Anxiety

Recover

by Lavender - 2022-09-24 14:20:59

You're recovering from surgery. Your heart and body need time to adjust. Be patient with yourself. Anxiety causes nausea and such. Drink more water than you used to do. Rest. Yes it's normal to have these things as you recover. 

Recovery

by skigrl3 - 2022-09-24 16:03:27

Give yourself some time. The first 10 days or so I thought I made an awful and irreversible mistake,  especially since I am pretty athletic. Had your symptoms and more. But it subsided and 4 months later I feel fantastic. Best wishes on your recovery, as others on this page will also tell you, it gets much better!!!

Anxiety

by Good Dog - 2022-09-24 17:01:48

My first two weeks were awful! I was completely healthy one day, the next day I had a pacemaker. I thought that my life was over as I had known it. Six months later I was feeling like a million bucks. Like I had a whole new lease on life! I didn't realize it at the time, but that is what the pacemaker is for. It is all about improving the quality of our lives. Eventually, I even started to forget that I had a pacemaker. That is how dramatic the change was. I am sure that you too will look back on this someday and wonder why you felt so bad three days after getting it. It will only get better from here. Also, it is entirely possible that your Doc will need to make some  adjustments when you go back to see him. 

I know it may be difficult now, but please be patient. It will get better. Much better!

Sincerely,

Dave

it gets better

by athena123 - 2022-09-24 17:06:45

trust me and others here that you will start to feel better. give it some time. good luck

Thanks So Much

by FreshStar55 - 2022-09-24 17:20:32

I really needed to read your comments. I'm a teary pitiful mess:)

It takes time

by pacer@37 - 2022-09-24 20:55:54

Give yourself some time. I found the psychological healing to be harder than the physical. You have been through a major health event, it is normal to feel everything you are feeling. Just remember it is temporary and it will pass. I am 6 months post implant and I find myself forgetting it is there. 

Lemon Juice and Water Tip

by FreshStar55 - 2022-09-25 10:23:19

Angry Sparrow can so relate to paragraph 3 of your response minus the stroke.  Thanks for the lemon juice and water tip!

FreshStar55

Repeating a comment

by Lavender - 2022-09-25 11:14:04

I posted this to another member but am sharing with you as well. 
 

Pain that lingers or is unexpected causes anxiety. Your brain is trying to figure out what's going on. 
 

I had pain after my pacemaker was put in for seven months. I still have trouble with my left arm muscles tightening. Everything else is fine. I don't think about the pacemaker all the time. It's doing what it is supposed to do-keep me alive. 
 

Things like the sensation of a sharp jab or pulling, like insects biting, and general pain near the pacemaker when you move ARE NORMAL AT FIRST! 
I sleep with a small pillow cushioning it still -after 19 months with the CRT-P. 

Healing takes a good while because they cut muscles and nerves. Every time we move, it pulls those muscles which are still trying to heal. 
 

Tylenol helped me as did ice packs. Put a towel over your skin and just lay an ice pack on it for 20 minutes. Do it often. 
 

You will heal in time. I'm sorry for your pain. It will get better but it takes longer than you expect. 
 

Your brain will get the message that you are not in danger. It will start to ignore the pacemaker more and more and accept it as part of you. When you feel pain-say to yourself that this is normal and will soon pass. Acknowledge that your body is working on healing. 

Listen to meditation tapes by Michael Sealey. Look him up on YouTube and choose ones that address anxiety. A psychologist pointed me to him. Another counselor also told me to listen to calming music. It became my go-to mind over matter when I got anxious. 
 

copy and paste this example:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=75wmEPbzHZQ

Not a "mess"

by Persephone - 2022-09-25 12:03:24

Beg to differ on this - you don't sound like a mess, you sound like a person who is feeling a loss and experiencing a normal reaction. Then as time goes on you will find the gain you've actually achieved. I found that watching or reading comedic stuff really helped. 

I also sought assistance through therapy for the first time in my life, which was extremely helpful and to me cannot be overrated for benefits to anybody in whatever situation they find themselves. Don't know why I waited so long. I know it's a tough time to get acess to a therapist or counselor, but tele-health improvements have helped along those lines.

Best wishes to you.