I’m 51 and I had a heart attack 7 weeks ago. I, like many on here, have experienced really bad anxiety and panic attacks, especially for the first few weeks, until I started having counselling and taking Pregabalin medication as prescribed by my GP. The severity of my anxiety and panic attacks has reduced however I do still have at least one each day.
My question to other members who have also had a HA is whether they became obsessive about checking their blood pressure and/or blood sugar levels (I’m also type 2 diabetic). I’m finding that I’m checking my blood pressure 5 or 6 times per day and each time I’m doing at 3 x readings, so on average around 15 blood pressure readings each day, is this something other people have done or are doing? I do wonder if this is linked to Health Anxiety.
In addition I’m checking my blood sugar levels on a digital glucose machine around 4 or 5 times per day, my fingers look like a pin cushion!
Thanks for any responses in advance.
Written by
Harrim8
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I had my HA in December (I was 50), with a further procedure a couple of months ago. Recently I've been told that I'm one point in to pre-diabetic so GP recommended the blood sugar tracker app (I have that round monitor on my arm), which I've nearly done for two weeks.
I do my BP 3 times in the morning and 3 in the evening, and take the average reading from both. I'm happier with that, these days, but told that I don't need to do it as often. I've now moved on to checking the blood sugar continuously throughout the day and getting obsessed about what foods to eat and what to eliminate (GP said to look out for any spikes so I can figure what foods to avoid).
I've tried counselling but it's not really doing anything for me. My wife suggested something more along the line of psychiatry. Do you think it's the counselling that's helping or the medication or both?
My anxiety has been ok until recently when I started to feel tired then the anxiety returns as I remember having fatigue before my HA so I start to convince myself that I'm not going to make old bones. Plus, I've now had the 'pre-diabetic' flag, it's like "ok, anything else you want to throw at me?". My wife has had health anxieties in the past, so speaks from experience when she says that I'm getting in to a vicious cycle and need to break out of it (worrying about tiredness is exhausting and makes you more tired, etc). Easier said than done.
I'm not sure there's any easy solution to obsessing. I've considered meditation but I think it's just time.
I'm sure your post will resonate with many Hearties on here. I'll be interested to see what others have done as it can take over your life, if you let it.
I’ve considered the monitor on my arm however, I know what I’m like and I’d be constantly checking it and it’s just another thing for me to obsess about.
In regard to my panic/anxiety attacks, for me the counselling did work as I was very open and honest with the therapist about my mental and physical triggers that seemed to bring on these panic attacks. My mental triggers are normally stemmed from physical triggers such as a twinge or shooting pain in my chest, feeling like a have butterflies in my chest, similar to palpitations, back ache, shoulder ache etc. all of which then triggered my mental state of is this another HA, is there something wrong, am I going to die etc etc. it was very much like a viscous circle and I was most days exhausted with panic attack after attack most days for the first few weeks.
The medication I’m on, Pregabalin, takes around 3-4 weeks to start working and I’ve now been taking them for around 4 weeks and I think I’m just starting to see the benefit of them as the number of attacks I have are significantly reduced compared to 2-3 weeks ago.
I also tried meditation and one thing I took away from these sessions was about breathing, whenever I feel a panic attack coming on, I take a breath in through my nose for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds and breathe out slowly through my mouth for 8 seconds, and I’m counting in my head as I do this, and it really does work for me. I also plug in my ear buds when I go to bed and listen to calming and relaxing music on YouTube (with no ads) and again this really helps me when I’m sleeping, although I get up about 3-4 times each night needing the bathroom (I drink lots of water throughout the day).
I think you’re right, there isn’t an easy solution although it’s great to hear another persons perspective on this, so thank you for taking the time to reply.
The thing is when I take my blood pressure numerous times throughout the day, I’d say a good 95% if the time it’s always in the “ideal” category for both my systolic and diastolic readings, most times it’s around 117/72, although my bpm is usually quite low at around 52, but I know this is because of the Bisoprolol (beater blockers) and it’s nothing to be concerned about.
Thank you again for your response, it’s very much appreciated.
