Good morning
Any ideas how to reduce anxiety after event. Home 24 hours. Heart is beating out if my chest all the time but ecg has been clear so has blood pressure oxygen and pulse.
Just pure anxiety 😔😔😔
#postevent #recovery
#anxiety #home #heartattackrehab
Hi,
In my own experience it has a little to do with time and a lot about your mental state after the event. I thought every ache or every pain was down to my heart. You have to accept that your body and mind have had a massive shock and it will take time to heal. I had anxiety attacks for nearly 1.5 years and it was only when I sought help off my local IAPT department (mental health dept) that I started to feel better. They showed me through education and mental exercise that my pains were made worse by my anxiety and this anxiety can also bring on attacks. Once I learned how to control the anxiety the attacks stopped and I've now been 4 months without a trip to A and E or calling an ambulance. Don't get me wrong i still have pains but their training made me take it for what it is and not to make it worse. I hope you get to deal with the anxiety soon. Try not to beat yourself up about it it's only natural to feel worried after your event. Keep well.
Hi Clare! Sorry to hear of your recent 'event'. My first point would be that it is very early days for you. Of course you will feel anxious. So don't feel anxious about being anxious! In the early days you need to focus on being kind to yourself, taking all your meds, eating well and exercising gently. My own ha and 2 stents was completely unexpected - no warning at all and I struggled with this sudden attack on my mortality. Complete denial was my knee jerk response and is not to be recommended. As time has gone on (nearly 2 years now) I have found it is no longer the first thing I think about in the morning or the last thing before I go to sleep. don't be too hard on yourself, and allow yourself to be anxious for a little while. Best wishes for your recovery x
Hi Claire.... I’m in a similar situation; I think one feels safer in hospital and the anxiety only kicks in when you go home... I haven’t had a panic attack as such but enough anxiety to get the heart racing and the nausea to kick in. It’s an entirely normal response in my book; I think the best approach is to breathe as slowly, deeply and carefully as you can and try and rationalise that you wouldn’t have been discharged from hospital if there had still been an issue.
Assuming that you’ve been given a bunch of pills, let’s also assume that they’re already working and try to help them by being as calm and rational as possible... I’m telling myself as much as I’m telling you... I’m a right worry wart and, to make it worse, my partner has to go away on a family emergency and will be gone for a week from Monday.
We’ll be alright... write to me if you think it’ll help; you’re not alone, however much it feels like it 🙂 Karen
Breathing techniques (lots available online); drinking plenty of water; diazepam prescription from your GP, (sleep really helps, but this medication also reduces my anxiety); avoid all stress if possible; regular, gentle exercise. I'm doing all these things and it does help somewhat.
Hi... I’ve just been given Diazepam to help me cope when my partner has to go away unexpectedly; I’ll be alone for seven days and it’s a scary prospect. I’ve never taken this sort of pill before so I’m a bit equivocal... is the sleep ‘natural’ or are you knocked for six?
It is not exactly natural, you might feel a slight hangover effect in the morning, but I find it very helpful with anxiety. It depends on dose and how long you take it for. It's best to not take it constantly, or for more than 4 weeks at a time. So, take a break form it for a few days of weeks after a month. I found it much better than Zopiclone.
I think it's a tough one to answer, I had therapy for anxiety and it didn't help at all it was all text book and not a normal conversation in sight followed the procedure and always felt the same. I still have it now and had it for years maybe going in to double figures! I know that one of my things was through a lot of stress from work was triggering it off to (symptoms that is) then that would trigger the anxiety off.
What I found though it's not always easy to is to keep your mind / yourself busy and as JK suggests try some breathing exercises when you can feel it come on, do some gentle work out or even go for a walk, try to sleep well I think that's a contributing factor not having enough sleep effects you mentally.
I was really bad on a daily basis for years, my doctors and all the receptionists knew me I was on the phone and in there that much and it's only recently (3-4 months) I seem to be on top of it.
For me a palpitation, a pain in my chest or a funny heart beat will set me off it's a trigger and all I do now is sit down have a minute to myself make sure I'm calm and it calms down the anxiety wait till the episode passes or I feel like I'm up for carrying on and go again.
