Crippling anxiety

Newbie

by AgentX86 - 2024-05-26 17:06:40

Hey Rob,  It's too bad that you had to find us but we've been through it all, each in his own way.

If there is any good news, a heart block is the simplest electrical problem possible for a pacemaker to deal with.  Your sinus node is intact, so you'll have a normal, physiological, heartbeat.  The pacemaker simply acts as a wire around your dysfunctional AV node. You'll have virtually none of the issues that you see bandied about here.  You won't have to deal with rate response or any of that PITA stuff.  Your cardiologist, or EP, will likely to get everything right in one sitting, if he hasn't already.

In a couple of months, you'll be forgeting that you even have a PM. Until then, take care of yourself.  If you need help, no one is going to say anything if you seek professional help.  I certainly would avoid drugs of any sort.

I don't mean to be patronizing, but really, you'll be fine.

Hi old man! Lol

by Lavender - 2024-05-26 17:50:12

You posted your birthdate as 1884! You're doing swell for a 140 year old! 😉

What you're feeling is *normal*!  Heck you just had a scare and while you're ok now...your brain still sees ⚠️‼️ danger signs. It's still processing that you're ok!

Try meditating and listening to your favorite music. One thing that helped me was to simply lie in a hammock and watch the clouds (wearing a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen). Zone out. Be good to yourself. You are going to be ok 👍🏼. 

I too had little warning and got my pacemaker after a 33 second pause of my heart. I went to the emergency room and came home a couple days later with a CRT-P. I was traumatized and anxious. I didn't feel safe. It took time for me to once more go out by myself and start to live normally.  I have had mine three years now. 

No fear

by athena123 - 2024-05-26 19:33:40

Hi, I was just like you back in 2019 with much anxiety and even panic attacks. Overtime you will realize that its not even there and you'll be in a much better mindset. You have nothing to worry about because these are all natural feelings that will dissapate as time goes on. Just know that your heart just recieved a boost. be well  

Normal

by Andiek11 - 2024-05-26 23:13:28

While I'm just shy of 4 weeks post implant and my story is very opposite from yours, (I've known for decades that this would happen at some point),  what you're going through right now is very normal.  Normal doesn't mean easy or fun, but you're not crazy or broken.  Your mind is just trying to catch-up to your world being turned upside-down. 

Talking through this experience can be very helpful - as others have mentioned.  The talking experience just helps your mind make better sense of what happened so very quickly.  

Anxiety, and it's extreme BFF, panic, are just your mind's way of saying it's overwhelmed at the moment and could use some help.  Be kind to yourself.  Get some support from compassionate people, and trust the many (much more) experienced voices here that you will get better in time - they've not steered me wrong yet.  ;-) 

Anxiety

by piglet22 - 2024-05-27 05:43:47

Hello.

It's quite natural to be anxious.

One minute, your heart is something you take for granted, the next minute it becomes the most important thing going on and there's this little box of tricks there to remind you.

Electrical problems are very common and very fixable.

If you have a home monitor, you have that to keep an eye on you.

Your experience will very much depend on the clinical people you see.

Some are good and understand their patients, some are bad and concentrate on the symptoms and device before the person.

In 18 years, no-one in the cardiology department ever told me anything about my condition - complete heart block - and before someone says just ask the questions, you probably don't know what to ask.

The consultants are too busy and the routine technician checks will only give you the most basic information like battery life, and that can be a struggle.

The move to home monitor only with now no follow up phone calls only serves to make matters worse.

18 months ago, my trusty device started playing up as new rhythm complications interfered.

What a game that was. "PM is fine" was the official line.

As the symptoms got worse and were becoming dangerous, I pressed, through my GP to get things escalated and eventually got to sit in front of the pacing consultant and stuck to my agenda, not theirs.

I also managed to get my face to face clinics back and a promise of phone calls after home monitor downloads.

The forum has been a great help, but as you get older, wiser and a lot more stubborn, you can get the answers you need. Don't be afraid to be a nuisance.

The anxiety needs to go or it will make you worse. Don't suffer in silence and learn to live with your new way of life.

