pacing wires: anyone had pacing wires... - British Heart Fou...

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pacing wires

Lawnmower22 profile image
7 Replies

anyone had pacing wires poking up under the skin , I had one that came out completely and now I’ve got another one that’s poking up but that’s being taken out or cut short in a weeks time at the hospital . They can be quite painful at times when I’m working

Anyone else had the same issue

Oh for information I had a triple heart bypass and mitral valve operation done in dec 23

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Lawnmower22 profile image
Lawnmower22
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7 Replies
MountainGoat52 profile image
MountainGoat52

When I read your post I wondered whether you meant the wires they put in during OHS in case your heart has problems post op. Mine were taken out a couple of days after the op which makes me wonder whether there was there a complication in your case. The longer they are left in the more the wires embed themselves into your flesh, so under normal circumstances they remove them as soon as they are confident tht the wires won't be needed.

Hopefully you will be pain-free once the wire is removed.

Gerald

Sljp0000 profile image
Sljp0000

Where do you live Lawnmower22? In England they normally remove the pacing wires a day or two after surgery. The only wires left in are the sternal wires holding the breastbone together.I know in the USA they leave them in. I'm not sure why.

My sternal wires poke the skin and cause little sore spots but they're OK. I've been offered to have them removed but can't face theatre again unless absolutely necessary.

Hope you get your wires sorted. It sounds painful.

Take care.

Lawnmower22 profile image
Lawnmower22 in reply to Sljp0000

Hi Sljp0000 I’m in Manchester England they just cut off the wires on the out side and left them in , a few months ago the first one actually poked through the skin and I pulled it out which the doctor was very surprised about . But this one you can just see the tip of it poking up and hurts like hell when I move around at work

My sternum wires are fine which I believe are titanium staples rather than wire from what I’ve read on my report

Golf1985 profile image
Golf1985 in reply to Lawnmower22

Hi,I’m from Nottingham and having trouble with mine that was left in from surgery,did they try and get urs out,had to have a pet scan last week that I had to pay for to speed the process up,mine is showing inflammation on the wire and think causing my symptoms I’ve been in a mess for months,but the hospital local to be just discharged me,I’m waiting to hear from a surgeon if he can take it out,mint has retracted in and is curled up on my heart but we don’t know we’re the end is,wish mine was hanging out I would also pull it out myself to see if it helps me,there not good being left in the medical reports of these things migrating and causing trouble is plain to see and think my body is just reacting to a forign body in it but proving that is very hard.

Lawnmower22 profile image
Lawnmower22

hi I have four wires in one that came out the other one they are taking care of it next week either taking it out (which is my preference ) or just cutting a bit off it and let it coil back up in side the other two they say they won’t take out because they are connected to the aorta and would be very risky . If yours is coiled up round the heart it sounds like it could be a risky procedure mine is just poking the skin above my stomach

Surely if you explain to your doctor it’s causing you issues and they can see it on the scans they should do something about it

Golf1985 profile image
Golf1985 in reply to Lawnmower22

They understand nothing about wires I’ve been to hospital so many times and having issues but they won’t acknowledge it’s the wire even now I’ve had the pet scan that is showing inflammation because I have no temperature they won’t even transfer me to a hospital with a surgical team,it’s complete neglect it really is,as I went abroad I have no surgeon or team to contact who I was under so I’ve had to find one privately who acknowledged it and will do it either to wait for nhs or pay private it’s shocking really

DodgyTickerMum profile image
DodgyTickerMum

Hiya LM22,

I can’t believe you pulled your own wire out! 😮 Braver than me! I had mine taken - (yanked) out by one of the Nurses before I left I.C.U on day 4…😬 She removed the 2 drains first - which were eye watering enough, so naively I thought the pacing wires would be much easier. Oh my gosh! The tears were rolling down my face by the time she’d finished. She kept saying ‘I’m so sorry…’ Not as sorry as me! 😳 Maybe I’m just a wimp or possibly just had enough at that point - but if I were you, I’d definitely request some form of anaesthesia, together with pain relief. Preferably knocked out cold if my experience is anything to go by!

Hope you get on ok. Keep us posted. ❤️‍🩹

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