Getting a pacemaker implanted is a life-changing (and life-saving!) experience. That’s because arrhythmia and other heart rhythm issues that once diminished the quality and length of life are now treatable and manageable thanks to high-tech pacing devices.
Fully living with a pacemaker means getting off to the right start. That’s why the first few weeks after pacemaker implantation are crucial for your healing and adjustment. We’ll walk you through the recovery timeline so you can know what to expect, what to watch for, and how to best care for yourself so you can focus on feeling better and embracing your pacemaker-powered life!
Right After Surgery
Pacemaker implantation can be performed as an outpatient procedure. However, it is most common to spend 24 hours (overnight) in the hospital for observation to ensure the pacemaker is performing properly and you are responding well. Part of this includes watching your initial physical response while you’re in the recovery room. Your incision site may be quite sore, so you’ll receive pain medication through an IV. You should be able to eat and drink by that evening.
The next day, your medical team will check to make sure your pacemaker is performing properly. This can include an X-ray to check pacemaker and lead placement, an electrocardiogram to read your heart rhythm, and a programming check of your device to ensure it is working properly. Most current pacemakers are capable of communicating and sending data remotely, and you may get instructions on how to set up monitoring on your smartphone or a transmitter you will plug in at home.
If everything is working correctly, you’ll be discharged with instructions for medication and incision care.
The First 24 to 72 Hours After Surgery
In the first days after your implantation procedure, you’re going to feel it. After all, you just had surgery! Here’s what to know for the first 24 to 72 hours after your pacemaker is implanted.
Incision Care
Your doctor will give you instructions on incision care. Below the dressing you may find Steri-Strips which help hold your incision together. These will start to peel off after several days as you begin to wash your body. Stitches holding the wound together will dissolve over time and won’t need to be removed. You’ll want to keep your pacemaker incision area clean and dry, so don’t put any powder, lotion, rubbing alcohol, or antiseptic solutions on the incision. Wearing loose-fitting tops (and no bra) will be the most comfortable.
You’ll want to monitor your incision until the skin edges are fully healed, which should be four to six weeks. If the skin around the incision becomes warm, red or swollen or the incision has drainage, it may have become infected. Contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Medications
You should be able to resume any prescription medications within 24 hours. If you’re on blood thinners, your doctor may have special instructions or precautions. You should have received a prescription for pain medication from your doctor. If not or you don’t feel comfortable taking prescription pain medications, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Acetaminophen (or Tylenol) is generally considered a safer over-the-counter pain reliever for people with heart conditions.
Eating
You should be able to resume your regular diet within 24 hours. You should have no dietary restrictions, unless you’re already on a restricted diet. If your stomach still feels a little queasy, this is most likely from the anesthesia used for the procedure and not because of the pacemaker. Eat bland, low-fat foods like toast, plain rice, broiled chicken, and yogurt until you’re feeling better.
Washing
You can take a bath or shower after 48 hours of your procedure unless instructed otherwise by your provider. However, you need to keep the incision site mostly dry for the first week (five to seven days). This can create quite a predicament. Covering your incision site and dressing with plastic wrap or a plastic bag can help you keep the area dry. Then, gently pat the surrounding area once you remove the plastic.
Sleeping
Like with any surgery, you may find it hard to get comfortable and sleep right after your pacemaker implantation. It’s best to avoid sleeping on the side where the pacemaker was implanted (typically the left side) immediately following your surgery. Sleeping on your back or on your opposite side is usually more comfortable until your incision heals.
Four to Six Weeks After Surgery
Your pacemaker incision site should be fully healed within four to six weeks. Depending what type of work you do, how active you are, and how you feel (and heal), you should be able to return to your daily routine after several days and essentially all everyday activities within a few weeks.
