Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing

After nearly 3 years with permanent afib and the clinicians decision not to atempt to restore sinus rhythm due to age (81) and heart damage due to MI in 2006 I have not been happy having to live with much reduced exertion tolerance and no exercise tolerance. I have been a life long runner and other sports, plus 25 years Army service where exercise was mandatory not optional, so inactivity does not sit well with me. In April it was decided to upgrade my dual chamber pm to biventricular bu...

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Newbie

Well, as you can see I'm new to the group. Today I'm in recovery day 4, and compared to some postings I've read from this forum I would consider myself not unlike most in symtoms with rough nights and sleeping in easy chair, slight redness at incision site, soreness in and around the new PM.

My history with heart attacks started around 15-20 years ago (I'm 76), when after and attack I had a stint inserted and was prescribed Simvastatin, Metoprolol and 81mg asprin along w...

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Thank you!

Many thanks to all of you who took the time to respond to my post; hearing that some of you had very similar experiences normalized my first week journey into Pacerland. To clarify, my pain has been manageable with some help. I was expecting "soreness for a day or two" and not the kind of pain that needed a couple of nights of Oxy, a fair amount of tylenol, lots of ice packs, a supportive bra, and lots of pillows. In all, not really awful, but a good bit more than "some sorenes...

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Newbie - What to Expect

Hello to my new PM community! 54yo female, no family history of heart issues. Went for a treadmill test last Thursday to investigate shortness of breath and fatigue. Within a half hour I was wheeled to the ER, then admitted due to bradys down in the 30s; full AV block. A week later and I've just been released with a new Boston Scientfc PM. 24 hours later I'm home. I feel tired and lightheaded at times; all sorts of flip flop feelings in my chest. Hardly got any sle...

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Post-op pain

Hello New Friends....

I just got my Medtronic PM on Monday....discharged on Tuesday before the surgical pain really kicked in. Lots of swelling and bruising and muscle pain (pectoral) and breast swelling. Big surprise as all I heard was how "easy" the implantation was. Better today, but still can't sleep in my bed. Anybody else have this experience? I have to say that I didn't get much in the way of follow-up or what to expect regarding recovering from the procedure it...

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Newby

Hi I've been having syncope and dizzy spells for 6 years. Had lots of neurological and cardiac tests. I had a left bundle branch block but cardiology said it wouldn't cause my blackouts. May this year I had an Medtronic implantable loop recorder fitted. Friday 1July I had another blackout. I contacted 111 who said the hospital should pick it up and as I wasn't injured didn't need to attend hospital. I contacted the hospital on the Monday to tell them what had happened and coul...

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Pace and Ablate

I had my AV node ablation yesterday and wanted to say thanks for the support on here about both the pacemaker insertion and the ablation.

The procedure went without hitch. It took less than a minute to ablate the node and then there was a wait while they do the pacemaker tests and make sure they've got all the cells ablated. I didn't feel a thing. Not much sedation needed apparently for such a short procedure. I've not had any bleeding in my groin. Back to the ward within a...

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Well, I’m in the Club Now

Hello everyone,

Today, I officially joined the club.

I am 33 and recently (in February 2022) started experiencing syncope episodes with asystole. I would wake up at night feeling hot and nauseous, and then would pass out. Didn't matter if I was standing, sitting, or lying down.

The docs diagnosed vasovagal syncope and implanted a loop recorder. We caught a 7-second pause once when the EMTs had me hooked up to ECG as I passed out. Then a couple months later the loop recor...

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PAIN

Hi

May i apply an icepack to the surgical wound

also, what is the approximate healing time

Thank you

TIMMY 2 TOES

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ablation

A friend just told me one of our friends had an Ablation done.  They went in by her neck.  Was wondering if any one has heard of that way.  Went to a major hospital. 

new to pace

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Intro

Hi, I'm new to the group.
I had a St Jude PM2272 ICD implanted on 2022/04/08.
It's been approximately 6 weeks and at times I feel almost like a itching burning sensation on the cut wound, should I be concerned or is it just part of the healing process?

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New to the club

Hello, 

I am new to the club and I guess just wanted to introduce myself and share a bit of my experience. I am 37 and I live in Ireland.

I had my pacemaker implanted on 13th April 2022. This was the outcome of 6 years of syncope seizures, 18 months with a loop recorder and finally a significant syncope episode. At this time my heart paused for 5 seconds. Upon admittence to hospital I was on a telemetry monitor for 3days, my heart was still showing dips and pauses at times. T...

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Waiting in ICU for them to put pacemaker in

Hi,

I'm scared about the surgery and recovery but so glad that I found this site on the day of my surgery. I'm a no symptom recipient. I feel like I've always felt. I'm not sure of the correct medical name for what I have. The non-medical description is that my heart rate was going down in the 30's and sometimes would 'drop out'. Mine is a duel chamber. I went to the ER with stroke symptoms. Got admitted and had head/neck MRIs to check my blood vessels....

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Replacement pacemaker choice

For all those using the NHS, I would just like to remind you that there is some choice. 

You can choose which make of  pacemaker to have within your physiological parameters and compatibility with your existing leads and what the hospital has in equipment.

For myself, I am listed (10th June)  for what I hope will be a super, Boston Scientific ( no groans, please!) which I hope will help with exercise initiation.   

My cardiologist...

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Transplant update

16 days after my heart transplant I shall be going home from hospital today. My temporary pacemaker wires have been removed.

At which point I will not really qualify for membership here and hope never to qualify again although that could always change.

 

This forum is incredibly useful and supportive and I can honestly say that living with wires for the last 4  years has been made so much easier for being here.

 

Thank you all. 

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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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You know you're wired when...

A thirty-day guarantee is not good enough.

Member Quotes

Yesterday was my first day mountain biking after my implant. I wiped out several times and everything is fine. There are sports after pacemakers!