Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Waiting for Pacemaker Procedure for SSS & Afib

My pacemaker procedure is 2 weeks from tomorrow. My BP & pulse are normal, but the fatigue, lightheadedness is getting pretty brutal. Now I also have serious anxiety so I am not sure if that compiling on to my symptoms is making it worse. My heart doc says if it gets unbearable then go to ER for emergency pacemaker procedure. Just wondering if anyone has had to deal with these symptoms while waiting and I surely don't want to wait to have a cardio event. Plus all sympto...

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Lead extraction/new PM surgery friday…looking for tips!

Hi everyone! Im new to the club, I've had my current device for almost 11 years and my lead is 17 years old. Im getting a replacement this week and going from one lead to two lead left bundle pacing because I developed wenkebach two years ago and my current system isn't working for it. Because I'm young it was suggested to get my old lead removed so I will be doing that as well. 
 

Those of you who have had laser lead extraction what can I expect for the proce...

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Cough

Hi all. . .  Another question for you.  I am 10 days post surgery and feeling so much better.  However a day ago I started with a cough coming from a tickle in my throat and mucous.  I do not feel sick but worried I could dislodge a lead.  Have any of you experienced this?  I do have allergies but they are in check.

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Swelling

Just had a new battery/generator replaced (not the wires). I have a lot of swelling to

my left side of chest and some redness. Its been 3 days since the surgery. Has anyone else had swelling after a battery replaced??

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Pacemaker

Hi. So, I have vasovagal syncope. Needles are very upsetting to me. My pulse goes down to 30 and then I have experienced a heart pause. The one they recorded on my tilt test was 3.2 seconds long. I am struggling with the recommendation for a pacemaker because I don't experience syncope episodes outside of triggers. I have not had the best time getting my questions answered by the doctor. I think I would feel better if I could understand WHY the recommendation was being made. 

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Sick Sinus Syndrome

Been dealing with fatigue and light headedness with onset of nausea, for several years. It comes & goes, some episodes last, days, weeks, months. All doctors and tests suggested allergies since they really couldn't pinpoint the cause. A month & a half ago I had a serious blood pressure drop, 80/50 pulse 40, nauseaus, really dizzy, and extreme fatigue. Went to cardio doc first time in 5 years, wore heart monitor and the diagnosis was Sick Sinus Syndrome & A-Fib. Waiting for pac...

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Update

I currently may have a temporary pacemaker and possibly a deactivated one. No idea on the status of the old wires. Will ask the transplant surgeon tomorrow. Had my transplant on Wednesday. Awake yesterday and talking. Sitting up in a seat all day. Apparently I'm doing well! 

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Pacemaker expectations post surgery

I am 7 days post surgery with Medtronic dual-chamber pacemaker.  Having issues with fatigue and dizziness when up doing most anything.  Seem to have to sleep a lot.  My post check-up isn't until next week.  Noticed I do not pace below 60 anymore, so appears to have taken care of Bradycardia but having issues with Tacs upon activity.  My diagnosis is Sinus Node Dysfunction.  Anyone else experience this upon recovery?  My expectations must be a little too...

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Backup pacemaker.

I don't have any idea about how pacemakers actually sense. I mean the mechanics that enable them to assess your required heart rate and proportion it to any increased physical demand.  I understand that it sense's through the leads and has an onboard computer but that's about it for now. I must research it a little more as nothing much is explained to you at first about it's potential in terms of adjustments related to lifestyle etc. As a layman l understand tha...

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Backup Pacemaker

Actually l am pretty unfit now as it's been 5 years since l was able to do anything in a gym. I don't have an enlarged or athletic heart and just suspect that l always had a problem with Bradycardia, but as l was so active the specialists always put it down to that, and so didn't take me seriously. Now that l don't get below 49/50 l do feel better than l did. The max HR of 115 just seemed to stop me being able to dig deep and give my exercise that extra push, but l could still...

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Backup pacemaker.

I think that by backup pacemaker they mean that it will only start pacing when my own heart isn't coping well, so it doesn't pace all the time. I am not sure if 50 bpm is still low considering that l am being treated for ectopic beats using beta blockers but l know from years of experience that l very rarely managed over 45 bpm at rest untreated, and when flat out exercising never got above 115 bpm but they put that down to being fit as l used to exercise a lot. I had my pacemaker fit...

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First implant.

Hello All,

Had my first implant of a backup pacemaker for long term Bradycardia which l had for around 15 years. Procedure went well and the physical healing is very good, but l still feel tired although l am pacing at 50 which is much better than the low 40's l was getting before. I had lots of symptomatic ectopic beats before being implanted and the idea was to get the heart rate up and then use beta blockers to control the ectopic beats which are still happening and actually seem...

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Brace for a month post-implant

I had my pacemaker implant on 3/24/22. I am required to wear a pliable brace 24/7 for a month post implant surgery. My upper left arm is tethered to side of my chest and left wrist area tethered also via velcro to upper part of my diaphragm. Those with whom I've spoken who either have had pacemaker implants or family members have had them, have never heard of this type of restrictions.  Obviously driving, gardening, vaccuming, regular exercise are out right now.  I did mana...

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Here we go again

Just returned from my post-surgery staple removal and PM check.

And much to my disappointment I’ll be returning to the OR in the morning for a redo.

Seems that that either one of the leads or the pacer itself is not working, good grief!

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Loss of feeling on pacemaker site

Will I recover any sense of touch on the pocket skin as it heals?  Now it is totally numb.  I had surgery 4 weeks ago.  The pacemaker is working very well and I can climb the steep block outside my house without pausing for breath--my gadget has overdrive!  No more bradycardia.

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Sleepless nights

I had my pacemaker implanted last Tuesday and I've got a tell you when I'm not having muscle spasms, I feel much better.

However, getting a good night rest seems to be out the question, when I laydown I guess I tweak something and here we go headed for the ice pack and trying to get comfortable, sometimes they’re painful. The odd thing to me is that the spasms are not at or around the incision site but below and to the right (implant on the left) at times I have...

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about to join the team

Will tomorrow is the big day check in early to have the procedure got to tell you felling a little apprehensive

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Is this a concern

I am 3 1/2 weeks post pacemaker implant.  I think I am doing well adjusting.  I have my moments.

My surgical sight is healing well. This weekend it seemed to me that I had a little more bulge on one side of my incision sight.  There has always been a little raised area because of the pacemaker.  It just seems a little more pronounced on one side. (not red or sore)  I don't know if I just notice it more now.

Does anyone know if the raised area can chage...

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Ejection Fraction

Hi Everyone,

I had my pacemaker first placed on Halloween October 31st, 2021.  Right before Thanksgiving I had to have a Revision because the top lead had dislodged. For almost 2-months I was having shortness of breath (especially using the stairs), my chronic cough continued and I had gained a lot of water weight.  My PMD wanted to send me to a lung specialist for my cough. Turns out I had heart failure and just before Valentine's Day I had a 2nd Revision as the lead disl...

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Vertigo type symptoms

I am almost 3 weeks with my pacemaker and can definitley say symptoms improve and I have been feeling better.  I read from others that they have similar concerns regarding heart palpitations and feelings of vertigo.  I don't feel experienced enough (yet) to offer much advice to others. I apreciate all the advice and encouragemenet provided to me on this site and can say that patience with letting your body adjust is huge.

I have recently been feeling minor vertigo typ...

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The experience of having a couple of lengths of wire fed into your heart muscle and an electronic 'box' tucked under the skin is not an insignificant event, but you will survive.