would be.

frank

Migrated Pacer

by Pookie - 2009-04-21 07:04:35

Hello Skye,

I too had my pacemaker move right into my armpit.

It took me 3 months to get a doctor to listen to me. Actually, they didn't need to listen, all they had to do was look...one could clearly see it was in my armpit.

So, I did have mine repositioned. The surgery was a bit longer than normal as the surgeon had to "tack" down the path the pacemaker had made to the armpit, then he did "anchor" it down as the JERK who originally put mine in, not only made the pocket too big, he didn't anchor the battery down. Since the repositioning, which was April 7 of 2005, I feel comfortable with my pacer.

I too was scared of yet another surgery as that was my 5th since getting the darn thing 6 months prior. But, it's all worth it in the end...for me.

Good luck

Pookie

Movement

by speckledegg - 2009-04-21 12:04:33

I've had my PM in for 10 years and sometimes I get jabbed too! But my problem comes with sleeping or putting both arms together over my head. Mine gets lodged under my collar bone and that really hurts! but it doesn't happen very often. I would talk to another doctor, It's not a very good way of life to be afraid of something thats keeping you alive :)

You know you're wired when...

Your ICD has a better memory than you.

Member Quotes

I feel so incredibly thankful that I can continue to live my life.