pacemaker and sleep

[BlueTosca]

three weeks ago, I had a pacemaker fitted. For the last three or four days, I thought I was getting an infection. There seem to be a pain around the right hand side of the site of the Pacemaker. I went to the doctor yesterday and no sign of infection, but he agreed the site was tender and couldn’t understand why.

Suddenly I realised, that as the pain has decreased, I was again sleeping on my right side and not on my back. Much more normal for me. But I am not moving much in the night. (not normal for me.) I think the weight of the Pacemaker in one position for several hours has been digging into me.

Has anyone else experienced this or similar?

any advice would be greatly appreciated

[EmmJayTea]

I'm 8 weeks in with an ICD and have experienced a number of different sore areas. I'm very slim and don't have much padding around the device, so the lower left edge of it is easily caught by putting on t-shirts, washing and all manner of things. The wound is healing nicely with no infection, but it does get sore if I knock it accidentally or lie on my left side.

The most sore bit is under my collar bone where the wires go into my vein. It is very tender. Again, no infection, but the flesh is very tight - as it heals and nerves have regrown, this has become very sore.

Like you, I am sleeping on my back and trying not to move much in bed. This is generally helping, but sometimes you just HAVE to move 😆 and in the early weeks, this did make me sore the next day.

The main device pocket is definitely getting less sore with each passing week, so hang on in there.

[BlueTosca in reply to EmmJayTea]

Hi EmJayTea

I’m sorry you are sore too, but your message has really helped me. Every time I get sore I’ve been panicking that it’s an infection and I think I can calm down about that now.

here’s to our bodies, adapting and finding respite.

Best wishes

[Rosie1066]

Hi, yes I had a pacemaker in June and am still having some pain tenderness and discomfort but it is certainly improving as time goes on. I still am quite swollen around the incision but I had my six week checkup with the pacemaker clinic and they were quite happy with it. I think we just have to give it time.

[BlueTosca in reply to Rosie1066]

Thank you Rosie, that’s very reassuring. I got fooled by the ‘you can go home tomorrow’ but. I thought that meant you could go home tomorrow because you are fine and pain free. Ha!

[Rosie1066 in reply to BlueTosca]

Yes, from experience it does get better as time goes in. On the upside I’ve had no AF.

[BlueTosca in reply to Rosie1066]

I’m glad you know no longer have AF. I am still suffering angina type, even with the Pacemaker. I am in Edinburgh and there is a 13 week wait for an angiogram. While waiting for an angiogram, I was put on beta blockers, which pushed my heart rate down. Hence, the Pacemaker. I’m still waiting for the angiogram, but it has been brought forward slightly. I’m guessing that I have blocked arteries and will need stents or a bypass. I am praying for the former.

[Master-virus]

You get pains due to the fact muscles have been disturbed etc but it dose settle down.

I still get pains around the cut and around that area.

[BlueTosca in reply to Master-virus]

it’s really good to know that it settles down, but from the comments I’m realising that the discomfort may take a lot longer to settle down than the two weeks that I was told it would take.

[Master-virus in reply to BlueTosca]

They say that but it takes a while. He said it will hurt after and I said its fine. After it hurt like a soab.

Just noticed your reply sorry.

[Rhinos67]

Hi

Yes, I usually sleep on my left hand side and for a good 6 months I was unable to because it made the area around my pacemaker tender. It's settled down now after 17 months but still not 100% comfortable

Joanne

[BlueTosca in reply to Rhinos67]

17 months! Oh crap. I hope you get to 100% soon. Thank you for sharing. I am changing my attitude to not expecting the discomfort to be gone quite soon and that is really helpful.

[EMBoy]

Please don't worry. We all recover at different rates, and in time you won't even be aware that you have a pacemaker. For me, it was about 3 weeks before I was pain free, but it took about 3 months before I really started to feel the benefit of having a pacemaker. If you are really concerned, I'm sure your pacemaker team will be able to support you.

[BlueTosca in reply to EMBoy]

Thank you. It’s really good to know that you do become pain free.