Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Thank You!

My mom's first post surgery appointment is today. I want to say thank you to everyone here for giving us your feedback. It's reassuring to know that my mom isn't the only one who has gone through this. She is slowly learning to trust that her pacemaker will do its job. Since her situation presented itself suddenly it's something that we are all trying to adjust to. It's so helpful to read other people's journeys.

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Tearing/Ripping pair around the collar bone?

Since my surgery I have have what feels like a tearing or ripping pain around the point of my collar bone near my throat. It is much worse with certain movements. At first I figured it was just normal postop adhesions but now that I am 16 days post surgery and the pain if anything is getting worse I was wondering if anyone else has had this. The best way to describe the pain is that it feels like someone has hooked a fish hook into my skin and is pulling HARD on it. Pain was bad enough last...

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Posting for my mom

Hi everyone,
I am so glad i was able to find a forum for people living with a PM. I joined here because my mom who's 65, was rushed to the hospital on July 3rd with severe dizziness and shortness of breath out of nowhere. She needed up needing a PM and had an emergency procedure done at midnight.

Shes home (7/6) now but she's feeling depressed and really worried over having a PM and how she has to rely on one now. My sister and i have tried everything we can to help her stay p...

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2nd surgery in 5 months

Hi.

I'm 4 days post op from my 2nd pacemaker surgery in 5 months.

It was a side insertion and this time they had to move it inside my pec muscle, make a pocket and sew it in place. To quote the Dr...they had to go deeper, and use much more force than expected! Great...yet again - not a simple procedure.

The recovery seems to be better than the 1st op, but the pain is a whole new world of pain!
Everything seems to be doing ok, but i guess it'll be a slow...

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Now I'm a real club member!

Hi everyone,
Had my pm implanted Thursday. Kept in 24 hours and no problems, (other than sciatica....bad timing!!)
My cardio put it on my left side as I play top level croquet here and we thought that would suit my sport better as I'm a right hander. It is a St Jude Zephyr dual lead, set at 70 and 120. I really don't feel much different, just a bit faster pulse.
Thanks for all the great information and support I received from the members of this special club. It really made a diff...

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Implanted today with my 1st PM.

Thanks for everyone's support as today was the "big" day and my first implant- DDD about 6 hrs ago and already on the internet.

A couple of days ago I was bumped and came back today, but it was a blessing as I wasnt nervous and all my concerns and questions were already answered on Tues.
It was like "Ok guys lets get going so I can go home"
I asked them to really give lots of freezing and thats why I have no pain....hmmm want until the next couple days when it wears off eh...

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Still sore

I had my PM inserted 2 months ago. The site is still very sore and it feels as though it has moved up. A couple of weeks ago you could just feel a bump and there was no pain. Now I can feel the edge of the PM very clearly and I'm living on pain killers. It feels as though it is jamming into my collar bone.

I went back to cardiologist who inserted it for a checkup. He said it is only under the skin - not in the muscle, which is why I can feel it so clearly. I said I though it had moved...

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One week after surgery - OW!!!!

I am a week after surgery and for the last two days the area around my pacemaker has gotten very sore and if anything my energy level is plummeting. I went back to work yesterday (desk job) but the energy level started dropping over the weekend. Now this morning when I woke up the area around my PM hurts like hell. I don't see any sign of infection, have no fever but what it feels like from my lower neck to my shoulder whenever I move is like someone is tearing the muscles around my PM. I ex...

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recovery

I have a pacemaker and difibulator, which I received March 2009. My question is that the area where i was cut on my upper chest is still painfull, I can't wear a bra trap on that side, even a shirt hurts over it, is there anyone else that has this problem or had. I would really like to hear form you. I am also getting shocked frequentlyby my device. I am a 40 years old and a female.

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I am joining this site for my mom

Hi everyone,
I would love for someone to help me out with some information.
My mom received a pacemaker last Monday, June 22nd. She needed the pacemaker because of a very irregular heartbeat. She was so determined not to get one that she almost waited too long to finally give in and have the surgery. In her case, her heart was beating much too fast, and her shortness of breath was almost killing her. She retained so much fluids that she needed to stay in the hospital for an extra...

