complication after Pacemaker insertion.

[Tay_CLK]

Hello everyone. I am new here. I had a AF couple of months ago out of no where. never had any cardiac problems before. After 8 days on the cardiac monitor, I was diagnosed with Tachy-Brady syndrom, and I ended up with dual chamber pacemaker. And I was discharged home following day. First two weeks following the pacemaker, I was in lot of discomfort and even struggled to get out from the bed. Third week, my ankle started to swelled up and my left arm and left upper body started to swelled up. I became very distressed and went to see my GP who referred me back to hospital. I had a chest X-Ray, which was normal. and blood tests, and ultrasound scan of my left arm to role out DVT. All the tests were normal and I was sent home. I had a pacemaker check at the follow up clinic and they said pacemaker is working as it should be, Since all this started the cardiology team put me on Apixaban and Bisoprolol. Since then, My GP has re-referred me back to hospital twice due to swelling and pain in my left sided of the body, and I was seen by the medical doctors who each time has informed the cardiology team, but they are not interested. It has been 5 weeks now since the swelling started in my left side of the upper body. and I get constant pain in my left arm, left sided of the breast and underarm. The pain is extreme at time to make me feel nauseous and dizzy, and I am struggling to make myself comfortable and even sleep at night. I am pretty sure this is not normal after 8 weeks of pacemaker insertion. Has anyone had this problem after pacemaker fitted? Any advice will be greatly appreciate.

[Tay_CLK]

Hello Jo.Thank you very much for your reply . I was rushed into A&E on the day I was diagnosed with AF. So actually nobody recommended me to the cardiology for pacemaker. But I have got a named consultant. Therefore I will contact his secretary today. Thank you for your advice. and I will join FB group for pacemaker. Thanks again. x

[Celtic]

My hubby had a pacemaker fitted 5 years ago as an emergency following a collapse in the early hours. It turned out to be total heart block. He has never had pain since that day but he does remember a bit of a problem occurring during insertion when the other person involved remarked that it was wired up round the wrong way! That was obviously immediately remedied but when the wound was checked the following day before discharge the nurse called for a second opinion who said it was ok, explaining that whoever did it had gone in twice! Interestingly, just last week, we arranged an urgent appointment with a cardiologist privately as the routine annual pacemaker check had shown up many episodes of Atrial Fibrillation and blood thinning meds are to be started but not until a planned hernia op has taken place in a couple of weeks. The interesting bit: the cardiologist asked to look at the site of the pacemaker insertion, said it was a bit rough and wanted to know who had performed the op - he wasn’t at all impressed! So, as you can see, things are not always right and your experience needs looking into urgently. The cardiologist we sa was an electrophysiologist who specialises in pacemakers, irregular heartbeats and the like. Look up cardiologists in your local hospital and if an alectrophysiologist is listed I recommend you make an appointment, privately if that is at all an option. Good luck!