Question
I had a pacemaker inserted a year ago. It keeps dropping down and looks like the wires are about to pop out. I've asked my cardiologist about it several times and he said it's fine and should not drop anymore. I exercise 5x/week. Is that too much?
Answer
The position of a pacemaker can shift over time. After about a year, however, a strong capsule has formed around the device and it should not move any further. Because the device and the leads are very secure at this point, you can exercise without restrictions.
Sometimes, if there is substantial weight loss, the overlying tissue can become thinner and it may look like the wires are about to pop out. The weight change can also give the appearance that the device has shifted. In general, this will not affect the function of the device. If the device checks are normal and the chest X-ray shows good lead positioning in the heart, there is no need to worry.
Rarely, the overlying tissue can become so thin that there is a risk of the skin breaking down. There are times that the pacemaker is repositioned in the operating room to prevent skin breakdown. It is important to have your cardiologist keep an eye on the health of the overlying tissue.