just shy of 2 weeks.....

Have some more questions..........
PM in July 2nd.Went into ER July 12 for irregular HR,stayed overnight,monitoring.
Saw a local Card the next am,and he ordered the Medtronic tech to come and do a reading.After that,DR had tech set PM so top and bottom leads work symetrically,as they were not programmed tht was initially.
PM working 9% and alls well,DR also presc.50 mg once a day of metropolol(sp?) to help,have taked 2 so far and seem better.
Also gave me something for anxiety,which Ive stated is an issue for me for the first time in my life.He told me if I need it,take it,and the nurse told me alot of times people need help for the first few weeks getting used to the big life changes theyre going thru.
Would just like to know if this sounds common........thanks!

5 Comments

Anxiety

by Roys - 2012-07-15 01:07:50

If you are on one of the Benzodiazepines of witch there is over 60, 2 weeks is the max time you should take them for. After that they induce drug dependency. No Dr will tell you this or the side effects of long term use.
Cheers Roy

Lorazepam- one of the usual suspects

by donr - 2012-07-15 02:07:29

Laura: I would have guessed one of the benzo's - that's the one most commonly given - and very rarely w/ much warning about addiction.

I'm of the generation that only knew of Valium at one time - pretty old, I'll agree. It was even BEFORE the terrible addictive properties of the drug. I had it to "Ease" the ravages of the anxiety brought on by PTSD in the days before that was even recognized as a malady. Fortunately, a very prominent woman in the film making industry. Just read this synopsis on Amazon. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11413525-i-m-dancing-as-fast-as-i-can.

Fortunately, her book came out before I had the drugs - given to me on a PRN basis - So I knew of the potential for addiction. I was crapless - that's how much it scared me. Lorazepam is more powerful than Valium, so it has power that must be respected, as opposed to feared; that's because it has the capability of getting you over the rough spots if used correctly & judiciously.

A suggestion for using it: No law says you have to take a full pill! I had 5 mg pills & discovered that 1/4 of a pill did exactly what I needed - take the edge off my anxiety w/o making me feel drugged - thus I could recover control on my own. THAT is critical - that YOU have control, not the pill. A full pill made me feel soooooooo good that the world was artificial while it lasted & I had an after effect of a kinda annoying "Hangover." Start by breaking a pill in quarters & see what it does for/to you. Work your way up to the MINIMUM dose that helps you over a rough spot. At least he only gave you half mg tabs!

Just remember - this anxiety is a TEMPORARY effect - if you are a normal. (You sound NORMAL) Anxiety will NOT kill you, just like PVC's will not. But it will surely make you feel like it will.

It is NOT a case of "Think happy thoughts & everything will be all right."! The key is to mobilize your RATIONAL, conscious mind to think RATIONAL thoughts to counter the irrationality that grips you to cause the anxiety. Thinking rationally about your situation, plus surviving successfully the bout of anxiety will reinforce your ability to survive the next bout.

F'rinstance - You are sitting there, doing nothing, & you are suddenly gripped by the fear that your PM may quit on you - all brought on because you suddenly sensed some anomaly in your HB. The solution is to do a quick & dirty self assessment of your PM - take your pulse; listen to your heart beat. Are they regular - probably so. So tell yourself that & be patient - all should settle down in a while. If it doesn't take a piece of a pill. If THAT settles you down, it OBVIOUSLY was NOT your heart or PM.

Good luck to you. And - be careful out there!

Don

thanks again Don

by ohiolaura - 2012-07-15 06:07:58

I am glad you are such a fountain of information Don!
I thank you for that,and yes I do think I am somewhat " nrmal",just have hit a few speed bumps latley.
I did as you suggested I did cut one tiny lor. in half,and will see what it feels like.I have been taking notice of when I seem to get a little anxious,and it is always atleast the past few days in the late afternoon for some odd reason.
I really do not want to become dependant on this stuff,but if it takes a half late in the day for a week or so,I suppose thats ok.
I am taking the other med between 7 & 7:30 am,I am a early riser always have been,and when I get up,a bit after 6,I feel good,so I wait a little to wake up fully before I take the other stuff.Always appreciate your knowledge and insight! Thanks!!

thank you guys

by ohiolaura - 2012-07-15 08:07:01

here's what they gave me,lorazepam 0.5mg to be taken as needed,says every 4 hrs,or as needed.
The only time Ive taken one is in the evening,at home.For some reason I did get a feeling that I was starting to wind up a little maybe.IT doesnt seem to do alot,but a little.
I am not a person who wants to become dependant on anything,maybe will have to stay on beta blockers longer or forever,just dont know right now.
The anxiety meds,know too many on those,and dont want to join their club.I hope its just this next week or so on and off,let things calm down,let the beta stuff get into my system and regulate me.
I decided not to go back to work this week,I think maybe I rushed myself a little too much,so I am off now til the end of July.I think this will help.Not alot of people asking how I am,what happened and youre so young.......
The Dr and nurse just told me sometimes people need this anxiety meds to help them at first,but thats about all they said.
Im going to go with that,just at first.
Don, I did go back and re read,so thanks for that.
I know this is a period of adjustment,more than when I had my first baby,and I thought that was a life changer,who'd knew?
Thanks again guys!

Unfortunately, sounds all to common!

by donr - 2012-07-15 12:07:49

How much did they say about anxiety? Much beyond what you said in your post?

What did they give you? Long acting or short? Give you much guidance about what to expect & how to counter it? Give you any guidance on how to use the pills - other than to use it if you needed it?

I shot it all in my responses to your first post. Go back & re-read them for some details of the future.

Don

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