Everyone's different how they carry there anxiety, triggers and symptoms it's just working out your way of being able to control it so it passes 
it is a massive thing to overcome and it's easy for someone to say things to you but it's getting passed it that's hard.
YOU can do it stay positive!
And just to add as above I had it for years and still have episodes now but I live a normal life (now) when it first started I didn't leave the house for 2 years and would only eat home cooked food. I couldn't drive my car I couldn't manage to work etc I found it hard to do anything and I'm not condoning this in anyway shape or form because it's wrong I got over them 2 years by drinking alcohol heavily which also lasted years and you got it the alcohol started causing more heart problems to so my anxiety was kicking in more because of more symptoms due to being hungover etc I knew the drink was doing it but carried on cause it gave me back some normality was a vicious circle. That's when I tried the therapy and so on. I now know that all my pains funny beats and everything else will Not hurt me it takes a very long time to understand what is going on with your body I can't get my head round it now but I know my symptoms and everything that's my 'normal' having to understood what is going on and why then you are able to control it more.
My pms always open if you need to talk, I hope you feel better soon and my ramblings make sense. Have a good day.
Thankyou everyone. My main worry is they haven’t actually found a cause. Had echogram which showed moderate damage to the heart. The blood test they did on admission was 15000 instead of 40 average. Angiogram was clear no damage to arteries. So they said I needed to stay in hospital until I could have a Cardiac MRI. By this point I had been in 7 days. They said the cardiac mri would be the next day. The next day never came and I was told it would be the 5/5 when I was having the Cardiac mri no sooner. I was taken off all heart machines and no drip or anything so all I was in for was waiting for this mri in another two weeks. Doctor said he agreed it wasn’t fair to keep me in all that time when I have a son at home that needs me but he couldn’t discharge me I would have to self discharge. Doc was just as frustrated as me at the whole situation as now the mri won’t be done on 5th may it will be later as I am now an outpatient. It was a catch 22 situation for me. So now I’m home with 4 weeks off work and all the meds but no real diagnosis and I just feel lost.
Everything I ever knew is gone. I question every ache every heart rate change every beat I feel I don’t want to sleep incase I don’t wake up. What I I never ever thought was a cause for conversation for many many many years I’m
Suddenly staring at my own mortality and it terrifies me. The thought of leaving my 15 years old my mum my partner. That then causes more anxiety and so on 😭😭😭
Hi again, claire. Didn't realise when I responded earlier that you had been through all this c?!p waiting for a mri. Unbelievably frustrating for you. I think anxiety is heightened when we have no control over a situation as in your case. Also when a situation seems completely nonsensical also as in your case. It is certainly worth contacting your GP, he may be able to speed up the process, offer advice or medication if he thought it was necessary. I can't offer any other practical help, but send my very best wishes and virtual support x
Hi Claire, take a deep breath and then a few more. You have had a huge shock and need time to come to terms with it.I haven’t had a heart event but my hubby has, and I became very stressed and anxious.
Are you a tea or coffee drinker? I realised one day that I was drinking more tea and coffee than I would normally as I was at home. We switched to decaf tea and coffee and both felt better for it, the anxiety didn’t vanish completely but it became more easily managed and sleeping was also easier!
Take one day at a time, go for a short walk outside, aim for a little further each day and
slowly rebuild your confidence and fitness.
My hubby’s comment is “I’m still here! The rest us a bonus!”
Hi Claire 2405,I can totally relate to your anxiety. I had 2 heart attacks, triple bypass, a week coma and then a stroke. So when I was home all day long, I was waiting for the next bad thing to happen, but I already had PTSD for year's so I knew about anxiety. I finally decided I needed to focus on things I enjoyed and spend time with people that calmed me down. I've found a few different hobby's that can distract me or keep me from giving in to the anxiety.
Find something that makes you happy and something to look forward to every day and you'll have less time having anxiety.
Good Luck!
Stay Strong,
Dusty68...
Get into post cardio exercise as soon as you can or are allowed,.There are lots of monitored exercises on utube and it was the only thing that really helped me
Never thought of you tube. Thankyou ❤️
Anxiety or possible heart rate problem 
Anxiety over life expectancy after Heart Bypass - how to cope? 
Dealing with anxiety 
Bad Anxiety and the Christmas Grinch
Reducing atorvastatin?