Clothing Comfort
You should be able to return to your regular wardrobe by this time. However, you may find that your bra is causing discomfort over or around your pacemaker implantation site. Changing your bra style in these weeks after your surgery (like to a sports bra or strapless bra) can keep you comfortable as you heal. You may also consider getting a strap pad that you can easily attach to your bra strap for extra cushioning. If the act of simply putting on your bra is causing discomfort, you may want to go braless and opt for a camisole or undershirt instead.
Driving
You should be able to drive yourself a week after the procedure. However, you may find that the seat belt crossing over your left shoulder and chest bothers your incision site. You can buy a padded seat belt cover for your car to give yourself some extra cushion and comfort, or you can DIY one using a folded towel or small blanket placed between your pacemaker incision site and the seat belt.
Reaching, Lifting and Carrying
You’ll want to avoid heavy lifting (over 10 pounds) and limit upper arm movements (raising, reaching, lifting) on the side of your pacemaker (typically the left side) for up to four to six weeks after your procedure. This means simple, day-to-day actions like reaching up to place something on or off a shelf, hanging up clothes, zipping up your dress, carrying a bag of groceries, raking leaves, throwing a backpack or purse over your left shoulder, or even picking up your baby or pet should be avoided or done with caution. Use your right arm when you’re able, opt for wheeled backpacks and grocery baskets, and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance.
Physical Activity and Exercise
As part of your recovery, you’ll have doctor-instructed exercises, like daily shoulder rolls to help prevent stiffness. Doing these exercises for the first six to eight weeks as you’re healing after your surgery is important for avoiding long term discomfort. You can start to ease back into physical activity with low-intensity exercises like walking or slow biking. Avoid any activities or exercises with upper body movements or that put pressure on your arms and chest.
Before jumping back into an exercise routine or contact sports, be sure to consult with your doctor. They can give you a timeline for when you’re ready for more intense physical activity and may have specific guidelines for exercising with a pacemaker or personalized recommendations based on your health and type of device.
Support for Your Pacemaker-Powered Life
Once implanted and the surgical site is healed, a pacemaker should not diminish your day-to-day or physical activities. In fact, you may find it’s quite the opposite as your pacemaker works to regulate your heart’s rhythm.
As a pacemaker recipient, you’re a member of a special club—and there’s an actual Pacemaker Club here for you! This online community is where people living with cardiovascular devices can connect, share information, and support one another. As part of the ForHearts mission to provide life-saving cardiovascular devices to people in need around the world, we are excited to partner with the Pacemaker Club.
Won’t you partner with us in our work to provide life-saving pacemakers? Explore our donation opportunities.
How long after having a pacemaker fitted will it be before I feel any benefit. Will it be straight away, a few days or even weeks.
Night before surgery , feeling kinda nervous
I felt it helping my heart beat immediately were I would drop to 66 beats per minute with the pacer I can’t go below 60 it feels refreshing
I just had pacemaker surgery. I’m assuming it’s normal the my neck muscles and shoulder area and around the incision feel sore and tender still? How long does that last it’s only been 48hrs for me.
My shoulder and neck were very sore for a week. I still have some soreness right under the shoulder blade. My neck is not in pain. My surgery was on February 25. Make sure that you are icing several times a day.
Yes- I have 2 ice packs that I alternate. Helps a lot.
I had my pacemaker implanted one week ago. Soreness was mush less after several days and overall felt better within 48 hours. My pacemaker is to slow down my heart rate. Due to persistent Afib my rate was constantly in the 115-125 BPMs. I’ve had 3 ablations and a half dozen cardioversions, none of which lasted more than about a year. It was exhausting and frustrating. The pacemaker is set at 90 BPM now and in a week it will get set at 80 BPM. After a couple more weeks it will be set to a normal rate, 60-65 BPM. Can’t wait.
What about emotional trauma? I was in excellent health when heart failure came out of nowhere. Never been in surgery or on medication so this was a shock when I was rushed into surgery to save my life. I have always been a happy positive person. Now I find myself dwelling on death and fighting fear. Has anyone else felt like this?
