Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

Dad getting biventricular pacemaker tomorrow 6AM

Thank you all for posting your experiences with heart disease. You are some very brave souls here - especially the young single moms and strong, young men who never thought they'd be dealing with heart problems so early in life.

My father has had a PM for 8 years and he is getting the 3rd wire biventricular pacemaker put in in the morning. I am so worried for him. He has lost 50 pounds in the last 3 months. He has CHF. He has no energy and can barely speak. The Dr. says this is his...

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2nd Pacer

Got my pacer replaced after 7 years on Dec 8th. Leads were good, so I don't have to endure that extra agony. A little sore at the implant site, and I can't sleep because I keep trying to go to my left side, and it hurts too much. Otherwise, it was not that bad of an experience. Dr. says I can go back to my recumbent trike in 2 weeks, and that I can use the treadmill for exercise. My advice to all - KEEP MOVING. It hurts, but keep moving the arm so you don't stiffen up. Get up and walk, don't lay...

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Postsurgical Question

Hello my pacer friends,

About 3 weeks ago I had surgery that attempted to revise my atrial lead. The surgery required that the doctors enter my chest cavity via a thoracotomy (chest crack) on my left side.

I still have considerable soreness and pain from the surgery. It seems that the bulk of the pain is in the region under my left arm. (A burning, hot knife feeling)

Question – Anyone out there that has had similar surgery, how long did it take for the discomfo...

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2nd ablation

Hi everyone!

Just a note. I had my second ablation yesterday and am feeling 100% better today.The procedure took about 3 hours. I haven't felt this well since August. I am prayerful that it stays this way. My heart rate was 74this morning and 76 this evening. I haven't been e I'm not being overly optomistic

Regards,
Colvin

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location???

Hey all,
I know i haven't been active on the site in a long time and surprised my login still worked. lol. but i have a small question to ask has anyone heard of Pacemaker Lead Extraction? my doc has been talking to me about getting it and what not but i dont know of a place by me that does it i'm from NYC. and he wants to send me to Boston somewhere. does anyone know anything of it? or where to get it done. basically i need a new pm cause my lead fractured and i have so many old leads and...

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chest pain, sob, & Zapping

hello everyone,

stil here and still having problems. mostly being short of breath even with just walking. then the pacer starts doing something that feels like little zaps.
by the way i am still on disability--not working. md says that by february 2nd we will need to chat about permanent disability.
dont know why i am still haveing these problems.
tests alll came back okay.nothing wrong with my lungs. so it has to be the pacer.


s

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How Wonderful to have this...

Thank you once more for your reassurance. It's scarey to hear that I need a pacemaker. He said I've had this problem for a while... How they know... I have no idea. I just thought that everyone's different... and I was certainly not going to be athletic... and so what if I can't run far. So what If I get tired ... happens to the best of us. But lately... weird to say.... but AFTER they did the EGC.... my heart almost feels bruised. They called and said to show up on Monday to Cardiologist....

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How Long till back at work

Another concern is .... in this economy.... and not having paid sick days...... How long after surgery before returning to work?

I work at a call center so it' not hard work.

*** Thank you so much for taking time out for me. I really have nobody else to talk to about this. My family is taking this pretty easy.... Not knowing how I really feel physically. I've hid it from them... the best I can.

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Want to Prepare... Need advice

I went for preoperation appointment which included an ECG. Next day I asked to go back and was advised that I have a heart blockage and will need a pacemaker. I now have an appointment with Cardiologist on Monday. I'm so silly nervous about this, and have stupid questions.
1. Should I pack a bag (ie. pajama's) when I see the Cardiologist...just in case, or is this a planned surgery where you go home and come back another day.

2. Are you still able to do everything you did b...

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SSS and now Bronchitis

I'm new to this board. I found it last week while looking for information on Sick Sinus Syndrome. I am a 41 year old female. There is a lot of information on here.

