Getting a Pacemaker next week....questions, experiences?

[mountainsoft]

I’ve had a pacemaker for 13 years (mine was replaced due to battery life about a year ago). There were no problems or pain during the implant procedures and recovery was very fast.

How did the replacement surgery compare to the original implant surgery? My wife's doc said it's generally faster and easier since they don't need to replace the leads. Pain, additional scarring

She has had hers six years already and her doc said she still has about 8 years left on her battery.

 

[mf15]

Got one Thursday. Sinus node good,total AV block. Fun Fun Fun.
Oldmike

 

[calmloki]

I also have a home monitor which is read remotely, but still have cardiology visits to have it read and adjust settings once or twice per year. A big advantage with the home monitor is that if I have an "event" or things don't feel right I can send data from the machine to the cardio center and they can call me to come in or not, depending on the readings. Better than camping out in an ER to be told "Nah, you're good" after some extended time period.

Very little scarring on first or second AICD.

 

[Murf2]

Mine uses a phone app & wifi. No more monitor in the room. They read every three months unless it reports an event. I can view the results on the hospital app. Very handy. I only go in once a year unless there is an issue.

 

[aja8888]

More people have these here than I thought! I don't feel so alone now!

 

[street]

I wish you well and a fast easy recovery.

 

[aja8888]

I wish you well and a fast easy recovery.

Thanks!

 

[Luvtoride]

How did the replacement surgery compare to the original implant surgery? My wife's doc said it's generally faster and easier since they don't need to replace the leads. Pain, additional scarring

She has had hers six years already and her doc said she still has about 8 years left on her battery.

True, faster and less pain due to using the leads already in the heart. My new one has an app that monitors all settings and battery life (reads 13 years now) so there is No need to send readings to my doctor as they can access the info periodically as required.

 

[ls99]

After the nicking, you'll keep on ticking.

 

[aja8888]

The Pacemaker was put in last Thursday morning as an outpatient. I was home by 10:00 am in my recliner. I am restricted for driving (10 days?), showering (damn), moving my left arm certain ways and sleeping with an arm sling. This is worse than my when I had my hip replacement.

I am doing well and my resting pulse is 60 BPM vs, in the 30's. I don't feel any different and I am getting over the restrictions and have gotten around a few.

It's a Medtronics unit and I have the monitoring software on installed on my iPhone.

 

[street]

The Pacemaker was put in last Thursday morning as an outpatient. I was home by 10:00 am in my recliner. I am restricted for driving (10 days?), showering (damn), moving my left arm certain ways and sleeping with an arm sling. This is worse than my when I had my hip replacement.

I am doing well and my resting pulse is 60 BPM vs, in the 30's. I don't feel any different and I am getting over the restrictions and have gotten around a few.

It's a Medtronics unit I have the monitoring software on installed on my iPhone.

Glad all went well and the inconveniences will be well worth it. I know that is easy for me to say that but hang in there better days ahead of you.

 

[aja8888]

Glad all went well and the inconveniences will be well worth it. I know that is easy for me to say that but hang in there better days ahead of you.

Thanks, and I ditched the arm sling for night use and resumed driving. This is a one person house and I need to go places. Also, I just cover the bandage with a poly sheet made for keeping wounds dry in the shower. All is good and I feel pretty good now.

 

[street]

Thanks, and I ditched the arm sling for night use and resumed driving. This is a one person house and I need to go places. Also, I just cover the bandage with a poly sheet made for keeping wounds dry in the shower. All is good and I feel pretty good now.

That is awesome!!!!

 

[aja8888]

Here's a shot of when I got the pacemaker put in and my heart rate changed:

 

[cmc333]

If wearing your seatbelt over the pacer, Amazon has some nice velcro pads to fit over the seatbelt that makes the rubbing softer. Just be glad you don't wear a bra!

Glad you're doing good. I had my follow up visit and all is good. Mine is monitored by my phone also. Still sore under my arm area. Hope you're not feeling many aches and pains.

