Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

Post Message!

Hi I'm back for more

This is a great site. I am so grateful for the comments as I had no idea how to get info before from people with first hand experience. I have now been told I have AV type 2, stage 2 block, if that helps. (Sounds like an exam cert!). I haven't any symptoms. I had my pulse taken for something else and was found to have a slow heart rate and eventually had an appointment for an ECG. I don't think they expected to find anything. Obviously, I am one of the lucky ones. I just wish I could...

Read More...

Thanks guys

Your comments today have been really helpful and cheered me up. Now I feel apprehensive  rather than terrified!

Bye for now

All the best

Izzy

Read More...

So what does it look like?!!!

Hi fellow club members

Would anyone like to tell me how large the scars are and if you get another one when the batteries are replaced?

Thanks in anticipation.

All  good wishes

Izzy

Read More...

Thank you

Hi

Not sure how you reply to individual comments. Do you message direct?

I really  appreciate you taking the trouble to reply. It's so good to know there are people out there who understand.

Very best wishes

Izzy

Read More...

Should I get a pacemaker?

Hi

I am a new user in the UK and this is my first post.

I have been advised to have a PM fitted due to AV stage 2. At present I don't  have any symptoms. I Zumba dance, do the garden and pretend to go to the gym.

Having found this problem they have advised me to have the PM as a preventative measure. Obviously, if I had symptoms I would be really grateful. 

I would prefer to carry on as I am. Does level 2 always progress to stage 3?

I am worried tha...

Read More...

New pacemaker

Hi guys

Im now 7 days with my new pacemaker and still very much in pain and discomfort. It's feels like the pacemaker is pressing against something in my chest and is very uncomfortable when walking. Is this normal and will there become a time where I don't feel it and can just get on with my life. Feeling very down at the moment. 

Read More...

one week pain

today is 1 week anniversary of pm insert. first few days pain was tolerable but since has gotten worse. sleep hard to come by . Called Dr yesterday and was told to take tylonal and keep moving arm. been doing that since day one. left shoulder puffy and tender. tell me it goes away. have telemed appt next Wed. have had several surgeries but pain aways decreased and not increased 

Read More...

PM with Breast implants

I had breast reconstruction surgery and have subpectoral implants.  I now need a PM.  Is there anyone that has fone thru this and can tell me about their experience?

Read More...

Pacemaker change

Hi. I've just had my first PM change after 8.5 years, I am male and 73 years old, and would appreciate any comments. I have gone from a Sorin Reply DR to a Boston Scientific Proponent L211, which seems physically slightly larger. I have been a little spooked by some of the comments on the internet regarding the Boston Scientific I am now using, so any comments about their performance would be welcome. Hope some of the experts on here can give me some reassurance. Many thanks in advan...

Read More...

Getting ICD

I'll be getting an ICD in two weeks. I just found out about having heart problems in February. I'm kind of nervous about the surgery.

Read More...

Well - That's me done!

I have been in hospital for five days after being admitted via A&E / ER.

I had a feeling of a heavy weight on my chest and started to find it difficult to breathe. I was given GTN and aspirin and the weight disappeared overnight.

I have been moved to the coronary care unit after several tests, all of them looking at my heart. They found nothing out of the ordinary that they did not already know about. It was not a heart attack.

I am now being assessed for possible heart...

Read More...

First pacemaker

Hey everyone! 
I just got my first pacemaker on July 1 2020.  I was told about all the driving/ arm restrictions.  Does that mean no husband time?  
Also- should I be concerned if I can feel pvcs or arrhythmias ?? 
 

and one more thing is - I accidentally hit the back of my right hand that had one of the IVs.  ( just got out of the hospital after 7 days) it literally started to balloon. I freaked out and had my husband put pressure on it...

Read More...

Blood thinner

Was told by nurse that I did not have to quit taking my blood thinner med prior to surgery. Almost all other procedures I have had had be quit 2 to 3 days prior. Any experience would be appreciated. Heading in Wed

 

Read More...

Intense Pulsing after ICD and new lead implanted

Hello, 

I am new to the site and was wondering if anyone else has experienced the following:  

I had a my second ICD implanted on June 26th after having a fractured lead and being shocked four times for no reason. 

Afterwards, I started experiencing what they thought were muscle spasms because the device was implanted pretty deep. However, I have started feeling an intense pulsating under my left breast. I went for a device check and they made a...

Read More...

You'd never know I have a pacemaker - axillary subpectoral pacemaker placement story

For anyone about to undergo pacemaker surgery and concerned about device protrusion, I'd encourage you to talk with your cardiologist about a subpactoral placement in the axillary (side of your armpit).  I'm an active, slender 45-year old woman and found out I needed a pacemaker after going through pre-op tests for open heart robotic surgery to repair my leaking mitral valve (turns out I had a 3rd degree heart block - yikes!).  After learning that I'd need a pacemaker, I...

Read More...

Dizziness

I'm new to this forum, and thank LondonAndy for telling me about it. 

On May 30, I got a St. Jude PM implanted. 

I've had some major issues with arrhythmia, still have bigeminy (and possibly PVCs again), and was taking Verapamil for a few weeks befor surgery. It made me dizzy, and my EP reduced the dose. 

My heart rate was around 50 normally, for the months before I got my PM. It was dipping into the 40s, then the 30s, and my EP decided that it was tim...

Read More...

New Member

Hey everyone.

52 years old and fit, and had an emergency pacemaker put in March 29th with less than 12 hours notice. Didn't have much time to research anythying.  I had been in the Philippines in december, came back through LA, ended up in hospital there with syncopse and vomiting and they think some kind of viral infection.  Was in for five days.  They released me and I drove back to Vancouver, BC about a week later, but kept having near fainting spells after I got b...

Read More...

New to the Club!!

I had my pacemaker installed yesterday and I was super anxious about it!! For some reason I thought it would be like a colonoscopy where I would be sedated in the pre-OP room and then wake up in recovery. Notsomuch!! I didn't even get any sedation until immediately before being injected w lidocaine. I am not good at these things and was literally freaking out. I was entirely too awake for the procedure, despite a total of 10 micrograms of fentanyl and 8mg verced. Guess my sympathetic nerv...

Read More...

Dental Surgery

My dentist wants to put me out for approx 30mins with a general anesthetic. 

Has anyone else done this after their PM?

Mine was implanted Jan 2020.

Read More...

Leads and arms above shoulder level

I'm tryin to behave. Really.

I understand the "no arms above the shoulder" rule for a month.

Would that apply to the arm not associated with the device? 

Reason I'm asking, I do a lot of cooking in the house and I need to be able to reach pots hanging from the ceiling

Thanks for you patience. - Mike

 

Read More...

You know you're wired when...

Bad hair days can be blamed on your device shorting out.

Member Quotes

I'm 43 and have had my pacemaker four weeks today. I'm looking forward to living another 50 years and this marvelous device inside me will help me do that.