Sedation for pacemaker battery change

[possum]

I had my first battery change on Friday and wasn't offered any sedation. The procedure was a really brutal experience - my chest/body was actually moving on the table when the cardiologist was extracting the battery from the pocket. I wasn't even told before he started to either. Is this usual now? It was a totally different experience than the hospital where I had it originally implanted.Anybody else experienced such a traumatic experience? I'm not a wimp & didn't cry the first time but did on Friday both during it and afterwards.

[PinkKizzie]

Hi possum, sorry to read it was a traumatic experience. I too had a traumatic experience albeit a bit different from yours. I was given light sedation. An attempted implant didn't go to plan when the third lead pierced my heart and emergency OHS was performed to repair the hole. I've decided not to try again for an implant and I now take medication only. I feel well and keep active. Wishing you well. Take care.

[10gingercats]

I learned about sedation the hard way .Never again. I always ask at the time and even ask before time for sedation. a gynaecological investigation was so awful it had to be stopped so when I had a hole in my heart closed I requested morphine during the procedure being done under sedation .The morphine came fast enough when I started to yell!

[RaquelSpain]

I had a battery change five years ago and it was totally different to what you say.

I was given mild sedation, I had a nurse sit by my head and hold my hand. She told me everything that was going on, what I would feel etc.

There was then a problem as something was not right and the pacemaker was not working. Rushed back down. Given more sedation as I was shaking, I was frightened. The same nurse sat with me and again told me everything.

I was really well taken care of and treated like a person not just a body.

[Scotsman53]

I had an ILR taken out at the same time my pacemaker was implanted but I was sedated, actually asleep for some of the time, and I'm glad about that! It was quite a struggle to get the ILR out, I imagine similar to your case, and it would have been a nightmare without the sedation so I sympathise!

[AspiringVet]

I had similar a similar experience to Scotsman53 having an ILR explanted. Wasn’t sedated at all and found it to be a really brutal, hands on procedure as it had become quite embedded. I was very upset during and after as it was a bit shocking to feel so man-handled by a doctor! I also learned my lesson and would ask for sedation for any future procedures. The ILR is quite small so I imagine what you experienced was even more invasive. Possibly worth writing a letter to outline your experience and how you felt about it? At the time I felt my doctor was in a hurry and had become complacent, so didn’t bother to offer me sedation but he was certainly sure to offer it to the lady who came after me!

[Carriefarm]

I think this is unacceptable and you should make a formal complaint. I worked in theatre when patients were having pacemakers inserted or batteries changed and the patients were always sedated. They should have discussed this with you - maybe there was a reason they didn’t sedate you but you should have been informed. BW

[polenta]

I have never heard of NO SEDATION for that procedure but I am in the US and they use light sedation here. [same as they use for a colonoscopy]. I just had a battery change this past November, dont think I would of liked it with no sedation.

[Qualipop]

I think that's shocking. You should have at least been offered a choice. I would certainly make a complaint.

[Rhinos67]

I wasn't given sedation when I had my pacemaker fitted 2 years ago. I'd been nil by mouth all day waiting for the surgery and by the time they did it at 4pm my BP was too low to sedate me. It wasn't a pleasant experience at all, I was more traumatised my that than my OHS 2 weeks earlier

[readyabout]

Hi Possum, I had a bad experience when my pacemaker was fitted March this year, for some reason I was not given sedation, and I do not think the local anaesthetic worked! I did shout at the time, but sorry was the only response (on a number of times). When battery is due for replacement, I shall remind the Cardio team of what happened and insist on the full stuff. I did complain to my Consultant Cardiologist, and hope the message got thro', on reflection a week later, I decided that was one of the worst experiences of my life, and told them so

[nextadventure]

Very sad for you. These traumas can be truly horrific. Although I was a doctor myself at the time and have had open heart aortic valve replacement twice, the worst trauma I've had was (8!) failed attempts doing a lumbar puncture on me, in an open ward where there were other patients with dementia during the worst of the Covid crisis. I felt like I had PTSD for some weeks afterward. Similarly, my husband, also a doctor and who has also had heart surgery, had his worst experience when he had a shoulder hydrodilation. These procedures are very painful and warrant sedation, pain relief etc., but somehow because the proceduralists haven't experienced them themselves, and/or there is extra cost to having the sedation/anaesthetist, and/or patients think they are the only ones who find it so painful, this is often not done. Fight for your right to adequate pain relief and sedation!! You are not a wimp!!!

[possum in reply to nextadventure]

Thank you so much for your reply.