Once you have a surgery to insert the pacemaker, recovery could take a few days, to a few weeks or months. While some people heal fast, others can take longer.
It is normal to experience some discomfort as well as some pain and tenderness in your surgery area for some time. Take a look at the following points to understand how you can reduce your recovery time.
1. Going Home
Some patients are sent home the same day of the pacemaker surgery, but your doctor may like to keep you for a day or two in the hospital. This will help your medical team to monitor your health, in case something comes up that needs medical attention. However, someone will have to drive you home, as you will not be allowed to drive immediately.
2. Taking Care Of The Wound
Your doctor will give you precise instructions on how to take care of the wound area and how to keep it clean. Make sure that you do not wet the area till the doctor removes your stitches. Once your stitches are removed, wear clothes that will not rub against the skin around the wound area. Make sure that the wound is properly covered and is not exposed to sunlight, as it can darken the scar.
3. Using A Mobile Phone
While it is alright to use your mobile phone soon after the surgery, make sure you keep it away from the pacemaker. To be absolutely safe, place the phone on the opposite side from where you had the surgery, or use a headset.
4. Avoid MRI Scans
MRI scans use strong magnets and it is not at all advisable to go for it if you have a pacemaker surgery. While there are new pacemakers that are considered MRI safe, it is still a safer option to avoid it altogether.
5. Go For All Your Follow-Up Appointments
You will have to go for follow-up appointments for the rest of your life, so make sure you give importance to each appointment and do not miss any. Depending on how your body is reacting to the pacemaker and what type of pacemaker you have, your appointment could be somewhere around every 3 months to a year.
6. Initial Discomfort
Of course it is natural to have initial discomfort, especially at the site of your wound. To make sure that your wound heals well, your doctor will ask you to avoid moving your arm too much, till the leads in the implant are properly secured. In the course of the next appointments, your doctor will also tell you how much movement or lifting activities you can safely do, and when it will be safe for you to go back to your normal activities.
7. Take Rest
For the first 2 to 4 days after you are back home, make sure to take enough rest and avoid any activity, even though you may feel well. For the next 6 to 8 weeks, do not take part in any activity that can cause any type of stress or pressure around your wound area, or tire you out.
You recovery after the surgery will depend on how well you take care of yourself and your wound, and also on your overall health. Make sure you follow the above tips as well as all the information provided by your doctor.
