Had pacemaker surgery 3 weeks ago

Every day I learned something new from this group I had my pacemaker put in at the end of January. It is a Medtronic and it is monitored through my iPhone and to the office just today I found out that most of you are not feeling healed for a year no one told me that my doctors told me after two weeks go home And return to normal activity and I thought I was the unusual one because I was still having pain at the site this has been a great group. I still haven’t found a comfortable way to sleep, but I’ll keep trying.

@kb49
My EP is the Director of Jacksonville Mayo Clinic Electrophysiology. When I had my first surgery was told would take about a year for me to feel totally comfortable with the implant.

With any surgery there are precautions to take and time to heal. When you have a foreign device put in your body it takes quite a while for the device to be encapsulated. Until then will feel like a splinter. This comes from my EP and my experience.

I am not sure about your surgery but you have to be careful with a device in your body. I am not knowlegeable of your device but I assume you have wires going into heart. Those wires can be pulled loose if subjected to extreme body movements or impact to the sugery area.

What I would recommend if me is to go on Medtronic web site and look up information on your device, safety precaustions, surgery recovery.

It is not that you do not feel healed it is the device can be felt and for some uncomfortable if not seated. Mine was placed under my chest muscle so I have more movement than most when using chest and arm muscles.

What side was your device put on? If side sleeper try to sleep on opposite side. Back is okay but may spread chest and surgical site. Pay attention to arms and ensure they are not causing discomfort to your device location. I have had a device for almost 20 years and still use a soft pillow below my left arm to keep downward pressure of my device area.

My EP said takes about a year to device to totally encapsulate and should relief symptoms. But again if I am not careful with my arm movements and how I sleep can have discomfort from site. You will find ways to offset discomfort and what works for one may not work for you and vice versa.

It does get better. If not need to go back to your surgeon, EP, or cardiologist.

@brhendo
Just asked your surgeon or if you have a PACE Clinic asked them about restrictions on arm movements and electrical devices.

I don't know what kind of leads put in whether static or screwed in. Also most new ICD/Pacemakers are MRI compliant and much more protective from electrical devices and magnets.

My first ICD/Pacemaker my EP said go back and play tennis. My Pacemaker tech said no don't do that. She warned about tennis and fishing. Anything with drastic quick movements of arms. Well went back to playing tennis (was quite an avid player) and the first pacemaker check after surgery my left lead (that goes to LV) came out and was not working.

Had to have surgery to put the lead back directly on heart and remove the one that came out. So I quit playing tennis after that. I then picked up Sprint Triathlons. Some asked about swimming. I swim very smooth and restrict my left arm and have had no issues when Pace Clinic does check on wires and have been doing them since 2017.

You mentioned golf so just talk to your surgeon and pace clinic. My first LV lead was not put in the spot EP wanted to put it because of veins. The next time he put a new one in my LV he was able to get it where he wanted as Boston Scientific had newer thin wires making it much more easier to get wires in.

You can always go on web site for your manufacturer of your device. They may have information there but most likely will refer you to the surgeon who put it in.

I just had my first ICD implanted 4 weeks ago. Cardiologist said I could resume tennis after 4 weeks but I am waiting for 5 - September 1.
Last thing I want to do is dislodge a lead and have new surgery to replace it!
I love my tennis; it is my main physical activity and I would hate to give it up, as you did.
Do you think giving it a little extra time to heal will help?

@dianemari
I have both ICD and pacemaker device with leads for both. You posted you have a ICD only.

What came out of my heart was the lead to LV for pacing my heart. EP could not get in exactly where he wanted.

I am not a medical professional and no where close to the expertise of a EP surgeon. I learned from my DP there are different ways leads are put in. Some are static and some are screw in. The static (sit in vein not screwed in) ones can move around from activity. The screw in ones usually are much more capable of staying in place.

Ask your EP which type you have? Then asked about playing tennis with your hands and arms way above your head and drastic quick movements down. See if he/she thinks that is a problem for your specific surgery and leads.

I started playing tennis again and my next visit to pace clinic lead to LV was out. The pace clinic nurse said they see this all the time with tennnis and fishing they exaggerated movements of arms (jerking).

Again you may have got the screw in type and your leads if you have ICD ony have leads going into Atrials. My leads to my Atrials were screw in and they did not come out during tennis.

Asked your EP to explain what you got and make sure they know you are an avid tennis player like I was. If they are not tennis players they may not know how high and how hard you use your arms above your head espceially when serving.

I think you can see that I am still a tennis enthusiast. I played tennis for 50 years and loved the sport. It was then like you my main exercise and I did it because I loved the sport.