Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Subpectoral Pacer placement / recovery

Please see my response under Gigi-c's post about this issue. There seems to be quite a few of ya'll wanting answers about this topic. I replied with a lengthy answer, but also wanted to make sure that you saw it.
I've had 4 pacer surgeries in just a year and a half, my last one just 2 months ago being moving my pacemaker under my pectoral muscle.

I'll be happy to answer any questions that I can, and hopefully lessen some of your anxieties about this approach.

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Pocke Revision under/thru muscle

Hello,
I am so glad I found this group… My question is...

Has anyone had there PM put in under the muscle? I had a PM put in in Sept 2009 and have had a lot of pain with it. I finally got a referral to a new specialist and he wants to do a pocket revision on Monday. He said he is going to cut my muscle and place the PM in that way. He said I am to thin for it to be so close to the surface. My old pacer was put in as an emergency procedure, I went in for a Tilt Table test and my...

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Up and about.

Hello to my new friends.

I went into the hospital Tuesday and had my new "best friend" put in. They released me today, Wednesday. It feels funny under there and then naturally the pain and discomfort goes with it. But I'm happy I got it done, thanks to the encouragement of all of you. Now I can't wait for it to heal up so that I can improve my sleeping habits. Then I'll see if I get a jolt from those evil slot machines, ha! Once again thank you for all of your input, advice and prayer...

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The cost of a 3 hour stay....

Hi folks,

Today I received a rundown from the hospital where I had my pacemaker implanted. It was itemized. The grand total for my short stay in the hospital was a grand total of just over $35,000! That does not include the pacemaker, my cardiologist, the EP, or the after care. That was just for the hospital! That is $11,666 dollars per hour. Good grief, not that I'm not worth it but good heavens that is a lot of money!

PG

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Bruising

I had my PM installed last Thursday, 4/15 (tax day) and the bruising on the PM side of my chest (left side) is extensive. I am black & blue from the upper part of my left arm to the top of my stomach. I expected some bruising from what the doctor said but this seems to be excessive. The bruising and its associated pain is my main issue. Although I seem to feel better each day, seems like the bruising is slowly expanding. Is this normal?

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Sleeping and Pain

Hi there, hope this finds everyone pretty well. I just got back from my monthly internist check and questioned her about the shoulder pain and pain around the pacemaker. She did a cardiogram to make sure everything was okay and it was. Heart rate was good at 70 and everything else looked great.

She said I have a partially frozen shoulder, but physical therapy won't be good for me right now because of my fibromyalgia. She also said that she thinks that the pain I am experiencing is th...

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My 82 year old Dad - what to expect / complication

Hello, I'm new here. My 82 year old dad has a long history of heart issues. Had bypass surgery 27 years ago, and a quad bypass almost 2 years ago. He's been complaining of tiredness and short breath for the last few years. After a recent hospitalization and performing lots of tests, it was decided to do the pacemaker (dual chamber). He's being released today, but has to go back in a week to make sure "it's in place" and if not, it will have to be redone. It's not even 48 hours since the pr...

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Still No Energy

Hi all. This is my first post here and it's not for me but for my godmother who had a pacemaker fitted about a fortunight ago after several heart failures. One of the valves of her heart wasn't working (she doesn't know which one) and the pump wasn't working. I think she expected a return of energy after the surgery but she has no energy at all and says she is worse than she was before the surgery. She complains of NO other symptoms such as chest pains or dizziness but she has no strength in...

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Update and a question

Hey everyone! Surgery went well I guess on Friday. I would have to say it was probably one of the longest 2 hours of my life in surgery itself. The "happy juice" you all spoke of was not all that happy inducing and certainly wasn't enough of it...apparently my blood pressure wasn't satisfactory enough to warrant giving me more when it started to wear off...so needless to say I was extremely tense throughout the surgery. But despite not having the blood vessel that they normally insert one of the...

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in need of reassurance....

hi everyone! so my battery was low and i had my 1st replacement surgery 5 days ago. i'm doing good and the pain isn't too bad anymore, it's more of a tight feeling with the muscles now especially when i stand or walk around.

a week before my surgery i caught a cold and i still sneeze every now and then and i have an annoying lingering cough, it's not a bad cough but i'm nervous that it's going to do something to my incision or it's gonna make my device or leads dislodge, move or beco...