Yes, Karina I had similar experience. I felt the world closing in on me and I fell to the floor. I was wearing a Holter monitor and got a call that my heart had stopped for several seconds. I have occasional afib. They showed me the EKG; it had a long a flat line. I’ll have a pacemaker operation soon, but it changed my outlook on life. The fear was causing afib, which is what can lead to brief heart stoppage. A vicious circle for me.
What I did was replace fear with an effort to do something about it. I found that meditation helped. Sit and relax, close your eyes; a few occasional deep breaths and most important, don’t think about the future or past. There are more meditation hints on the web. It lowers my pulse rate, and helps with the afib. My fear is diminishing with time as I become inured to it.
Exactly the same thing happened to me. One day I was fine the next I was in hospital awaiting a pacemaker. I’m not sure when you had yours fitted. I did feel like you in the early days. I had mine fitted 5 weeks ago. I’m still a bit worried but I feel better about it than I did.
Yes, me! I was just as you described. Now, i’m trying to live with my “New Normal!” I don’t know if you are a spiritual person or not but, the God I serve, will not let Satin do anything He has not approved of. Good luck!
It’s been 5 days and I am still waiting for my energy to get better. My HB was 37 ,now 80 to 90.
I feel foggy head, some dizziness and headache. Will that resolve Its 1 week post insertion
Your feelings are understandable, Karina. What you experienced was life threatening and your mortality moved front and center. Focus now on a return to the best health and a longer life because the problem was discovered and fixed. Relation exercises as in what I call “Navy SEAL” breathing techniques will help. Maybe reflect on a special occasion or trip that still brings a smile to your face. If you’re a person of faith, hold on to the fact God has a plan for you and your future and the pacemaker surgery is part of that plan. I wish you well.
Mistyped in my original post – should say RELAXATION exercises.
Hello I am now around 4 weeks post opp for new valve in my heart and pacemaker placement I was just discharged from the hospital finally yesterday, however, I seem to have already done something to cause a serious shift in how I feel Post leaving the hospital…. Nobody really told me that the pacemaker side of your body had rules except that after i
Left I rly needed to avoid lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk ….. Ok so yesterday I go to goodwill and in the midst of looking through things I pick up. Put down, lift back up after riffling through what I put down, and putting back something to the tune of Maybe 30 lbs. I didn’t think anything of it in the moment I felt like I managed and didn’t hurt at all …. It’s been about 10 or so hours since that now and I have also cleaned my entire condo with a handheld vacuum that weighs maybe 8 lbs or so…. I live in a one bed one bath condo and when I got back I just couldn’t stand to lay in the filth without doing something about it so I cleaned ….. At this moment its been maybe 3 hours since that….. I feel the sight where my pacemaker is and it’s completely numb and thats never been the case at all ….. Sitting position to a standing position is slowly getting more painful by the hour I feel and I’m tiring quick granted after spending 8 weeks straight in the hospital getting this surgery the pacemaker and 6 weeks of antibiotics for endocarditis infection that led me to needing the new valve in the first place , I honestly have been up for about 40 hours at this point I just couldn’t sleep and the excitement of being out and able to see the world again went to my head in the worst way ….. Should I be worried or go to the hospital again for this sudden numbness at the site of the pacemaker ? And the chest thing I mean could I potentially have rly damaged something that hadn’t fully healed yet with that 30 lbs and activity I didn’t know i couldn’t do? I’m especially referring to lifting my arm on the pacemaker side higher then my heart that one no nurse or doctor told me I couldn’t do …… Any answers as fast as possible would be super great thank you.
