Hi all, I just wondered if anyone has any experience of dealing with anxiety? After my ablation for AF on 7th September this year my AF symptoms have reduced significantly I'm pleased to say. Sadly I seem to have developed a problem with anxiety & minor panic attacks when dealing with what used to be everyday situations. I know why, it's because when my heart rate starts to rise, I start getting a few palpatations because of the adrenaline rush and it's a self perpetuating problem which I have to remove myself from whatever the situation is. I am seeking some help via the NHS but I just thought I'd throw it out here in case there's any tips for dealing with this type of thing. I've never had this type of problem before and I'm presuming due to a terrible last 6 month's with AF it's taken a toll on my nerves.
Thank you in advance for any replies. Dave.
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Hi Dave - I am so sorry to hear you are dealing with anxiety. I to have anixety since developing AF however I am currently doing CBT mindfulness which has helped and I am doing acupuncture for anixety, some days are better than others but it's that waiting for it to happen again feeling that gets me. I would recommend you look into CBT though as it is an excellent tool to get you through this period. I work in the mental health field and anixety is a huge minefield but to try and manage it you have to try and retrain your brain into not going into the fight or fright process easier said than done I know but I would really strongly recommend mindfulness. Do you live in Scotland if you do i can maybe assist you in finding a suitable practitioner. Research the square breathing technique it helps also. If you want to talk anymore I will help all I can. Hope this helps. Laura
Thank you for the reply Laura, I live in Warrington, Cheshire. I will take your advice and see where that takes me. That's a very kind of you to offer help and its much appreciated 👍 I will be in touch.
This may seem a bit simplistic, but I find when I’m busy doing things totally unrelated to health and hearts, I don’t notice anything untoward about my condition. Sometimes, when I start pontificating on here or get more involved in anything to do with both mine and other people’s health, I sometimes start to feel anxious and certainly more sensitive to my own condition. I guess keeping busy and active helps to provide a diversion but this is not always possible but trying to come to terms with the changes AF brings must help.....maybe I should stop pontificating......😉
Hi Flapjack I agree I have found knitting! And mindfulness good distractions I can't do my other things which I liked to do at the moment so I am concentrating on what I can do.
My doctor jut recently prescribed Buspar -Buspirone for me. 5 mg two times a day. Was on Setraline but concerned for bleeding with anticoagulant.
Hi Dave, I'm really sorry to hear this. I had my ablation on 4th September and so far so good. Have you recently stopped taking a beta blocker or anything? As you probably know, these are used to treat anxiety also so if you have stopped taking a beta blocker, you would be more prone to anxiety now. I hope that makes sense. Just a thought. Hope you feel better soon. Debbie.
Thanks for your reply Debbie, my meds are still the same until my review next month, including 5mg bisoprolol each morning. I think it's just been a really bad year and a fuse has just gone pop for a while, I will get straight it will just take a bit of time. I'm thankful for what I've got health wise so I just need to negotiate my way out of this little trap and all should be fine! (Ever the optimist!) Take care and have a good evening 😊
Believe me you are really not alone. In my opinion the anxiety comes with the condition and thus the uncertainty of it all plays mind games.
I have lived with my heart rhythm problems for more than 27 years through many an ablation and cardoversion yet I still suffer from anxiety and all that surrounds the feeling.
My AF has been much less of a problem since my last ablation in August 2017 yet when I had a two hour episode this evening after a lovely walk that normally doesn’t cause any issues my brain still played mind games despite the hundreds of times I have converted successfully back to NSR. I am now relaxing again thanks to PIP.
The best advice I can offer is slow deep breathing and meditation.
Thanks Pete... Good advice and I hope you keep well 👍
The first thing to recognise is that panic attacks, whilst they can be quite distressing, are quite harmless and very common indeed. They can be treated effectively with CBT (and medication if necessary). My brother suffered from them for quite a bit, particularly when flying. There is often a long waiting list on the NHS. You could try approaching Health in Mind if they are in your area- they provide free therapy for this sort of thing. There are some very good books on anxiety and panic attacks. Recommended is “The Worry and Anxiety Workbook” [Clark and Beck] which gives specific exercises to tackle this problem (as well as anxiety generally) and is written by two clinical psychologists. You can get it on Amazon. The main thing is to avoid getting rattled by the anxiety and act speedily and decisively to shut it down.
It’s recommended by a therapist (partner of a friend). She always says it’s important to make sure that such books are scientifically based, which this one is. There is a lot of quackish stuff on the market.
I used hypnosis to control anxiety , it becomes second nature before falling asleep to go through the procedure . I only needed two appointments to become proficient with this control method.