It is what it is.

I'm not aware of counselling for PM and conditions, but the forum is a great place to share any concerns and compared to some other forums, this is as as good as it gets.

I'm not impressed with my own team.

They failed me once before and with a third device looming, I'm getting edgy.

I can only say that this time around, I'm keeping my powder dry and God help them if it doesn't go to plan.

Anxiety

by Selwyn - 2024-05-27 10:46:50

Anxiety is almost universal after having a pacemaker/ICD.

Common symptoms of anxiety include increase body function awareness, tiredness, sleep disturbance, chest pains not related to exercise, loss of appetite/nausea , irritable bowel, and shortness of breath. Obviously there may be sweating, and  tremor.

Having posted here must be a great help, as the more you talk about how you feel the internal symptoms of anxiety lessen.  Can I recommend diaphragmatic breathing exercises to help your shortness of breath.

It helps not to trawl the internet over health problems as this can give you too much information about minority happenings. Even this site, as helpful as it is, seems to collect people with problems. It is important to remember that the vast majority of people with pacemakers lead normal lives with no adverse effect to their longevity. 

Anxiety

by AgentX86 - 2024-05-27 12:01:37

Selwyn: "the vast majority of people with pacemakers lead normal lives..."

The unsaid part of ths is "...so they don't spend their time here". They're getting on with their lives, even forgetting about their pacemaker for weeks, or months, at a time. This leaves the rare group of people who have ongoing problems (and a few of us geeks).

Completely Understandable

by SeenBetterDays - 2024-05-27 13:53:21

Hi ROBS

I remember feeling like the rug had been pulled out from under me when I learnt I had heart block and needed a pacemaker.  The speed of the process, similar to your situation, really didn't help mentally.  You need some time to come to terms with what has happened to you and make peace with the situation.  It can be overwhelming initially but you have bravely voiced your anxiety and that is the key in my opinion.  Keep talking through your feelings with a trusted person and/or this Club as this will really help you.  Your reaction is completely normal and natural and many of us have shared similar emotions to you so please don't think you are alone with this.  I found meditation, walking in nature every day and music therapeutic.  I also talked through my feelings and anxieties with my hubby who deserves a medal for listening and trying his best to understand what was going on with me.  I know it's a cliche but time is absolutely a great healer and this is not something you can rush.  Things will gradually get back to what feels a bit more like normal and you will feel that anxiety slowly subside.  In the meantime, keep posting here and talking things through.  I'm thinking of you.

Agree with everything that has been said

by Xtrabeat - 2024-05-27 16:23:23

Hi - I am 6 months in and am now in the information acquisition phase having gone through all the symptoms you describe. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience on ths site - make good use of it - and good luck :)

3rd degree heat block

by Johnxyz - 2024-05-27 20:10:40

I had 3rd degree heart block and was rushed to a hospital to recieve a pacemaker.

Because of a lack of  blood flow due to low heart beat  (less than 30 bpm) I was going to be dead without some sort of intervention and some of my organs where in the beginning stages of shutting down.

While staring at a pacemaker when I look in the mirror while shaving or washing over it in the shower reminds me of my mortality it also reassures me of the wonderful full life I am able to live due to this remakable medical device.

I hike, fish, workout and basically do anything I want with no worries. I am able to be a father and husband to my family.

I will be foreveer gratefull for the medical professionals and medical device that gave me my life back.

Acceptance and Knowledge is key

by Grateful Heart - 2024-05-28 00:13:37

It takes time to accept it when we learn we need a device.  Afterall, we only have one heart!

Most of us did not know anyone who had a device and we had so many questions.  Like you, we were left to do our own research.  Knowledge is power and learning about your condition and device helps to relieve anxiety.  

But if the pressure in your throat continues, you may well need an adjustment to your settings even though the device is working fine.  After about 2 months I needed an adjustment and it made a huge difference immediately.  The feeling in my throat was gone and I was able to take a deep breath again.  We are all different and sometimes a setting needs to be tweaked.   

Grateful Heart