When I had my double valve repair surgery nine weeks ago, my cardiac surgeon thought before going into the surgery that I would need heart valve replacement surgery on at least one of the valves, but since my heart problems had been caused by a lead extraction procedure while implanting a new pacemaker and leads, all the parts to the valves were still there; they just needed to be sewn back together and reinforced.
It is always better to repair instead of replace where possible for obvious reasons, not the least of which is your body just goes on about it's business and doesn't have to adjust to something foreign. Also, it you get an artificial valve, taking Coumadin will be a lifetime sentence. However, if you need heart valve replacement, thank God that it is a perfectly viable option.
To get back to my pacemaker complication problem, one of my pacemaker leads had fractured (picture an electrical cord that wears and frays), it needed to be extracted and a new one put implanted in it's place. The fractured pacemaker lead was leaking current into my pectoral muscle and causing it to jump like a bouncing ball. Believe me, my pectoral muscle hadn't had that much excitement in a long time.
Since the fractured pacemaker lead was being extracted anyway, my cardiologist decided to extract the other one and replace my existing pacemaker too. I thought this was fantastic, an overnight stay in the hospital, and I would have two new leads and a new pacemaker to boot. I'd be ready to rock and roll for another ten years or so.
Sadly, my tricuspid valve was severely damaged during the lead extraction procedure, so that's why I ended up with a full-blown open heart surgery.
To get back to my pacemaker complication, it seems that the new pacemaker has slipped out of its pocket or something. The posts and screws are now right under the skin, and get pinched during exercise, and also with any little friction of my bra strap which lays right over the pacer.
Right now, I'm going without a bra until I can show the Doctor what's happened.
This is my third pacemaker, and I know that something weird is happening since neither of my other pacers started migrating or slipping out of the pocket like this. I'm afraid that the screws and connection posts will just work their way through the skin pretty soon. I have an appointment with Dr. Blake, my cardiologist, soon and I'm anxious to hear what she recommends.
I'm just curious, have any of you had this problem?
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It is sad that you are having problems with the pacemaker.Actually it differs from one individual to another whether a particular one suits or not.All the best for the future treatments.And keep smiling whatever happens.
ReplyDeleteHeart valve disease is a condition where one or multiple valves in the heart do not function properly. In a healthy heart the valves open and close once during each heartbeat which ensures blood flows in the right direction. However, valves can fail to open properly (called stenosis) or close properly (called regurgitation) which can result in blood being stopped at inopportune moments or leaking. Valve Replacement Thailand
ReplyDeleteI have a pacemaker for bradycardia. I had a lead extraction in 2010 that went wrong resulting in Open heart procedure, I cannot tell you the pain my body is still in, How long is it until this starts to feel better, only got 7 years on this battery! So will I feel better before my next op comes around?... A tired 33yr old mum of 2!
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