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When does pain and muscle stiffness subside after pacemaker surgery
Pacemaker & ICDs | Last Active: Mar 25 5:49am | Replies (18)Comment receiving replies
@earther, I wanted to check in and see how you are doing? You mentioned trying to weigh the difficult decision of undergoing a procedure for a pacemaker vs. quality of life and the risks any procedure carries as we get older. This is often a difficult choice individuals face for other ailments like cancer treatment or significant bone breaks at an older age.
Now that a bit of time has passed since your post, I was hoping you could share with the community how you are currently doing and if there has been any change in your decision or symptoms?
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@JustinMcClanahan - It's kind of you to follow up, Justin.
I have AFib and bradycardia, so that presents a problem other than my concerns about quality of life. I have other serious heart conditions, too (I feel like a med school lab project), plus an implanted heart monitor. When I saw the Heart Rhythm MD for checkup, he said the monitor readings showed that I don't need or qualify (not sure which or why) for the pacemaker now but, as he has said since 2016, eventually will -- that was pre-AFib.
My cardiologist, who had never mentioned Watchman at all, told me that's what she thinks I should have when I asked her about it. Odd, when she hadn't mentioned it before. But both my primary care dr. and I disagree with that.
I had a very bad year -- a whole year -- after having general anesthesia twice in late 2024. I felt like a zombie, couldn't read even a whole chapter in a book (that and learning are my favorite things to do). I can read a bit now, thankfully, but I am not the person I was before. I'm "dumbed down," just not the same, and I hate it. So I'd probably rather be dead than risk that or worse happening.
I'm in a rural area with a hospital that has been close to losing Medicare accreditation and losing doctors, particularly specialists, for more than a year. I can't drive to see doctors elsewhere, and the cardiologist I had is now elsewhere. So I'm seeing the primary doc soon to discuss all of this -- and to try to get someone to explain more about Eliquis internal bleeding warning signs, because I had some recently, had 3 appts and 2 tests, spent about 10 days very concerned, then was told the Abnormal results of coagulation tests were normal. So why the tests? Why am I even on Eliquis and having great difficulty paying plus serious problems with ExpressScripts mismanagement of the Medicare Rx Payment Plan (MP3?).
TMI, I'm sure. Too tired to edit.
I envy any and all who are near enough to go to any Mayo Clinic.