Sorry to be boringly repetitive for anyone who has read my response elsewhere but these are the things that are helping with my anxiety: this Association and its posts which makes me realise there are lots of us out there, Paul McKenna “I can help you reduce stress CD, and a session every week with a very good hypnotherapist. Two GP’s have said something very interesting to me. Cardiologist Consultants are great at fixing the wiring but don’t fully get the mental effect all this has on you. One likened it to PTSD. I really just thought, being the lucky one with Flutter (initially) it would be three weeks of meds, pop in, quick ablation and job done. Learned the hard way it isn’t. The fibrillation that started two days after the ablation really knocked my confidence side ways and its two months to the day since the ablation and six weeks since the Cardioversion and I am still nowhere near back to my old self inside, in every sense. Good luck and take support from all the lovely people who post here.
Thank you... Yes this forum and the lovely people who make a conscious effort to help others is so appreciated, I would be lost without it some days. Hope you continue to recover well 👍
If i get bouts of anxiety,I find it helps to get super busy,anything will do,clean the house,iron evrything,polish the cat......the physical action seems to calm my thoughts down.I have had a lot of stress in the past few years. Also,when trying to sleep or relax try a heavy blanket on top of duvet.You can buy special weighted ones or just get a really heavyweight one.Why does it work? Dont know! Something to do with observing babies and young children who were wrapped up tight and slept better.It really helps me!
Well, I have found someone like me! Years ago, in my early days of extreme anxiety I would get busy cleaning. My daughters know me so well now, if they come and the house is spotless, they give me a cuddle and ask if I am having a bad day! But it really works and is a productive treatment too.
I've suffered from anxiety for years now but can control my panic attacks with self hypnosis which is very much like mindfulness. See if you can find someone to teach you the technique. I'm really bad just now with a suspected aneurysm that wakes me after an hour's sleep with violent pulsing and my BP shoots up to 190/100; not good after a heart attack.
Hi Dave I had and still do have anxiety I didn't want to take more tablets which my doctor agreed with knowing what I'm like I got a referral by him to silver cloud and chose to do on line therapy with them over six weeks I have access to site for a year with no further referal needed unless I wish My daughter had used them twice for same thing Perhaps you have similar in your area if you ask gp
Keep smiling Slow breathing Your a strong guy and will come through this
Thank you Yvonne, yes I guarantee I will whoop this and with all the help and support from the lovely people on this forum I now have a plan of action and some great tips on dealing with this correctly. I hope you are keeping well and thanks again for your support 👍❤
I wish I had a magic wand. If I did I would take away your anxiety as well as my own. But the information given out on this forum is very helpful. I am sure they will help you and I am definitely going to give some of them a try. It helps knowing that we are not alone with these things too. Good luck.
Dave. I truly believe AF and ablation cause anxiety and depression. You sent me the titles of some great listening tools last year when I felt so anxious and down after my ablation. Lots of help out there. Just don’t brush it off . Talk to a trusted friend or ask physician for recommendation for a counselor to chat with. Good luck. I just hope we can all get this afib, flutters, etc all to go away. It is always hanging around like an unwanted relative!!! Keep me posted.
PS. Friend told me she read that they are testing a drug in the Netherlands which he suppose to be the wonder drug for us Affibbers. We shall see
I came across a brilliant app called Calm (other mindfulness apps available), which has everything you need to know to help anxiety, with breathing & mindfulness techniques, amongst other invaluable things. It can be found on Apple store or Google play. I also joined the Daily Calm Community on Facebook, which has been great for sharing tips.
The app comes free with basic techniques. However, I subscribed for the full version. When I feel anxious & my heart is racing I log on and within minutes I feel calmer. It also has sleep stories to help you drift off.
I am 77 yr. female, learned TM (Transcendental Meditation) back in 1976, cost only $125, now about $800. I practiced it twice a day (20 min. each) off and on for years, and since diagnosed with AFIB in Dec, 2017, started doing it again. I actually can "zone out" on it, feels like sleeping (though being awake). I believe some websites instruct how to do it. When I can't fall asleep, I start meditating, and it puts me back to sleep. I'd even suggest self-hypnosis for you, anything to quiet the mind. I watch funny shows on TV right before I go to bed (Impractical Jokers), my favorite laugh out loud TV show, they also are on YouTube, and have DVD's. I find projects to keep my mind busy (crafting). Laughter is best medicine. I have Persistent AFIB, Cardioversion did not work, will postpone Ablation until I lose weight and do a Sleep Study, on Eliquis and beta blocker, etc. Ablations at my age, and being overweight, 40% result for good result with Ablation, re: age/weight. BP and no diabetes, I don't feel palpitations, flutters, or heart pain, so waiting a few more months seems like a better idea. Hard to lose weight on meds. Any weight loss plans that work with these meds which change metabolism, suggestions?
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