One Year

Weird mind exercise

by Theknotguy - 2020-07-26 10:20:25

Depending upon how much trauma you went through, the mind can play some really strange tricks.  And, while you may not think getting pacemaker is that big of a deal, your unconscious mind can think otherwise.  Then add in some new medications, changes in life style (no matter how trivial) and the mind goes off to twitter land and there you are.  So, what you are going through is quite normal for us heart problems, pacemaker types.  

They changed medications on me.  So I started having wack-o dreams.  Some were even serial dreams.  I'd have one part one night, then pick up and go one with the same dream on the next night.  I was walking around looking for poltergeists with that experience.  Then the pacemaker giving me a regular heartbeat after years of an irregular beat caused some mind alteration too.  

My experience was different from most as I had CPR, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.  Followed by a six day coma.  So I went through a years long roller coaster as all of that got sorted out in my mind.  All sorts of mood swings.  You probably won't have that though. 

For me, I ended up talking with a psych person.  It really helped.  Also reading posts on this forum helped as I could see other people having the same problems.

Retirement is another big change too.  Main thing to remember in retirement is you can say, "No".  I've gone the way of least effort.  The person can go into a long winded explanation of why I should be doing something.  I'll patiently wait for them to wind down, look at them, and say, "No".  After about two or three times they'll get tired and stop.  I'll sometimes come back with a counter offer after I've said no, point being I spent years and years doing stuff for people I didn't like and I feel I've finally earned the right to do what I do like.  One company wanted me to baby sit the interns.  I told 'em my baby sitting fees were $60 per hour with the first hour paid in advance.  They suddenly decided they had a better way of watching the interns.  Since then my fees have gone up. Going in and building furniture for indigent people I do like but I set my own hours.  I do it for free, but I set my own hours.  

Hope things are otherwise going well for you.

One Year

by Kettlebell man - 2020-07-26 11:02:10

Thank you for the reply. You obviously went through a lot more than I did. It also really helps when you have family by your side, my Wife and son were  there every day through the process. I'm a long time fitness instructor, so getting back on track as much as possible was my goal. I've had to change some of the things I use to do, but other than that, all is good. I have my next big checkup with my cardiologist soon. Good Luck...

One year

by AgentX86 - 2020-07-26 12:11:35

I didn't have a heart attack but had several blocked arteries (four, two 100%). Stents weren't possible so had a CABG a little less than 6 years ago,  at about your age. The worse part was that my wife gave me bronchitis the day after I got home from the hospital (to be fair, she got it in the hospital). Pain? You haven't felt anything like a sneeze ten days after a sternotomy.

I got my PM (and AV/His ablation) about 2-1/2 years ago. That was pretty uneventful.

I haven't dreamed since I was a kid, until recently. I had a seizure last October and have been on anticonvulsants since. The one I'm on now has caused me to start dreaming (constantly) again. Nothing scarry or particularly exciting, rather boring every day living sorts of things. I've had nothing like PTSD at all.

BTW, I'm still working,  by choice.  I'm seriously considering it later this year or maybe next.

One year

by Sisterwash65 - 2020-07-26 14:13:19

Until I suddenly required a pacemaker back in May of this year, I knew little about them. I had sudden onset complete heart block after knowing about my Left Bundle branch block since 2012. I can tell you from personal experience that it is a traumatic event ! I haven’t had dreams but I’m now over informed about PM’s ! I pride myself on being self aware and this just caught me flat footed. I felt like I was in a movie and all this was happening to someone else. Due to Covid 19 I checked myself into the hospital as my husband dropped me off. Had a heart cath at 3:30 and PM placement about 10:00 pm that night. I’ve gotten along great and continue to do well. The whole process just really “ shook” me and I’m still adjusting.

Best of luck to you !

One year

by Kettlebell man - 2020-07-26 17:17:37

Thank you all for the comments. I decided to write this, because I figured I wasn’t alone in this thing. Somehow hitting the one year mark kind of set this off. But happy to be active again, as I’m sure all of you feel the same.