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Bradycardia and Stress-induced hypotension
Have had PM since 1996. Just replaced for first time 8 days ago. Lucky, I guess. Also found out i have a second electrical "defect", which results in severe hypotension after stress events (sympathetic withdrawal).
From what i was told, after your ateries, etc.. expand during a severe stress event, they are supposed to contract to keep your BP up. Mine, however, stay enlarged for an extended period of time, causing a severe drop in BP (as low as 50/30 before they revived me. Worse yet, the chain reaction can be set in motion by either physical, or, at least in my case, psychological stress.
Obviously, the PM will control the heart rate. However, the cardiologists and EPs tell me they cannot fix the withdrawal-induced hypotension.
This is a bit frighteniong, as I have a high-stress job.
Has anyone else dealt with this, or heard about this? The doctors do not seem to have seen this nasty little combination before.
Thanks.
4 Comments
The psychosocial aspect and it's effect on our PM's
by maryanne - 2008-08-24 10:08:30
When all is said is done and we have recieve our PM's or Defibs the doctor's primarily wiped their hands cleans of us.....and we are left to fend for ourselves.
That is how I felt about 24 years ago when I had my first PM. I have had to overcome many of life's adversities, death and trauma to name a few. I know that these events affected me emotionally and got my adreniline rushing....hence putting more stress on my heart....and so it goes....the circle or cycle begins.
It's once we recognize that this is happening that we can begin to control how we respond to it.
I am a funny one....I tend to be very calm during times of stress and deal with the situation...it's after that my adreniline starts to pump and I get all jittery and nervous like....
It is these behaviours that put stress on my heart and ultimately my PM.
Once I learn to better control these stressful moments I can better control my breathing and ultimately the effect it has on my heart.
So in the "Fight or flight" situation our vessels do constrict to promote better function to our vital organs....but this can only be sustain for a short period of time.....if extended that is when our bodies run into problems. So if we can learn to control the "fight or flight" we might be able to control the "stress induced hypotentension" that your body experiences in time of stress.
This is a great topic and one that should be discussed at length with the powers that be....and have them participate it a holistic approach to mainting body health....
Great topic and awesome question!
Comments
by ElectricFrank - 2008-08-24 12:08:39
Hi,
I think the reason they haven't seen this before is the psychological component. Docs don't like to deal with this. I mentioned it to my doc as a cause for some stomach problems after my wife died and he just passed it off.
One thing to consider is that the sympathetic withdrawal is a rebound effect from the stress response. The slow recovery of the sympathetic nervous system can be your psychological response to the event. Biofeedback can often be helpful in understanding and learning to control the response. I manufactured biofeedback equipment for many years and my wife was a BF therapist. One of the many response patterns was where a person would respond to a response creating a secondary response.(confusing).
One particular case I remember was an airline pilot who was about to be grounded because of his BP problems. He couldn't take meds and fly. His BP tended to be erratic. Being a private pilot myself I had him relate various emergencies he had experienced while he watched his sympathetic nervous system response on the computer screen. He discovered that he had a response that preceded the one he was aware. This was the one that was causing things to go screwy. By working with the feedback he learned to be aware and control it. The bottom line was that he passed his next physical with no problem. The last time I heard he was still an active pilot
Anyway you might check into BF. The problem is to find someone who can deal with psychological issues rather that just hook you up and leave you to "do feedback".
frank
The Effect of Stress with SSS
by bryanecr - 2008-09-01 01:09:07
Thanks for at least given me some idea of the role of stress . After having been diagnosed with Sick Sinus Syndrome I made the comment that the events were usually combined with periods of heavy stress , travel ( I fly 2 / 3/ 4/ times a week for work ..and then deal with the politics of it all) ...the Dr's response - ' I've got a stressful job too and I'm all right '
If I could get this recognised it would open other avenues to me ....but how to ??
Exhausted , exasperated ...but no as badly off as many on this site I must admit ...
You know you're wired when...
You can finally prove that you have a heart.
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by pacergirl - 2008-08-24 09:08:27
Hi, I think Frank, that you have have explained just what to do in these situations. Of course the drs. don't want to deal with these issues. I have learned to help my patients while they are getting experiencing therapies to take there mind somewhere else. I help them by having them close their eyes, breathe slowly in and exhale slowly out... then I softly lower my voice and take them to another place... some patients like the Redwood forest, some the tropical beach... others... the warmth of the desert with it's wonderful dry warm sun...some a foggy sea coast morning. I simply take them there mentally and then I leave. I hope you get the picture. I think the patients are becoming spoilt because I find I am doing this a lot! he he. I learned to do this because I would find myself in very stressful situations and couldn't leave. So I allowed my mind to change the surroundings so i could remain calm. I works really well, my blood pressure goes down and I am happier.
I have not any experience with BF, but would be very interested in learning more. sounds like it could really help with situations like PBrennan is experiencing.
Just my thoughts here of course... nothing medical and no research, just caring about and helping people. I can't think of what the actual name of what I do is... but I know it helps in some situations. I have even helped a few loved ones with my technique.
Pacergirl