Dear Ivan Alvarez, I just read your long letter. I had a pacemaker implanted on July 16th and today is July 27. I am not qualified to give you medical advice, but I will say this: You have stated many things that I have concern about. Please, get to your doctor immediately. I was given written material about specific things I could not do and could do following my procedure. I am following them exactly as they are stated. You must learn to focus completely on the procedures you have had done. Decide to get clear instructions as to how and what you may do to treat your pacemaker properly. Either you were not given sufficient aftercare instructions OR you have not paid attention to what you were given. Additionally, you had another heart procedure that apparently required you to stay in the hospital for several weeks. Get serious about your health. Get checked to see if you’ve done damage to your heart. Learn how to treat yourself after a two-month stay in the hospital. REST…REST…REST! DRINK THAT WATER! Stay away from ANY heavy lifting to avoid tearing out lines in the implant. Keep in close contact with your doctor. I trust that with your procedure on May 28th, you surely by now have seen your doctor and are on a better path. ASK QUESTIONS AND BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE. I WISH YOU WELL AND I WILL PRAY FOR YOU. GOD BLESS. Martha H.
From the beginning my muscles of left arm and side were so sore. It hurt to barely move. It has been a week and muscles are better but site is very tender and sore. Just to barely touch my blouse feels like terrible sunburn. I am running a low grade fever. This has been more difficult than I expected. Heart rate is also running to fast. Last night in bed it ran 93-100!
I just received a pacemaker. If the pulse rate needs to be adjusted how is that done? Used to pulse of 42 now in 80’s and it seems too high and not able to sleep easily.
I had my pacemaker put in July 5/25. For 3 weeks I had a terrible burning sensation at the operation site. Found an ice pack relieved the pain. Now that it is over, and the swelling g down, my bump is quite noticeable.
I am very tired most of the time. Doing anything physical, exhausts me, and have to sit down.
Did the doctor say this is normal? I would figure it would be better?
Had my pacemaker put in a year and a half ago. I notice that when I lay on left side, I feel it is at an angle Now what. Told dr. says don’t mess with it cause I have lost weight.
I just had a pacemaker put in June 28th 2025. How does it feel if maybe you could have dislodged the wires. I did some work at home that had not been done for awhile. I know I should have been more careful. I feel ok, but the back of my shoulder and a few surrounding places are a little more sore. How can I tell if maybe I had dislodged some wiresa little.? Thank you for any replies.
I had a pacemaker implanted the 17th of Sept. It has been 2 days. I am sore. Also on my left side in the back area I feel like I have muscle spasms. But I can lean back in a recliner, or lay in my adjustable bed, and they go away. . I feel like I am better. My heart rate was running 100 to 130’s. Now in upper 70’s to lower 80’s. The lower part of my heart was running slow, and the upper was high. My pacemaker also has a lead to the top of the heart. The Dr. said it was a dual action type pacemaker. Anyway hoping that it all straightens out to the best it can be. I don’t worry about it, as I have strong faith in God. He has brought me through so much these past 2 years. HE IS the way the truth and the Life. Praying for all who are making this journey with me. May God bless and keep each of you.
The area where the pacemaker was placed is not flat but raised. And I can feel the hard pacemaker under the skin. Will in time the raised area go flat like the rest of my chest?
No, the area will not decrease in size. I just had my original (two lead) pacemaker replaced with a three-lead one. Now I’m in better timing. But other areas of concern are being addressed. Not a problem. Life has become a little slower and I’m beginning to remember the original pacemaker had done so well that I hardly noticed it there. That too will happen with this new pacemaker, eventually. But for now, slow and steady is my new “norm”. The bump? You will get used to it. be thankful you are still alive. I am. I sleep better and am more alert during the day. At 72 I hope to be around when they replace the batteries in 7 years.
my heart beat went as low as 16 per minute i was very lucky that day i had my pacemaker fitted straight away i felt better as if a load had been taken from me not only going to save my life its in the mind as well just have to do everything they say now to get fully back to a 100%and feel like i did before my heart started to slow down
Yes I’m recovering from pacemaker surgery.I’m into my 6th week. However I shave a bit of itching around the incision?. Is the normal.My Dr. Told me to clean with hydrogen peroxide?
when will the swelling go away
Short of breath now 6 days after pacemaker. Nurse said it was common.
How long will it go on?
Is it common!