Pacemaker movement

[AZcowgirl1965]

I had a pacemaker put in November 2010. It was the most horrifying experience I have ever gone through as the lidocaine had absolutely no effect and versed does not work on me so I had full feeling of surgery from the initial incision to the creation of the pocket into my muscle and placement of the pacemaker. My heart rate and blood pressure had been dropping to critical levels. A BP of 60/40 at night and a heart rate in the low to mid thirties was commonplace.

Physically, I feel better but have had to change cardiologists as the one that did my surgery ignored the letter from my PCP stating that novacaine and lidocaine had no effect on me and that versed didn't work. My surgery took 90 minutes and I broke 2 restraints on the operating table. Afterwards, I had to be life-flighted out as I had developed a horrible staph infection around the pacemaker and then I began having heart attack symptoms, elevated blood pressure and was taking nitro as if they were m&m's. Thankfully, my pacemaker has been re-set by my new dr. and pacer tech but I have a lump where the pacemaker is protruding and is close to coming thru the skin. Also, on the left side of the pacemaker it is also sticking out and trying to come thru my skin. It also partially flips (about 1/3 of the way) over whenever I raise my left arm.

I am leery of returning to my dr to find out he will have to re-insert the pacer thanks to the last experience in the OR. I had no voice for about 10 days afrer the initial placement from screaming through the entire procedure. I trust my new dr. but am not looking forward to having this done again. I am still suffering from nightmares and insomnia from the last surgery and am terrified of having a similar experience. I do not understand after having a pocket cut into my muscle and all the prying to produce a pocket why the first dr barely managed to get the pacemaker under the skin and missed the pocket he created for it entirely. Other than re-placement, can anything be done to help with this issue? The scar keeps getting wider as the pressure from the pacemaker continues to push up through the skin. It appears to be a matter of days and it will finally tear through. This is NOT going to stay put. It is protruding to the point that it looks like I have a pair of tents instead of skin. The skin is stretched to its limit and gets thinner daily.

Has anyone else had this occur? I am a 45 year old mother of two working towards an RN degree and am not looking forward to taking off school to get this done but realize I will need to as soon as it breaks through the skin. How common is this complication? I am terrified of having a repeat surgical experience. I've only had pain like that one other time and it was with a lacerated liver and a punctured lung! It was 90 minutes of hell feeling every bit of the surgery, feeling like I was going to die from the pain and shock, and being tied down screaming for them to please stop until I literally lost my voice.

I appreciate any input. Thanks!

[ireneo]

That is so wrong. Definitely do NOT go back to that doctor. He should have stopped the procedure right at the beginning when you were obviously in such pain, not just whining. Explain to your new doctor exactly what happened. I wonder if they could redo the PM under general anesthesia?  More risk involved with that though. It sounds like it has to be redone; it's not staying put. If it tears through the skin, it will be more work for them to correct it not to mention the emergency factor.

[bbxx]

Oh boy. I just read  your story and had to tell you how sorry I was to hear what you have gone through. How terrible!