Heart Attack Support Group
Heart attack is a serious, sudden heart condition usually characterized by varying degrees of chest pain or discomfort, weakness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and arrhythmias, sometimes causing loss of consciousness. It occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted, causing death and scarring of the local heart tissue.
Hi I'm new here although I belong to other groups on DS. I was 34 when I had my heart attack but I am 39 now and I have made a full recovery and do all the normal things I did before. Although I have rushed to the ER twice over the last 3 years thinking I was having another. Only to be told that it was just anxiety. Just wondering if anyone else is dealing with anxiety/ panic attacks?
I had a MI in mid December 2010, & went to hospital twice by ambulance in the 10 days after being discharged.
The first time for shortness of breath, the second for a similar issue (but I think was mostly anxiety).
So yes, anxiety is definitely an issue for me. I don't have the perspective to know if this will continue to an ongoing problem, but the paramedics/hospital staff said that if there is any doubt, get yourself to hospital.
I have a prescription for lorazepam, which I have used for:
1. my first full day back at work; and
2. the first longish drive in rush hour traffic.
If the anxiety comes back, my doctor has given me the name of a good counselor.
If you read some of the other threads, anxiety/depression is a common undercurrent. While my cardiologist seems technically competent, he didn't want to deal with anxiety issues.
Luckily my family doctor is very empathetic; she gave me the referral to the counselor.
Jay
Yepper, I used to have ferocious panic attacks. Signed on witha therapist and buried my nose in the web to learn all I could. I also suffer from deppression which I take a really fine medication Buproprion (Wellbutran). Depression is a rarified disease need ing medication. I found with anxiety and panic, it is a state of mind, a real fear of an irrational thought process. I was prescribed Xanex type benzodiazapines. They put me in lala land. When I would have a panic attack, i would tale a pill. The panic attack would be over before the pill kicked in and then I would be dopey for 6-8 hrs. So I faced those irrational fears with practice and coping therapy and faced them down until I wasn't affected anymore. So even tho the feasrs to me were real, in reality it was all in my head and I just had to retrain my head. RTook a while but I got there eventually. Heart attack survivors don't need anxiety to compoung their weak hearts. That could be enough stress to cause the "Big One". Good luck at your anxiety / panic situation. It can be overcome without medications if you really put your whole mind body and soul into it.
Best Regards,
Just Joe