In addition to cardio issues including some severely blocked arteries which they were reluctant to touch post NSTEMI heart attack, I also have potentially life threatening urology and gastro conditions, should they turn for the worse. That's in addition to the everyday things I have to put up with that come with advancing years and restrict what I do. But without being flippant, I just get on with it, take my medication, enjoy my life, and don't worry about something that may never happen, But if the worst does happens I'll deal with it at the time.
It is still early days for you and for some of us it takes longer to gain our confidence back and yes we can get obsessed
At one stage wherever I was my BP machine would be next to me and I was constantly taking it and of course the more you take it you are going to see readings that start to feed your anxiety as your BP fluctuates during the day
I would reel all these readings of to my Doctor and eventually she said you need to stop it you only if you want to need to take it once a day at the most even once a week would be fine
So I did what she said and it was tempting not to do it more but I took it once a day and yes they say take it 3 times when you do and the best reading out of the 3 is the one you should note
So you really need and I know it is not easy but to resist that temptation and try and cut down how much you are taking it once a day would be fine and you can do it because if I can and I do have health anxiety you can so give it a go
Your Blood sugars is it 3 times a day you are meant to take it but whatever it is supposed to be try and go back to the routine you did before as you will know your Blood sugars will fluctuate
Anxiety loves nothing more than feeding of our fear and results in us doing these kind of things and the more we do it the more fear and the more anxiety is the result till it can be like been on a Merry go round we cannot find a way to make it stop or get of
You say things have improved and I am not sure if you have more Therapy but as it has helped and if you have got some more sessions left that is going to help
The meds your Doctor gave you I am not sure if they started you on a low dose but if they did and you felt going up slightly with the dose which then may help you more I would talk with your Doctor and see what they say
You are not on your own but you seem to have come a long way and reached out for the right support and I think this will get better for you
Thank you BeKind28 for your great advice and words of support, you’re absolutely right and I’ve already told myself this morning that I don’t need to check my blood pressure today! I’ll keep your words in mind every time I want to do it and I’ll let you know how I get on. Thank you.
That sounds like a good plan from BeKind, my experience is that time is needed to get to a stage that you realise you are surviving and that bit of a twinge was not the start of another heart episode. You are not alone in this but there are a lot of survivors here with the advance in medications and there is no reason to think that you won’t also be one. Hope your situation improves soon.
to answer your question. Yes personally I’d say you’re obsessing. As a person who suffers with anxiety I understand. But machines shouldn’t rule or ruin your life. Realistically their there to aid people.
Listen to your body. Your blood pressure will naturally vary over the day. I have a machine but very rarely use it. If I started obsessing I’d throw it. I’m not sure on the up to date advice on monitoring your blood glucose with type 2 diabetes. I’m presuming your not on insulin.
Are you on treatment for your anxiety? Are you having counselling? These questions could be more important than your machines.
I had some private counselling as nhs was nearly nonexistent. I’m on sertraline. I’ve managed to keep it on a low dose but still have those feelings. It helps me manage it. It’s hard when you’re head gets so absorbed in something. Reasoning is a action that’s harder to access.
We only have one heart, and its rather critical to our well being. So having a heart attack is always going to be a significant event for us, and one that is going to lead initially to a level of anxiety and fear. Doubly so if you are young and / or otherwise fit and healthy, and it comes out of the blue. And at 51, you are young. I was 59 and by all measures both fit and healthy.
So being concerned is very natural. Excessive anxiety though is of course detrimental to health, and particularly to heart health. Let alone your mental health. From what you are saying, I think you should find some strategies and mechanisms to help you deal with the anxiety.
Have you been referred to cardio rehab clinic? I'm assuming you are UK based, and if so you definitely should be referred to and attending that. Depending on the severity of the HA that might be expected to be around this time. I found that helpful, as you are being guided into exercise and are mixing with others who have had similar and worse experiences. And they are all alive and getting better.
They should also (at least it was offered to us in my area) be able to give you a referral to a therapist, in our case one specifically attached to the cardio rehab clinic. Also you will learn more about what has happened to you, why it has happened and how to look after yourself going forward. Gaining understanding may help to give you a better sense of control and reduce your anxiety (IMHO).
Plus they will be taking your BP before and after exercise at the clinic. That may help to reassure you and guide you into feeling you don't need to continually check it at home.
