Tiredness

My PM was implanted 5-24-2007 and have had little or no problems other than learning to cope with the PM. The last few days I have been experiencing tiredness and one or two times a quick dizziness. I had an appointment with my EP and mentioned this to him and he assured me the PM was doing great and the settings were fine. I have extreme anxiety and panic that I have had for many years. He stated that the above were due to the anxiety. Should I contact my Technician and see if maybe I need some tweeking? I am seeing someone for the anxiety and of course, they want me to go on an antidepressant which I have refused to do prior but am really considering trying.

Sharon B

2 Comments

Anxiety

by Pookie - 2009-03-24 09:03:54

Hi Sharon.

I too have been going thru stress, anxiety and depression (so I thought!!!) since my pacemaker implant, which was in 2004! All this stemmed from 5 major screw-ups meaning 5 surgeries, 4 of which were in a 10 day span and then a repositioning surgery 6 months later. But the biggie for me was that I died twice during an emergency shortly after the pacemaker being implanted. Long story.

This month I went to a new Psychologist and after several days and hours and hours of deep discussion and many tears, I went back last week and he has diagnosed me with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Finally an answer.!!!!!

I knew in my heart (no pun intended) that I was far beyond anxiety. I also knew that the past 4 years of counselling did help but only to a certain point. I was still crying every day (I still am) and just knew this was not right. I too did NOT want to go on any anti-depressants, but have off and on for these past 4 years.

I guess my point is to never give up on yourself. The doctors are there to help. Yes, sometimes they miss things, but in the end you know what you have to do to get better. I'm not saying that you should take pills as there are a lot of other alternatives, but just do what you can to help alleviate your anxiety. And YES, anxiety and depression can cause a lot of weird or even painful events or thoughts. Anxiety can cause dizziness and fatigue.

All I can offer is my opinion: discuss your anti-depressant drugs that he wants you to try, and if you can, just start off with a baby dose (low dose) and perhaps it can be upped every so often if you feel it helps. Most take a few weeks before you feel a difference.

I would hate to see you run around in circles like I have so if I were you I would get busy relieving your anxiety because it is not a good or healthy way to live.

It's a tough situation to deal with, but with a good counsellor and loads of support from family and friends you can start your journey to a better and almost stress free life. As far as the pacemaker goes...ask to get it tweaked if that makes you feel better.

I wish you the best of luck.

We are here too to support you.

Pookie

Anxiety Busters

by wiredwoman - 2009-03-25 07:03:44

Hi Sharon,

As a newbie pm wearer I wouldn't feel comfortable giving you advice about it. I believe however, that if you think your pm needs adjusting, you should honor that and go to the doc even if he/she says nothing is wrong. I'm a proponent of listening to our own bodies and honoring the messages they send.

That said, I know that stress can cause HUGE problems for people. Not knowing you, I can only tell you what works for me. First is deep breathing. Even if you can only manage 10 breaths at a time before getting distracted. In through the nose, out through the mouth - is a clearing technique. Imagine the stress leaving your body with your exhale.

Meditation is also very powerful. You don't have to be an "expert". Lots of people are intimidated by the word, as was I, until I realized it was okay that I kept being bombarded by thoughts - that I wasn't "failing" - all I had to do was gently push them away. The space between of "clear mind" becomes longer over time. The key is consistency. 15 minutes a day is pretty manageable and the rewards far outweigh the time spent.

I also read a lot. I love Louise Hay, and would recommend any of her books or CDs, particularly "You Can Heal Your Life". If we feel "disconnected" from our bodies - like they are working autonomously, even against us - a lot of fear is generated and that only exacerbates any physical problems we're having. Her books and many others help empower the reader to shift fear into self-trust. By the way, she's at least in her late seventies!

Music is an incredible help to me also. I found a CD that I can almost guarantee will relax you - Seven Metals by Benjamin Jobst. (Tibetan Singing Bowls) If you buy it though, please don't listen while driving. Truly audio valium and can really zone you out! Great for meditation for that reason.

And one more thing - again, this might not be for you - but if you don't want to take antidepressants you might want to give Bach's Rescue Remedy a try and see if it works for you. You can find it at most health food stores or online - it's very inexpensive and completely nontoxic. A computer search will yield lots of information. There's also a homeopathic called Calms Forte I use occasionally.

I'm not a medical doctor, and by all means, check with yours - or see a homeopath you can, if your doctor has tunnel vision. I just always consider drugs a last resort for me personally. The good thing is they're always there as a safety net if we need them.

Best of luck! Feel free to contact me if you like ~
**PJ

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