Coping after heart attack mentally

[Jansox]

How do people cope after heart attack as I’m struggling with anxiety since

[Hidden]

You've started by posting on here, I felt very anxious and frightened five weeks ago today when I came out of hospital, I was petrified about having another HA, the gremlins in my mind were going wild.I then thought a lot about the "service and MOT" I'd just had on my heart and the brilliant "overhaul" the NHS had just done and the cocktail of medication I was on to stop it happening again.....so many positives.

I also undertook to do my part, loosing weight....close on a stone in 6 weeks, cutting out all the crap in my diet and exercising to get that big heart muscle in my chest as fit as I could.

I've had good days and bad days but from week to week I'm seeing a big improvement in my health.

It's working for me.

Hope you start feeling more positive pretty quickly.

I'll also add talk to as many people as you can about it, particularly your loved ones, don't try and be "brave" and bottle it in......I chatted to my cardio nurse about it, she said she'd be worried if I wasn't frightened about it, you're definitely not alone in your thoughts.

[Jansox in reply to Hidden]

Hi John that’s great you being positive and loosing the weight etc , I to have been that way but some weeks omg anxiety comes back to haunt me , I just feel the engine failed me and having a heart attack resulting in a cardiac arrest really scares me to this day as I was fit and well until this happened , but thankful I’m here to tell the take do to speak

[Hidden in reply to Jansox]

I posted my story of the HA and my subsequent emotions on my Facebook page, I got nearly 100 replies from my friends.....what gob smacked me was how many of them had suffered HA's and other medical traumas and never told anyone outside of their family.It was great to read all the positivity in their replies and how some of them 15/20 years after suffering a HA were living a full and active life with no holds barred other than making far better life style choices.....they inspired me.

[isobelhannah18]

My anxiety levels were sky high after my H.A. two and a half years since. Every twinge was another heart attack. It took several months but eventually I started to calm down. This forum was really supportive and helpful and there are always old postings to read in the middle of the night! Other important things for me were family support and a brilliant cardiac rehab nurse who didn't seem to mind how often I rang. I also had six weeks of cognitive behaviour therapy on the N.H.S. which was really useful. I can still start to feel really anxious but I can rationalise things by thinking about how my medication is working. You will calm down but stay on this forum.

[FiftyNotOut]

Hi there - I had a STEMI in April and still struggle with anxiety, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was, and really time is your best healer. I couldn’t even bring myself to leave the house at first. So I started with spending 15 minutes tidying up the front garden. Building things up gradually.

I don’t know how long ago you had your HA but have you been referred for rehab? I haven’t had sessions in person because of Covid, but the support even if over the phone has been really helpful. Worth asking your GP about a referral, or about psychological support generally.

[Jansox in reply to FiftyNotOut]

Hi it’s been 7 years since my Heart attack and suffered with anxiety most of these years , I’m on medication for anxiety and cope most of the time just wish this didn’t impact on my life as much as I have been given a second chance and want to enjoy it x

[FiftyNotOut in reply to Jansox]

I know what you mean - but don’t beat yourself up about the anxiety. It’s no more down to you than the heart attack. And perfectly understandable when you’ve been through a trauma. Do ask about therapy - I don’t know which hospital you’re under but some have psychologists x

[FiftyNotOut in reply to FiftyNotOut]

Hi - you might like to try these? rbht.nhs.uk/our-services/cl...

[Jansox in reply to FiftyNotOut]

Wow thank you so much I will really have a look into these over the weekend , x