Should I try antidepressants after after massive heart attack, cardiac arrest, stent, 6 months ago AFib, cardio version 3 months ago.

[Ewloe]

I’m 59, female trying to get back to work. I’m a midwife who would normally run and organise a busy labour ward and unit. My ejection fraction has improved from 40% to 46% . Better but still reduced. Feel I should be better than where I’m at. Coped really well initially after my cardiac event but having counselling for last 4 weeks as was having some depression symptoms and black feeling times. Swimming twice a week, just started Pilates, do cardiac exercise twice a week. I’ve improved slightly but can feel those feelings are never far away. It’s not worry about heart stuff but that I should be further along than I am. And getting tired and being slow frustrating. Things are so slow to improve I’m finding it difficult to be patient with the cardiac side of things. Trying hard to avoid antidepressants but should I try them incase the psychological side is slowing down my return to work. Any thoughts please.

[Hidden]

Dear Ewloe

So sorry to read your post and the fight that you are finding yourself in.

You are amazing with what you have already done to get yourself back into the workforce.

And I am not daft enough to realise that you are about to re-enter into a very stress full workplace , which I’m sure has also its incredible ups as well as its incredible lows.

Many years ago {nothing to do with illness} the bottom of my world fell out, I am sure many on here have similar , if not worse stories than I, and that is it’s secret { depression} it fools you into thinking that you don’t deserve to feel the way you do..

But you do.

Now some can go through this stage , they have it hard as well, while others, like me needed a bit of help.

I was lucky that my Dr at that time recognised the signs and symptoms of depression and prescribed me the famous happy pills.

Within two months I was feeling better and at the end of the forth month I came off them.

This post is not about me , but all about you, my part story I hope will help.

Please get chatting with your councillors again, maybe your not quite ready for work , Human Resources will help you there.

But most of all never feel you are alone

Take care you are in my thoughts

[Hidden]

We all react differently to that huge shock we have following a heart attack.I remember as plain as if it was yesterday the fear I had when I came home after 8 nights in the security of a hospital ward....I was absolutely petrified with the thought of "what if it happens again" running through my brain, the demons has definitely taken over my thought processes.

I also remember how I felt when even a month after being home I was absolutely worn out doing something as simple as cutting the grass and worrying that I'd never get back to my former lifestyle.

It wasn't a good place to be.

From reading your post you're obviously struggling far more than I did, in which case I would have no hesitation in speaking to your GP and getting some help, I know from reading posts on this forum that many many others have found themselves in similar situation.

If you leave it in the hope that things will improve you may well find that exactly the opposite happens.

Best wishes

[Hidden]

Hello

What a wonderful job you do been a Midwife that must give you so much joy and I am sure you will get back to it and be delivering many more babies soon

Recovery is a personal thing I think we all have different times in which we recover from these life changing events and one thing I have to work really hard on is not comparing myself to others and what they are doing at the same stage as we all can go at different paces but the main thing is we get there in the end

My Consultant told me last time I was saying I should be doing better " have you read the story the hare and the tortoise " ( I think that is what the story is called ) and that said it all because I have and the tortoise is the winner in the end

Having said that what you are doing physically at this stage you are doing really well and I would be so proud of myself

I think we expect to much sometimes to soon but you have come on a long way and I can tell this will continue but please give yourself and your body time

If you should go on depressants ?

Do you feel depressed ?

If you are struggling then I would say what have you to lose if you try them ?

If when you do they are not for you then you can stop them but without trying them you will never know

In your job if a lady had postnatal depression and it was not improving you would suggest them even if temporary , I think for me my downfall is I give advice but never apply it to myself , and something I need to work on

It seems to be a fact though that after these life changing events that the mind takes longer to catch up with what has happened , what we have been through and adjust , I am still trying to adjust to

Deep down I think you know the answer what is right for you and I have every faith that you will make the right choice but know how you feel is normal and so many feel the same way to and also know at the stage you are at you are doing so well

Come back and let us know how your recovery keeps improving as it will , if you tried the antidepressants and if so did they help and the bit I look forward to is when you are back at work and how many cute babies you help bring into this world

Be kind to yourself and you will be back at work before you know it x

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

That’s such a lot you have been going through, and your last intervention only 3 months ago. It’s really all v recent. The heart episodes some of us here go through have been framed as PTSD.I’m sure you know the literature, and probably your counselling has touched on it too. There can be a lot of loss and helplessness involved.

Loss of the old you!

You will get back to a less worried you. You are doing lots of the right stuff. And the new you might be a bit different. I like my new me!

You asked about antidepressants. They really helped me, particularly reacting less strongly to setbacks. My GP said you need to go on them for at least 6 months, probably longer. It was 18 months in the end, and coming off was pretty easy as I was ready.

Do let us know how you get on. We worry!

[ronnyharry]

Maybe try to extend the period in which you hope to see improvement, not day to day but week to week or month to month. We all have good and bad days. All the best Ron