Severe anxiety

[Charl70]

Hi I'm 9 weeks post heart bypass and since last Wednesday I have started to suffer with very bad anxiety, my tummy is constantly in knots all the time and I'm getting anxiety fluttering in tummy only time it calms down is when I go and lie down or sleeping ,I stopped amiodarone 2 weeks ago and wondered if it was a withdrawal symptom or is this part of the healing process as body is healing really well now it seems to have made the mental side a lot worst has anyone else experienced this post bypass thanks so much inadvance

[Hidden]

Hello

I can tell you are struggling and have been since your Bypasses and I can so relate as I am 15 months or more post Bypass now and still struggle with my anxiety and still trying to find my confidence but 9 weeks is nothing and you have to give yourself more time and try and believe for some this is quite normal to feel this way

It could also have contributed by stopping a med to but we need time to let things settle down

Have you started Rehab classes yet these might be a big help to you and hope they will be

You will get through this says me still trying but you will

Be kind to yourself and remember you need time to heal both physically and mentally x

[Charl70 in reply to Hidden]

ThankThanks very much you are so kind ,yes I start rehab class tomorrow an all day appointment not sure what it entails ,when I go out for a bit anxiety seems to not be as bad but once home and mostly when sitting up it seems to return are there any herbal supplements as i dont really want to start anymore medication

Thank you

[RufusScamp in reply to Charl70]

I found the rehab classes extremely useful. As well as carefully graded exercises we had talks on diet, medication, and problems with anxiety. The tutors were excellent, and it helped meeting with others with the same problems.

Herbal supplements are probably not a good idea. If they have any active ingredients, these can react with other drugs.

[Hidden in reply to Charl70]

Hello

That is fantastic news I am so pleased you start rehab classes tomorrow I am sure they are going to help and tell the Nurses just how you have been feeling they will have heard it all before so don't feel they will think anything other than to support you which they will

It does sound more like anxiety you are suffering as when you go out you feel better but when indoors it comes back because you have more time to think

Also ask the Rehab Nurses about the supplements as sometimes even though it is a supplement that you can get anywhere now and again they will say certain ones might not be the best for us but they will put you on the right track

Take your Sandwiches sounds like you are of on a day out

Hope you come back on and let us know how you get on x

[Blackknight57]

did your cardio team take you off it. ? After lesving hospital i noted 3 times a day then twice after a week and a further reduction to one a day. I am now waiting for the follow up on the 9th jan to see if they can take me off completely, some talk about having a icd fitted.

As for rehab classes i had a phone call off the teams plus the dietitian that was 11days ago.

[devonian186]

You will feel sorry for yourself, emotionally stressed and every twinge-and you will have a lot-you will interpret as a heart attack and you will then start to anticipate twinges and be full of anxiety which will make you feel depressed and anxious. So the cycle goes on.

There are many on this board who suffer from anxiety and many more who come on to it in an anxious state.

Medications often merely exacerbate the problem as does gloomy weather

I suspect meditation, yoga and other stress relieving methods-such as talking to a nurse- would be useful but others on this board would be more expert on that than me.

[devonian186]

Above I mention gloomy weather contributing to anxiety. Here is a 200 year old poem from Thomas Hood entitled November a month to make anyone depressed and anxious

No sun — no moon!

No morn — no noon —

No dawn — no dusk — no proper time of day.

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,

No comfortable feel in any member —

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! —

November!

[gladliz in reply to devonian186]

That sums it up exactly. Have always loved that poem. Has anyone written a similar for February because that month is almost the same. Too late for Xmas and the New Year and too soon for Spring.😊

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

its a shame you are getting so very anxious, but (as others have said) not unusual . Many of us have suffered badly with it, long after medical interventions have healed.

My view? Though we acceot its a natural stage of recovery, the greatest challenge is to make progress, not to get stuck in it.

The rehab classes were marvellous here, life-long friends made, and great for becoming steadily more active and positive. . Partly the help of really skilked trainers, very well used to helping with Cardiac anxiety, and even Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But above all the challenge and support of other Cardiac patients, struggling to overcome their own fears, seemed to have the strongest effect. These are our observations, but i bet there's some research around?

It seems really important to avoid getting stuck in your anxiety as a way of life. It is avoidable.

[tonysmithpi]

Good Lord., welcome to the club. Rest assured your not feeling anything out of the ordinary. The fact that your addressing it after 9 weeks is a credit to you. Its a massive op and PTSD is commonplace. Just keep on keeping on and dont let the way your thinking make you think.. If that makes sense. Im 18 months in and still have weird dreams, thoughts and 'odd' pains. It is what it is but I know I see sunrises when it was likely that I shouldnt.

[Charl70]

Hi everyone who kindly responded

Yesterday I had rerehab class at lewisham hospital lasted the whole day ,did two lots of circuit exercise which was really good got you huffing and puffing also did a talk about all aspects of heart disease causes prevention also a talk on medication which ones do what ,the talk on heart bypass op and causes made me feel quite nervous as al, I done for weeks is find out information maybe leave doctor Google alone ,where given advice on holidays and leisure activities also what is really exercises and what isn't to help make heart stronger ,BP was taken couple of times and reassured of different levels are okay ,moving forward I get 5 phone calls one a week for next 5 weeks then can be referred to community rehab class at a local gym there's 3 they use in lewisham my nearest one will be forest hill ,when you go take a packed lunch and meds list also have a good breakfast cardio nurses are fab

[Kellou28]

Hi, hope I am not hijacking the thread but I am due to have open heart surgery for a large ASD in under two weeks. I am struggling with the mental side already but know it is a necessity.

What are the rehab classes? Are they offered to everyone?