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It Works!

My Medtronic’s pacemaker was installed about 19 months ago at age 70. The operation was in the evening and the next day I left the hospital with my diner as a “take-out”. At the time of the operation my pulse rate was around 50 and at my last check up, the pulse rate without the unit was under the chart. The upper chamber is at 99.9% and the unit is set at 60.

I live in Florida and play golf three times a week and start usually just before noon and play until 3:00P.M. Two days a w...

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elective surgery

Hi all,
I haven't posted in two years, mostly because my pacemaker has become a part of me and although I believe I feel it now and then, it doesn't interfere with my life at all. When I received an e-mail about the newletter, it reminded me how helpful many of you were when I first received my PM in July 2007.
I have second degree heart block and my heart rate goes down to 40 when my PM is turned off. I don't recall the mode of my PM, but I know that my PM is a-sensed and v-paced....

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AF

Hello, Need your advice. I have had two St.Jude pacemakers the past 5 1/2 years. I rely on them completely. My heart is just too slow but healthy.
I take Amiodarone, Sotalol, Diltiazem HCL, Micardis, and Lipitor.
I am thinking of insisting on an Ablation so I can get off these meds. What do you think? Ev

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catheter ablation ?

Thank you all that responded, I have a few other things to add that I forgot to mention before. My mom had what you call a catherter ablation, I guess this procedure burns out the heart cells that cause the irregular heart beat. After that they connected the pacemaker. If anyone had this procedure done, or knows about it ..I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know how it is going for you. As I mentioned before, my mom had the surgery last Monday, and is very depressed that her...

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Placement

Has anyone had their pacemaker placed under the muscle in their chest? Does this cause discomfort?

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potruding edge of pacemaker

Hi. I'm new to the board. I am 41 and active. I had a pacemaker put in 3 weeks ago. I have noticed that the edge of the pacemaker towards my shoulder forms a slight ridge that potrudes slightly . My shirt rubs againt this and it also is causing me some anxiety because I like taking my shirt off in summer at pool parties, etc... Will this possibly go away. My Dr suggested in another month if it still in causing discomfort, we can do a second surgery to replace the pacer. He said the wire...

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When can I fly?

I have decided to put in a pacemaker. I have had a slow heart beat for many years. I have no symptoms. However as my heart rate is around 35-40 most of the time and getting a bit slower over the past 4 years, my doctor is pushing me to put in a pacemaker. I am in good shape, 65 years old, live an active life. Mostly I want the pacemaker because my right shoulder needs a rotator cuff surgery so I can continue to play basketball. Can I still play basketball with a pacemaker?

Some...

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1st time

hi there
i go into hospital tomorrow morning to have a pacemaker fitted for the 1st time. i am apprehensive and a little scared. i am told it is 60 - 90 mims proceedure and to stay in hospital over night. i was diagnosed with a slow heart rate, this was discovered after being cardioverted twice for af. i went straight back into af even when the 2nd time i was given flecanide to keep my heart rate in rythem
could anyone tell me the recovery time as i am due to start looking after my fr...

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To all the wonderful heart.

I want to thank everyone that sent me messages and explained a lot of things to me. My appointment is tomorrow in Pittsburgh and I am ready for whatever is to come. I will let everyone know how it goes. I am not afraid now sooooo a big thank you to all.

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Thanks for being there

I got up this morning after a good nights sleep. I had been having a hard time sleeping as I did not want to take the pain medicine and was not. Yesterday a friend that knows me well told me to take what the doctor ordered before I went to bed. This I did and had a good nights sleep and woke up rested and in good spirits. To get on the computor this morning and find all your support was also a God sent. Your suggestions were so good. As suggested I have read many of the messages, which I h...

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You know you're wired when...

You name your daughter “Synchronicity”.

Member Quotes

A properly implanted and adjusted pacemaker will not even be noticeable after you get over the surgery.