Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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New pacemaker

I am a new member. I had my pacemaker fitted four weeks ago.

I am experiencing chronic fatigue. I sleep nine hours at night and at least

l hour in the day. I feel so tired all the time. Not what I was expecting.

Can anyone advise. Thanks. Y 

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New member

My husband had an ICD implanted last Tuesday .  His discharge instructions stated "return to normal activities" - Wednesday!  He is still fatigued and sore and just generally aches. No fever, no palpitations, chest pain, etc, and the incision looks great.  Just curious as to when most people return to work.  He has a desk job but I'm concerned about him working with this level of fatigue. To me, it's to be expected.  So I'm baffled by t...

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Device change when dependent

Hi all

I was wondering how a device is changed if the patient is 100% pacemaker dependent. Very quick swap over or do they put a temporary device in place?

John

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Yet another update! Getting closer to AVR #2!

I saw the cardiothoracic surgeon today. She wants to delay doing anything with my aortic valve due to all the positive changes that the new device is having on my heart function.

I've been complaining about shortness of breath while exercising and now I know why. My device is set to a max upper limit of 130bpm. I hit that easily :). I asked them when they implanted it if they could use the same settings as the last device and they said that they would! I worked hard to get those set...

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Recovery in Children

Hi Everyone! I am 19 years old, getting a pacemaker placed in May for junctional braccycardia with pauses. I was wondering what the recovery was like. If anyone has anything to share please do! Thank you!

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Post pm loss of consciousness

Hi, i am 71y/m.  i had an episode of loss of consciousness 4 days after surgery. Is it normal?? Dis anyone else face this. No cardiac event was discovered on pacemaker. Doctor told probably its vascular or neurological event.

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Lifting non-affected arm

Hi, 

I just got my first pacemaker a bit more than two weeks ago, and I have questions about moving my arm while recovering. I was wondering whether my non-affected arm had any restrictions (e.g., not lifting more than 10 lbs, raising my arm above my shoulder).

Thanks! 

 

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Palpitations

Hi

I am 6 days post op and I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but this morning I am having a fair bit of palpitations, is this normal? No pain, just usual surgery discomfort. 

I don't want to phone and ask stupid question.

I'm guessing it's just settling down and doing it's job. Also I have neck tenderness, wouldn't call it pain, and the same discomfort along my collar bone. 

I had a medronic 2 lead, they couldn't find the usual...

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Pacemaker

Thanks for the information regarding the dizzy spells and the links..

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Symptoms after Pacemaker

It is coming up on a month since my Pacemaker.   I have been doing pretty well for the most part but have noticed in the past week I tend to have a little faint spell...not super dizzy...just kind of like my head is spinning and I have to hold onto something for 30 sec. or so, shut my eyes and then the feeling goes away..  I have been driving to and from work and so far this has not happened while I am driving but it is worrysome.   

I see a lot of folks have di...

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When will I be able to scratch my right shoulder/back again 🙃

Hey everyone! I just had surgery 1/4/23 but it's KILLING me not being able to do something as simple as itch my right shoulder/right side of my upper back because whenever I try to reach over to the right I feel my pacemaker :( 

my doc didn't put it under the muscle either- which I wish he would have.... but it's a little to late for that.

 

obvi I understand everyone is different with healing, but I'm just wondering how long it took you to get your...

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Fist PM yesterday, can't sleep, sssooo tired.

Hi. 

I had my first pacemaker fitted yesterday, the surgery itself was OK ish, I have allergies to anti bionics and painkillers, I was given an antidote before being given two iv antibiotics pre surgery. 

The local anaesthetic initially didn't work and I felt the cut until the nurse shouted to stop. They gave me a sedative which didn't seem to work at all but due to my allergies I could not have painkillers. 

The vein they wanted to use for the tw...

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For those that are following my updates...

So, as I said in a previous post, they have completed the install of my new Medtronic CTR-D last Wednesday. They ended up taking both leads out because they were "entangled." I felt great for a couple of days and started having chest pains which I thought was due to the breathing tube, camera, and whatever else they shove down your throat! Anyway, Sunday I started to feel a bit weak. Sunday night I couldn't get a full breath. I'm still thinking the damage from the tubes.. Mo...

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Still unsteady

Hi, first post, apologies it may be a bit long but I'm not sure what will prove relevant.

I was admitted to hospital at the end of January after two consecutive days of nearly blacking out and then actually doing so in the street on the third. For the two weeks prior to that I'd been aware of things sometimes not seeming quite right, particularly when out - hard to describe, but the nearest was the lack of balance I felt when first wearing varifocals. Although it seemed clear fr...

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Well that escalated quickly

So, I've always been a low energy person, as a child my mother had said i had a small heart murmer,  in my teens and 20's I noticed if i did anything that required alot of energy, like running or cardio i would get very quick dizzy spells,,, in my 30's i went to doctor after doctor telling them i was always tired, they'd run tests for mono, thyroid etc and tell me they couldnt find anything. In my 40's I was told i had "long QT" during a regular ph...

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Device Update 3 - Doctor's Flip Flopping, lol

So my EP and cardiologist had a discussion about me. They have decided it would be in my best interest to get the upgrade to a Medtronic CRT-D "just in case" the regular pacing at the LBB area doesn't correct my HF/EF pacing induced cardiomyopathy leaving me in a dangerous place. He called it a safety net as they can't just go back in and change it. He said if things do improve with the upgrade (he still says he has no reason to doubt it will), then they will leave...

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Pacemaker replacement

Ok so I got my Pacemaker put in May of 2022. In know this is early to ask but I can't get it out of my mind. When they replace the one I have do they lay you down just like they did when it was implanted? Or do they sit you up in a ewclined chair of some type. The reason I ask this is when they put mine in they strapped my left arm to my side palm up and it really hurt my shoulder and around my shoulder blade. Very intense pain for about 3-4 weeks. I'm a big guy and my arm doesn't...

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Post op

Hi

Ive just jouned this group. I am having a 2 lead ( i think) PM fitted on 7th March, folliwed by an ablation a month or so after. 

I work as a carer in thw community, no heavy lifting, just assisting with personal care, light housework and companionship. 

My 3 questions are please, 

What to expect post op? 

How long would you recomnend i stay off work for based on your own pist op experience? 

I ride a scooter ( moped) , i know i...

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Extreme fatigue

Hello everyone! I am a 70 year old male implanted 3 days ago with a biventricular pacemaker/ defibrillator. my EF rate is 20% and I was diagnosed with a left bundle branch block 5 years ago. I also had a quadruple bypass 2 years ago. my cardiologist started me on Entresto 3 months ago along with a small dose of Correg. My bp is low (95/60) and I believe this is caused by the Entresto.  Has anyone had to stop Entresto because of this issue? If so what did you switch to? I literally c...

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New Pacemaker on 9th day

Question...today I am feeling a little light headed (when I got up) lasted around three hours.  Also, kind of a heaviness in my throat or chest area..hard to tell where the feeling is coming from.  Also, feel kind of dehydrated...very dry mouth and drinking does not seem to help it.  My arm is still sore and the EP nurse (yesterday) said I was healing fine but to continue an occasional ice pack for some swelling.  Also, she could not remove the steri strips from my incisio...

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Member Quotes

Today I explained everything to my doctor, he set my lower rate back to 80 and I felt an immediate improvement.