loosing it

Need to talk again. Yesterday I went to a see a psch doctor for anxiety. I have been seeing her for over 8 years. She took my BP which was 170/100. We done our 30 min talk and she asked me to go to the ER because of the BP and the HR.

I went to the ER the best we have in the area and the EKG was normal, HR was normal on machine, chest xray was good, so the doctor told me to follow up with cardio.

I am ready to jump off a bridge. I am in a spiral of anxiety, confusion, worry and just terrified. As I was driving away from the hospital I started having palps but didn't go back.

I am going to seek a second opioion with Medstar which is also a great hospital in DC. I don't know how much of this I am doing to myself and how much is my heart.

All I do know is that I am scared to move off the couch. I am scared to cook, shower, walk just literally scared to move. I am scared that what if I am in afib. What if they have missed something, just a lot of what if's and I constantly feel like I am dying.

I feel like I am at the end of my rope here. I think about my heart from the moment I wake up until I go back to sleep. I worry non stop and if I don't worry I will breathe wrong or my heart will do something weird and I am right back to where I was.

Feeling pretty hopeless and alone today. Scared out of my mind.

OH and by the time I left the hospital only 2 hours later BP was 148/95.

Thanks for listening.

Tina

9 Comments

Dear TinaH

by coppertop - 2013-07-28 01:07:44

I hope you feel better soon... I suffer from anxiety too. and I did try xanax. feared it would in some way shape or form, interfere with my lifesaving meds. So I deal with it through diet and exercise.Ha! still have panic attacks though. hopefully one they will be under control. My insurance would not cover cardio rehab. I did'nt look into the co-pay that grateful heart did. TraceyE is 100% right on target with the cardio rehab advice. Take care Tina.

hmmm

by Tracey_E - 2013-07-28 01:07:54

I would 1) call the dr that prescribed the xanax and discuss other options and 2) check into paying for the rehab. As Grateful Heart said, most of them have a program you can pay just like joining a gym. Even if it costs, it would be worth it to get you over the hump and on the road back to health. I had a similar discussion with my sister last week. She just had surgery for a broken elbow and found out her insurance won't cover much of the pt when the cast comes off so she's talking about not doing it. There are some things we just can't afford not to do, you know?

Now, get off of here and go take a little walk! :)

Sorry Tina

by IAN MC - 2013-07-28 10:07:01

You didn't mention the atrial tach in your original post , it clearly didn't occur while you were having your EKG.

Is it possible that you need a different Psych Dr ? This one doesn't seem to be achieving much .

Ian

Hi Tina

by IAN MC - 2013-07-28 10:07:03

I know nothing about anxiety so I guess I'm of no use to you whatsoever but it does seem that you have nothing to worry about on the heart front :-

- a BP of 170/100 , if you're anxious ,is nothing to worry about , anxiety sends up blood pressure

- your BP of 148 /95 after you've calmed down is also absolutely nothing to worry about; it is now being realised that very mild increases in BP have been over-treated in the past and your levels are fine.

- your HR is NORMAL

- your ECG would have shown up a fib and you don't have any

so it seems to me that your heart is nothing to worry about at all, try thinking about something else from the moment you get up (e.g " Who can I help today ? ") but one thing is for sure ... you need professional help for your anxiety
and NOT for your heart !

Best of luck

Ian

Ian

by TinaH - 2013-07-28 10:07:04

I had posted it the other day. Sorry I didn't mention it today. They found it while downloading my pacer on Tuesday. But everyone is right I need help with the anxiety and I am going to get a new cardio.


Thanks for listening and helping me think through this.

Tina

Ian

by TinaH - 2013-07-28 10:07:28

Thank you for your input, but I am having atrial tach, which they do want me to follow up on and a lot palps but I do not agree with you that I need help with the anxiety which is why I went and seen my psch doctor yesterday. Thank you for your input.

Tina

hugs for you

by Tracey_E - 2013-07-28 10:07:51

I'm sorry things are so frustrating for you!! Ditto what Ian said, sounds like the anxiety is a bigger problem than your heart. Are you on meds for the anxiety? They can be good for getting things under control physically so you can start to cope emotionally.

Have you considered cardiac rehab? Physically you may not need it but sometimes it can help build the confidence and help us learn to trust the pm.

How about some fresh air and a diversion? Can you go do something outside today? Pack a picnic, find a pretty quiet place to take a walk, something like that? Even go wander the mall if it's too hot to be outside, just get a change of scenery, something else to think about for a while.

Good luck! Come vent with us whenever you need to.

Cardiac Rehab

by Grateful Heart - 2013-07-28 11:07:12

Look into paying it yourself. I found after paying my co-pays it was cheaper to pay the monthly fee (I didn't know it at the time).

It will help you get moving without all of your concerns.

You will also meet people with similar conditions that may help you realize you are not alone and this is manageable.

Let us know how it goes....we're here.

Grateful Heart

TracyE

by TinaH - 2013-07-28 11:07:26

I am on Xanax for anxiety. I cannot say it does a lot as I have been on it for along time so it really doesn't do any good at this point. I may try to go out today its just when I get to doing walking my HR goes up to fast and the palps start. I asked my insurance for cardiac rehab and they stated they do not cover it. That is a real shame because I really could use it.

Tina

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