Also hear the positive stories from others. My father had a couple of HAs in his late 50's/early 60's. That was 30 years ago. He then had a bypass and no further problems. He lived to 91. A couple of years ago a relative of my wife had a cardiac arrest (HA triggered). He survived, had 3 stents fitted and 15 months later did Ride London: that's a 100 mile cycle ride.
If you aren't yet in the cardio rehab clinic, check back with the cardio team at the hospital and see when you are scheduled. If you are on it, talk to the nurses about the anxiety.
Great information and considerations here, thank you. In answer to your great questions, yes, cardiac rehab have been in touch with me and I start my exercise program with them in the next 3 weeks. I’ve also spoken to a cardiac nurse and have my second appoint next week, which has been very helpful so far.
My HA was classed as a mild to moderate HA with a LFEV now of 40-45%. The reason my HA happened was 30+ years of smoking (quite heavily for the part few years), lack of exercise, being overweight and not looking after myself. I believe theres also a family history of heart problems on my dad’s side.
Since having the HA 7 weeks ago, I’ve not had a cigarette and don’t intend to. I’ve lost 2.5 stone in weight due to changing my diet, and I’m doing around 20 minutes exercise each day. On my last blood test all my results for liver function, kidney function, thyroid, cholesterol etc had all improved, although my blood sugar still needs some work.
It’s reassuring to hear about your family members who’ve lived long healthy lives after their HA events and thank you for sharing this.
I know from first experience that anxiety can be very hard to live with.
On the other hand, it's probably had a role in helping you to make fundamental lifestyle changes, which others find very difficult or impossible. So well done there.
My psychiatrist once told me "there's a reason anxiety and depression haven't been weeded out of the gene pool".
I was very anxious after my STEMI and five stents fitted last May. My heart attack happened at night in bed, and for the first two weeks afterwards I couldn't go into the bedroom to sleep. I was taking my blood pressure twice a day. However it does get better, and over time, I have now reduced my blood pressure readings to once a week. I do deep breathing exercises when I feel an anxiety attack coming on and try to distract my mind by focusing on something else, like reading or a jig-saw. It seems to work for me. A heart attack is a very traumatic experience on your body, but sadly, there is little support for the effects it has on your mental health from the NHS. I hope things improve for you with time. Good luck.
I'm 3yrs post HA, with 2 stents. I too ended up measuring my bp and pulse numerous times a day. If either was raised I'd take again half hr or so later and they would be higher re stress n anxiety. A proper vicious circle. I wrote a note to myself..."leave this new toy alone", put it with the bp machine in a drawer and left it alone. I take my bp once a month or so. Not easy...took me a few weeks to gradually rid myself of this obsession and realise it is an absolutely silly thing to do and is no help at all. I dont take the average of the 3 readings...I take the 3rd, which almost certainly will be the lowest. I take first thing in morning only, before I have my first cup of coffee or tea and before I start activities. Good luck.
I’m a very placid person take things in my stride. (64 yr old)
Meds have made me anxious especially suddenly waking up at night really anxious can’t get back to sleep/comfortable even gets to he stage where I feel I’m having a panic attack. Yes can get obsessed with checking Bp and heart rate at times.
After 16 months 4 failed surgeries 8 failed heart drugs silent HA. Surgery again in 2 weeks. Im not worried. What happens happens nothing you can do with the past. Try to eat healthy. Lee busy and active when possible. What will be will be and worrying will only make matters worse.
I have to ask the question what are my longterm prospects as my options are fast running out. My cardiologists try to avoid the answer and stay possitive. 2 weeks ago while back in hospital yet again, as a last resort they could cut they could cut he electrical circuit to my heart and fit a pacemaker. 15 months ago it scared the hell out of me my life would come to end. 3 months later again while back in hospital I asked to speak with someone about pacemaker. A surgeon who fitted pacemakers spent over an hour of her time when she finished surgery explaining all my tests/results and answered all my questions and concerns. After I felt yes I could live with that. All you read about do s and don’ts on the official sites are done to cover themselves.
Yes theres caution but not an extreme as you read. I’ve the worlds smallest most efficient wireless cardiac monitor injected in my chest since Aug last year just the same precautions but not been a problem. I’m a builder and it’s not stopped me from construction/plastering. Although the meds have as they make me so fatigued and light headed.