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Crazy question

This may seem like a crazy question...and I am wanting to call my doc... but then maybe just wait it out till i see him at the end of the month...BUT how long are you suppose to wait before being intimate again??? I mean to be honest..i am NOT use to havinga racing pulse.. I suffered from Brady, HR in the teens to 30's resting..and while moving about i was lucky if i hit the 50s. So this whole racing HR creeps me out some...LOL. I am scared of my HR getting to fast or something and my PM doin...

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Recovery

I had a pacemaker implanted 10 days ago. I still feel some discomfort or tightness in the upper part of my chest when I take a deep breath and short of breath. Is this normal and does this last for awhile? Bob

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plastic surgeons

I had a plastic surgeon clean up the scar tissue around the pocket when I had my last replacement. Insurance did cover it, got the statement yesterday. The last time I had a plastic surgeon (first implant in 93) the dr told me in advance they probably would not pay so I was ready to pay it myself because he was definitely there for cosmetic reasons and not a medical necessity, but the insurance paid that time also without asking questions. This time she was there at the EP's request after I sug...

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What to expect on surgery day

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the support and warm welcomes; I am so thankful to have found this site.

I was just wondering if anyone could kinda give me a run down of what to expect on surgery day? I'm having a morning procedure so they've said that I may get to go home that evening, but other than that I don't know what happens throughout the day that I am there. I think I'd be more at ease knowing what is going to happen.

Thanks!

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slightly better ...:-)

Hi,
Water apparently is still around my heart... Nevertheless, I think I can see a slight improvement even if I am still having difficulty to breath. Just have the impression I can improve my little walk by 1 more minute :-) I am still trying to keep my positive attitude although the recovery is very slow ...yes ... indeed... patience is the key ... It is nevertheless more than 2 months since my PM was implanted ...

So frustrating and diminishing while working and not being like...

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MRSA in pacemaker site

I just spent 28 days in the hospital. I wound up with MRSA in my pacemaker site. After fighting the infection for a week I had to have the pacemaker removed. I had also had epicardial sinus lead placement, so they were really worried about the infection traveling right to my heart. Luckily that didn't happen. I have gotten a new pacemaker/defib on the right side now. They just put it in Tues. I went into the hospital March 5th. Sure was good to get home yesterday. They were unable to pl...

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Back To Work?

A little background. I had a pacemaker put in last December 28th. On December 29, it was discovered that one of the leads had moved so the surgery was redone that day. Almost 2 1/2 months later, I was still experiencing quite a bit of pain so it was decided by my doctor and myself to have a pocket revision, so on March 10th, I had the surgery for that. The pacemaker was taken out and part of the leads repositioned and then restitched. The leads in the heart were not moved.

I ha...

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My first message on the PM club site :-)

Hi everybody,

I am a French woman and was so happy to find this site on PM where we can share our "daily issues".

My first message, I am afraid, will be quite long ... but be sure I will be shorther on my next messages :-).

I had my PM implant on Jan 28th, 2010 as my heart was stopping 15 times withn 24 hours for more than 3 seconds. So that's for sure the PM is saving my life. The only problem was I was still passing out even with my PM... without loosing con...

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numbness in arms & hands

Besides the pain I expected to have after my implant on 3/9/2010 (which I expected because I also deal with RA & Fibromyalgia and figured I would wind up having more than the normal amount of pain after surgery than most) I was wondering if anyone else has dealt with numbness and tingling sensations in their arms and hands after their implants, especially after laying down for even just a short period of time?

Rick

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Confused! Surgery is in 4 days!

I have been having some health issues for about 2 years now. It started dizziness, short of breath, passing out, heart rate dropping. My hemoglobin was 5.1, so a year and a half ago I received blood transfusions. I felt a little better, but still had troubles. My cardiologist has been there through all of this. She has ran holter monitors, 30 day monitors, tilt tests, eeg's, ekg's, etc. I have been taking 15 pills a day to regulate everything. Finally, in December I did the tilt test and...

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Member Quotes

My pacemaker was installed in 1998 and I have not felt better. The mental part is the toughest.