 

[aja8888]

If wearing your seatbelt over the pacer, Amazon has some nice velcro pads to fit over the seatbelt that makes the rubbing softer. Just be glad you don't wear a bra!

Glad you're doing good. I had my follow up visit and all is good. Mine is monitored by my phone also. Still sore under my arm area. Hope you're not feeling many aches and pains.

No I feel pretty good, thanks! There is some pain under my arm, but not like the first week. Thanks for the tip on the seat belt pads as I have noticed I don't care for the belt pushing on the pacemaker.

 

[aja8888]

I know it's early in the process (3 weeks in), but I am mentally and physically conscious of the pacemaker lump in my chest and it's annoying. Maybe over time I won't notice it or maybe there is more healing to be done. My arm pain is all but gone, but I am still restricted in some movements and lifting more than a few pounds. Otherwise, I am still on this side of the grass so all is good.

 

[Car-Guy]

I know it's early in the process (3 weeks in), but I am mentally and physically conscious of the pacemaker lump in my chest and it's annoying. Maybe over time I won't notice it or maybe there is more healing to be done. My arm pain is all but gone, but I am still restricted in some movements and lifting more than a few pounds. Otherwise, I am still on this side of the grass so all is good.

The top side of green grass is very good.

 

[KCGeezer]

Honestly I’d give it three months or so before you really forget about it. I still catch mine every once in a while carrying a ladder or large box. It’ll get better.

 

[aja8888]

Honestly I’d give it three months or so before you really forget about it. I still catch mine every once in a while carrying a ladder or large box. It’ll get better.

Thanks, I'm glad to hear that. Seems strange having a lump in your chest though.

 

[cmc333]

I know it's early in the process (3 weeks in), but I am mentally and physically conscious of the pacemaker lump in my chest and it's annoying. Maybe over time I won't notice it or maybe there is more healing to be done. My arm pain is all but gone, but I am still restricted in some movements and lifting more than a few pounds. Otherwise, I am still on this side of the grass so all is good.

I'm one week ahead of you, but I feel my pacemaker all the time. Still when I bend over, it feels like it's going to fall out of my chest. I have a CRT-D, which has 3 leads, and makes it the largest one to have implanted. And I too can feel the stretching when I move my left arm to do something and cannot lift as much as I thought I would be able to at this point.

I talked with an older gentleman who has had a pacer for years and he said that it took him two months till he didn't even notice the pacer in there. So we still have some time to go to feel normal. What bothers me the most is how big the lump is on my chest. I've been wearing t-shirts and you can still see the lump even then.

So I guess give it more time and hopefully we will one day just forget it's there.

 

[aja8888]

I'm one week ahead of you, but I feel my pacemaker all the time. Still when I bend over, it feels like it's going to fall out of my chest. I have a CRT-D, which has 3 leads, and makes it the largest one to have implanted. And I too can feel the stretching when I move my left arm to do something and cannot lift as much as I thought I would be able to at this point.

I talked with an older gentleman who has had a pacer for years and he said that it took him two months till he didn't even notice the pacer in there. So we still have some time to go to feel normal. What bothers me the most is how big the lump is on my chest. I've been wearing t-shirts and you can still see the lump even then.

So I guess give it more time and hopefully we will one day just forget it's there.

Yes, I guess that is all we can do is wait it out. I have the two wire unit to keep my resting BPM at 60 vs the low 40's (and lower sometimes).

 

[calmloki]

Consider the alternative to not having that bit of hardware... after over a decade I still bang into it with a bar of soap, have concern if horsing around some large heavy thing that could bump or drag on it, notice it when a T-shirt is over my scrawny chest....But BFD. Still ticking, vanity vanity, I'm a lucky man. That said, when I got my unit changed after the battery wore down, I did ask the surgeon if he could cut the pocket a bit to shift the unit to what I imagined would be a little better spot. He may have done so, or not. Life goes on.

 

[MC Rider]

Life goes on.

That's why you get a pacemaker.