Post pacemaker implant pain

[marvelman]

I had my 3 wire pacemaker installed in January 2019 after being admitted as an emergency with total heart block in the New Year. The procedure was ok but I am still feeling discomfort after 4 months and can’t sleep on my left side and still getting twinges of pain when I move my left arm. I’m getting plenty of support at the moment from my local community cardiac centre and am troubled with AF since the implant - don’t know why but the meds I’m on make me feel tired and don’t seem to be working too much well. Feeling a bit traumatised at the moment but positive things will get better in the future!

[IanMK]

I had mine fitted just under 2 weeks ago after 18 months of cardiac arrhythmia which had caused heart failure. You don’t say what meds you are on but you may be on ones to reduce your heart rate and blood pressure to reduce the load on your heart. These could give you the effects you are experiencing.

[bruceDavid]

the meds and slight trauma of being fitted with a device will take a while to learn.

good luck it takes time mate.

[presto816]

You say that you have a " 3 wire pacemaker". I have a CRT-P, is that to what you are also referring? Mine has three leads to the heart, which is why I ask.

Here's some information to share FYI about a CRT-P, in case that is what you have etc. 'CRT' means: cardiac resynchronisation therapy. With a CRT-P, with every breath that one takes - it fires to help the patient to speed up the electrical impulse across the heart.

This is very different from a conventional pacemaker that only kicks in when certain events happen (for example, that the heartbeat falls too low), so it can be months or beyond that it never kicks in.

My CRT-P was set by the specialist to a certain number of beats per minute. I am guessing perhaps yours was similarly set?

Without getting into my complicated medical history otherwise to compare with yours, regarding sleeping on your left side - I had my CRT-P implant done in May 2017, and to this day I am not truly comfortable sleeping on my left side. So I have learned to always sleep on my right side. Perhaps you could get used to this too? Maybe most people with such pacemakers need to sleep on the side opposite the device? I don't know the answer to that.

I would ask your cardiologist or the cardiologist electrophysiologist (the latter is the speciality of the cardiologist who did my implant, so I figure that's appropriate for you too??) about the pain in your left arm.

That sounds like it should be something that you should definitely bring up. (And for the record, I did not have any pain like that following my implant. I do not know if it is typical or not, however.)

[Billiewizz]

Hi . Had my CRTD, a biventricular pacemaker with a defibrillator , which sounds like yours, fitted last after a common virus attacked my heart muscle and had heart failure. Given 50/50 chance of living a year. I have recovered so well and exceeded all expectations. Am 64. I also found sleeping on left side not good and randomly felt heart beating in abdomen. Apparently the pacing part can cause the diaphragm to pace too - so you feel heart beating lower down and especially on left side. SO - when I went for 6 monthly calibration told them and they adjusted it. Great result. Hope you feel more comfortable soon.

[marvelman in reply to Billiewizz]

Thanks for the replies - I’m 67 years old and had a heart attack / 1 stent and a catheter ablation over 12 years ago - thought I was doing ok until total heart block in this new year and bi-ventricular pacemaker implant and resumption of permanent AF thereafter. Currently on 5mg Bisoprolol to try and bring my 80 bbm heart rate down and edoxaban 60mg. I reckon they will ramp up my Bisoprolol dose a bit more as my bbm is still too high - my pacemaker is set at 70 bbm. Now getting to sleep on my right side which is great and no more left arm pain. Still wanna know why my AF has returned - 6-8 month wait to see the consultant but the cardio community service here is very supportive! Hey ho / onwards and upwards ........