morgan617 Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I have talked to someone with a long term pacer (and appreciate her input! ) but was wondering about others.I had my pacer put in last September, it barely ever bothered me, except the scar got big and ugly and was sensitive. I also am very sensitive to ventricular spikes and interrogations.A couple months ago, I sort of fell, you know how it is.....well, my shoulder and the pacer site and around the site has been very sore ever since. I called and they ordered an x ray and an interrogation two days later, but they have never read the x ray as far as I know. (I got a letter about ten days after the order, asking why I hadn't followed through, that's how I found out no one bothered to look at it) The interrogation was okay.But now the pacer slides all over the place in my shoulder ( I am very small and they had a hard time getting it to fit) I could actually flip it over if I wanted to. I know they sewed the leads down so they wouldn't wander, but am thinking I tore the sutures out. You can feel the leads coming out of the pacer and they are about a 2/3 turn from where they were initially. It moves so much, it seems to pinch my shoulder at night, if I lie on my left side, and then I wake up with a numb arm.I was just wondering if anyone else had wandering leads even if still attached inside the heart, and a pacer that never seems to stay in one spot. If I use my left arm, all the muscles around the pacer site hurt.I have an appt on Monday with the cardio and have the feeling he's going to say no one told him I was having problems, but before I go, I was wondering about other people's experiences with this. It's a bit annoying that it is sorer now than it was when I got it! Thanks for any input! justawonderinmorgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Tired Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Mine has been in since February of 2003. I haven't had a problem with it wandering around - but then, I am not so small. My scar got really big and ugly too - and it still is, and the site is still very sensitive. It really does sound like you tore something lose in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJVDK Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 My pacer was placed in 2004 and I still have a nasty scare too. Now the one thing I rember my doctor that the pacer should not move around in your chest. I would see is you could get seen as you don't want to pull on the leads in your chest. Do you have 2 leads? I how everything is ok with your pacer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldicedance Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I have had my pacer (or one or two) since 1996. At first, there was a problem with the leads moving so that necessitated going in and repositioning the leads and the pacer. But, that happened within the first week.I think the pacer itself should be pretty stationary. Right now, mine is in my abdomen. When it was in my chest, it felt sometimes that the pacer could possibly be flipped over if I played with it enough. I tried not to touch it.As for scars, I think alot of that depends on your body itself. Some people heal with nasty scars; others not. At this point, given scars for a mediport, removal of lymph nodes, 3 pacer inserts, and 1 complete pacer removal I feel like a zipper or velcro would have been a better closure.Be interested to hear what the doctor says.Lois Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Thanks for your input. I have never been a pretty scar person, always get keloids. It was more the wandering I was concerned about. I know the leads get pretty entenched, but I would still think there's a possibility of jerking them out, if the pacer itself gets shoved all over the place. I will let you know what he says...(besides..no one told me you were having problems ) morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Hi Morgan,sorry to hear your pacer is causing you concern.I have quite an ugly, sensitive scar from where I had my Reveal device inserted. It has settled and got less sensitive as time has passed. You can get special "scar reduction" gel patches to put on that are supposed to flatten and fade hypertrophic or keloid scars. If the sensitivity is bothering you it might be worth asking your doctor about them.I think that you are really more concerned about the actual pacer than the scar though?The tips of the pacing wires gradually develop scar tissue arround them where they are in contact with the heart muscle. If your interogation was ok and you are aware of paced beats then it is unlikely that you have displaced the leads inside the heart. However it does sound like you might have disrupted the pocket that they put the pacing box in. Please don't fiddle with the box - it may well be able to flip over but that could pull on the pacing wires. They usually leave a loop of slack wire coiled behind the pacing box but there have been case reports of people twiddling their pacers and needing to have them replaced.Hopefully your cardio will be able to advise you when you see him/her. Perhaps the box can be sutured again without needing to replace anything?Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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