I Feel Like I Have PTSD

Absolutel been there and have recovered - 8 months since Sparky

by MartyP - 2018-01-24 10:11:37

73 Year Male - I've been through it all and it has come to an end.  There are some of things I've learned....

Anxiety and Depression – For me it hit pretty hard. At the beginning, I napped a lot and felt just lousy. I would tell my wife my head was “fuzzy”. It was hard to feel “OK” with myself, particularly in the mornings. I went to my GP and after talking with him, we decided to start taking an anti-depressant, in my case the 50 mg Zoloft generic. I had been on it for about 3 weeks and it started to take off the lows but not enough, for me there are some side effects, some can be troublesome, but make sure you ask your doctor about what you might experience. I’ve also started seeing a psychologist, he’s 82 and I love him!  I knew from past experiences they could help me through the next few weeks / months until I’m fully OK with myself.  ------ So lesson learned – if you are anxious and or depressed, see a psychologist and/or psychiatrist; they are better prepared to help then a GP. Your body has changed, your life has changed, it will pass, but you may need some help until it does, there is no shame, it’s usually just a chemical imbalance in your brain.

Panic and Hyperventilation – My grandson was leaving for college the next morning for the first time and we are very close. Family dinner was at our house and I started to feel dizzy and week and my heart was pounding. Went to bed and started to hyperventilate – wow that was no fun at all, couldn’t catch my breath. Called 911 and back to the hospital. A whole bunch of tests, but nothing found. I asked for a psychiatric consult and met this wonderful psychiatrist. He upped the Zoloft to 150 mg along with Ativan for breakthru depression and anxiety (only a few days I took the Ativan).  Within  about three weeks I got my life back.  I'll be on the Zoloft till about March to make sure the depression doesn't return and then begin to ween off over a few weeks.

The docs don't tell you about the potential side effects of getting a PM.  Some people just don't have our kind of reaction and some like us, go into the dark hole. 

Get help now, don't wait, it will pass !!

Not sure if this next though makes sense for you .... OCD and FitBit's – Yup, it can happen. For me, I started checking my blood pressure and heart rate many times a day, some days 10 or 20 times  or more.  I created a spreadsheet to track the data. Everyone told me not to do it, but I did it anyway. I got the FitBit and the information is very detailed. It lets me know when Sparky was pacing and for how long, pulse history, sleep patterns, etc. Should I have gotten it? No way! NO WAY !!!! Last time I say my electropsyosist (EP) I gave it to her and was glad to get rid of it. ----- So lesson learned – if you have OCD tendencies, you may want to stay away from FitBit’s and things like it.

Finally, you are alive, not dead. Your family cares about you  and you care about them. For me, I’m grateful that the problem has been found and that the Sparky will keep me alive. Am I still fearful, sure, once in a while, but I know now that there are many years ahead and that when it’s time for me to go, it will be for something other than my heart simply deciding to have an “electrical short” and stop.

Keep in touch ... "We know a thing or two becuase we've seen a thing or two"

Marty

PTSD

by Gotrhythm - 2018-01-24 14:18:32

How you feel is how you feel. Silly doen't really have anything to do with it.

It ceratinly isn't silly to get help when you need it. Silly, is not getting help when you're having trouble coping on you own.

I'd suggest looking for someone who specializes in anxiety or panic disorders, but for sure, find someone who can help you deal with this. 

It can be a traumatic experience

by Theknotguy - 2018-01-24 23:06:30

Was walking down the pet trail with the two dogs.  Turned the corner to go on the exit trail.  Everything started to go black. Woke up six days later from a coma with a pacemaker.  So, yes, it can be a traumatic experience.  

I think it was nine months before I walked across the parking lot without thinking about my pacemaker.  Everything revolved around my heart issues.  

I saw a psychologist who specialized in traumatic experiences.  She helped a lot.  As the other person said, how you feel is how you feel.  Don't apologize. 

One thing to remember is that even though things seem bad now, you do have a positive hope for the future.  I spent the first year trying to figure out what was happening and, as I said, the psychologist helped a lot.  Now, four years later, it's hard to remeber how I felt then.  

I hope you are able to get help soon. 

me too

by PhilUK - 2018-01-29 06:59:28

 I had a tough time suddenly finding myself "fitted" with a pacemaker at 47. 

 I felt terrible when they released me from ICU but kept quiet as I simply wanted to go home after 15 days in there. 

  For months I struggled with dizziness, numbness in my head arms and legs. I had huge flushing sensations in my head and struggled to let anyone know as I am a man and we tend to keep these things to ourselves. Little by little I managed to get back up on my feet. At first I could not walk far with my dog but kept pushing. It took me a while but I am back to where I was before the issue and loving life again.

   I think I am just trying to put across that some of us do suffer after the implant, it is a shock mentaly.  

    You are not alone, keep the questions coming. Some fantastic people on here.

      Phil

Your story and mine are very similar

by inbanco - 2018-02-01 23:38:16

I too collapsed at work and ended up in emergency, where i had a few more pauses through out the night.

I also ended up with a two wire pacemaker that is apparantly doing a great job. And phsyically i'm fine, but mentally im not well. Much the same as you.

But finding this forum has helped me so thankyou.