Now to my question. I had a pacemaker implanted this past Monday. I went home Tuesday and went to the emergency room this morning (since there were no doctor's offices open). They said I have bronchitis. Has anyone else had this happen so soon after surgery?

Things went fairly well with the surgery. I've...

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New Pacer, Dizzy & PVC's

Hi. I just received my first pacer (Biotronik Cylos DR) five days ago for bradycardia and 3rd degree block. I have other physical problems but I thought I would be feeling much better by now. I am SO tired that I think I could sleep all day. In addition, I am dizzy, which I wasn't until the PM. I went back to have my PM checked and they turned off the rate response to see if that helped - it didn't.

My question is, am I expecting too much too soon? Since I have other problems, c...

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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

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Epicardial pacemaker

Hi

I am due to go and see my cardiologist in 3 weeks, because I have been having trouble with nausea and breathlessness when walking short distances. I know that a pacemaker is something that I will need for heart block in the future, and I think that it may well be sooner rather than later now that I am having these symptoms.

Because of previous heart surgery, I was told 6 years ago that i would need the pacemaker leads to be implanted on the outside of my heart, as so ma...

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Tingly at Incision Site...

I had my pm in on Friday, 11/21, now I'm experiencing a tingly sensation in the vicinity of my incision. Is this normal? Can anyone advise if that is just the healing process or something more sinister?
AC

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Excessive Pain during surgery/Lovenox

Hello,

My mother had pacemaker surgery at a major hospital in Boston Nov 12. My brother and I were there with her. All seemed to be going well and folks at the hospital seemed supportive. Although there was some comment from the docs/interns that she was being consciously sedated (and they wanted to make sure she stayed breathing on her own), at NO time did anyone indicate that the pain during the procedure would be excrutiating (sp?) and that the numbing/freezing whatever you call...

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Home again...

So I'm home from my first pm surgery. Rather sore, annoyed about the new lump on my chest (hubby says it's not really noticable), but overall doing well. It's very weird feeling something thumping around in there...I guess I just have to get used to that. Trying to stick to ibuprofen during the daytime - now that I'm out of bed the Darvocet makes me feel kind of spacey.

The kids (2 and 4) did well. My girl was very brave; I could tell she was holding back tears when they came to v...

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PM on Friday, 11/21...

Ok, so I go for my PM on Friday. I am a bit nervous, as one might expect. One, I hate having to have it because I'm only 35; two) any kind of surgery is a little scary; three) I'm worried about recovery and not lifting my arm for 6 weeks with a 2 and 4 year old.

The more I read, the less I feel I know about it all. My heartrate sits at 40 most of the time so I know it'll be pacing me 100% of the time. I see comments about the top of the range. I'm wondering if I even need a top?...

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calf pain?

Did any of you expierience calf pain after getting your pacemaker? This started for me 2 days ago. I did walk some that day but not that much. It doesnt seem to be going away. It is worse with walking. It is in both calfs.
Should I be concerned? Should I call the Cardiologist? I have my pacer now for 21 days.I am feeling better otherwise and actually had a pretty positive outlook today.Dont know how I'll feel when I go back to work though as its pretty physical.
Thank You all so much f...

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How long must I wait?

Hello I have a question.How long were you told to wait before lifting your arm ? I'd like to know from several people.Were you told to exersise the arm?I had my PM installed 10/27/08 and am returning to work Dec. 1st. I have a very physical job. I am a CNA at an assisted living facility and I will need to lift and transfer patients-some are very heavy. I am finding that the affected arm is getting weak. I dont think at this point I could lift that arm over my head.I am wondering when I can begi...

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Atrophy!

I had my PM place in July, I had it placed underneath the muscle to give myself some extra cushioning, because I am still young and really hard on my body. But I have started to get some really noticeable atrophy on my left side. No one seems to know what to say or do about it, and my cardiologist pretends its not even there when I bring it up. Has anyone else had anything like this

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Member Quotes

Try to concentrate on how you’re able to be active again and feel normal, rather than on having a machine stuck in your body.