a setback

Hello all,
I got my dual chamber medtronic on demand pm on 3/19/07. I had a tough few days then 11 really good days. I went back to work and on the second day I had an anxiety attack(I guess thats what it was) on the drive home. I had put in a 15 hour day(behind a desk) and drank lots of caffein that night. I felt good and not tired when I left. But this panic just came out of nowhere. I've taken 2 days off work and had the pm checked. It's fine and my heart is fine. It seems like it's all nerves. I have no history of this and it's scary.
Thanks for all the support you all have given me. This sight is a bright spot in a dark situation.
Rusty

4 Comments

Caffeine & long work days

by winelover - 2007-04-06 01:04:07

Hi Rusty,
I too often put in very long days and mostly stay away from caffeine. I had my pacemaker put in on a Thursday last November, took Friday off and went back to work the following Monday, putting in 12 - 14 hour days 6 days a week - it was a busy time of the year for me. If I get any caffeine my heart starts racing, I start shaking and I get very dizzy - much like I assume an anxiety attack feels like. So maybe you're like me, I can handle lots of work and long hours but I can't handle caffeine.
Hope it was a one time thing for you.

Thank you

by randrews - 2007-04-06 10:04:18

I can't believe the value of the feedback and how reassuring it is to hear from you all. Since that event happened on Tuesday night I have quiet my night job. I'm not taking in caffeine any more and my gp has prescribed medicine for me incase that happens any more. I went back to work today and while it was tough this morning it got easier as the day went on. I'm at a school so I just need to get through the end of the year then I can relax for the summer. Again, thank you for all your help.
Rusty

caffeine and anxiety

by Vai - 2007-04-06 12:04:08

It appears you are well on the way to recovery and reuming to normal life. This is great. A 15 hour work day is "punishing" on the body and you're putting a lot of stress on yourself (and your heart). Consuming a lot of caffeine to keep up with the demands of the work pace is not exactly a wonderful idea. Caffeine is a stimulant and one of its effects to increase your heart rate (it does in my case!). So you may want to use caffeine in moderation and monitor if anxiety attacks, if any in future, could be due to the combination of stress and caffeine.
Best of luck.

anxiety attacks

by jessie - 2007-04-06 12:04:57

it doesn't surprize me at all and so just keep on trucking. you need to go through the activities of daily living and sounds like you are still in the workforce so young probably. it is also good to talk with your g.p. and get some medication in case it happens again. you still have to keep on going though and stay in the real world and eventually it will go away. it does seem like it comes out of nowhere and the mind is a strange thing. so all in all try to go with the flow. you are not having a heart attack, you are not going to die and so it is okay take care and don't worry maureen

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