Make the most of what you’ve got while you still have it. Panicking will not help. Yes it can get me down. I Get over it and move on.
I’m so sorry to hear what you personally have been through and I hope you get everything sorted so that you can move on with your life and be as healthy as you can be. You’re right, what will be will be and I guess compared to a lot of people on this forum, I’m in a lot better place and should be thankful for that. I guess most of us on here who have experienced some sort of heart issue are or were concerned with how they feel or felt at the time, and this is a great place to hear other people’s advice and stories.
They say on the terms of the website not to ask for advice as we are all different and not physicians.
It’s interesting hearing other experiences.
It can give you hope and you are not alone.
Despite my problems I’m here if you need a chat or an ear to bend. Sharing can help. A good support team around you is always good and don’t be afraid to talk about it. Yes my wife if sick and tired of hearing me but it helps me 🤣😂🤣
David Spiegelhalter defined anxiety as the absence of data about the future. Seems to me you're trying to fill the gap in your vision of the future with data. The problem is that you're getting more data, not better data, and that's not helping. If you're still getting counselling, talk about it with the professional. If it's a CBT type of counselling, remember that you need to keep doing the exercises your counsellor suggests, and to keep refreshing your CBT.
To answer your question in a direct yet compassionate way i would say yes you're obsessing and I say this with direct experience as I have done this too and still have periods where I 'relapse' into doing it again, even if i get a good BP reading <120 <80 I almost don't believe it and so do another one, it's exhausting, annoying and the psychology is new and baffling to me i would say be kind to yourself but I would be a bit of a hypocrite because i too still have days when I'm obsessed with 'not being fixed' indeed actually being worse as a result of my procedure, no amount of reassurance can seem to convince me I'm on a path to recovery. So there would seem a fairly common theme that anxiety and worry post HA are actually pretty normal and understandable though that's little comfort I guess. I think some pyschological support would be needed to get you through this period. For me I have CBT and also exercise is a proactive stress buster that has proven multiple benefits for me certainly.
I love your honesty and you are right, I am obsessed with taking my bp although, today I’ve told myself not to do it and so far I haven’t, normally at this point in the day I’d have already checked it around 6 times, so hopefully I can conquer this obsession which I know feeds my anxiety.
I need to get to a place where I tell myself what will be, will be, however I need to live my life and try and not think the worst all of the time. I’m sure over time I’ll get there.
I’m not that different to you buddy. I’m a retired policeman who now works for the ambulance service. 3 days before Christmas I had a heart attack with a stent inserted to my RCA as it was 100% blocked. My world changed in an instant. I went from being a fit guy who wasn’t scared of anything to be frightened of my own shadow, scarred to not have my GTN on me at any point, obsessing about heart rates and BP on Apple Watches etc. it all got too much……
So, I know everyone deals with HA differently but for me, it helps to talk. I have never spoken to anyone or opened up to things like being scarred and the “what if’s” in the past. I just sucked it up and got on with the job. So, I now pay for a councillor every two weeks and we chat about things, even stuff unconnected with my HA. If I feel anxiousness building, I get the dog and go for a long walk (phone and GTN is at the ready!🤣) I have found many hypnosis podcasts on Spotify that help deal with stress and anxiety which help (I was never a firm believer in that stuff too) or I just cry to release the tension. Yes me, an apparent ruffty tuffty ex copper who could deal with all sorts crying, but it helps. I am no longer ashamed to express my feelings as I have to think of number one and the thought of not being there for my loved ones is scary thought. This attitude has helped me lose 15kg, reassess my whole life and bad habits.
You are not alone is this fight. There will be good days and there will be bad days. When the sun shines, make hay! Treat yourself once in a while and say “I have earnt this”. I still have niggles and twinges in the chest even now but I did have another stent insert in the old vac 7 weeks ago. Depending where you read or get advice from, it all sometimes contradicts itself (stents settle by two weeks or up to 6 months!) You are you and you are unique and a one off. Be yourself. I wish everything you dream about my friend and more.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Blood Pressure and Heart Failure
Can i overcome my ectopic beats
Support with Aortic valve replaced 
Out of breath while walking
Should I be Furloughed? 
