4 Years

Laggard · Jun 24, 2016

4 years ago this week I had my mitral valve repaired. Recovery was suprisingly quick and easy.

However, mentally I have never really felt quite the same since. A bit more generalized anxiety, a bit more depression but mostly just feeling sorta off if that makes any sense.

Anyone else deal with this?

honeybunny · Jun 25, 2016

Ive not had that exact issue but if your diagnosis was out of,the blue, the shock that you needed OHS may have brought about a feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have dealt with anxiety most of my adult life and take an antidepressant and anti-anxiety meds. Not saying you need to do the same, just sharing. Perhaps you can talk with a therapist if the anxiety grows worse and interferes with your life.

Zoltania · Jun 25, 2016

There was an excellent thread about post-surgery anxiety started by Workmonkey a while ago:

http://www.valvereplacement.org/foru...urgery-anxiety

This is such a huge thing for someone to go through; it's no surprise that the experience changes you, for both better and worse. If you had never had any serious health problems before, now you're more aware of what can happen and may have lost some blissful innocence.

Capizzi · Jun 28, 2016

I have two years behind me now after a mitral repair. I figure the mental agitation and stress I feel is pretty much the way it is going to stay. I look forward each day to retreat to a cool, quiet, darkish room. Feeling off can go to feeling overwhelmed. I have a number of ways to deal with this now. My co-workers and family are very considerate.

How are you coping with this anxiety?

Zoltania · Jun 30, 2016

I recently read a book called "Treating Health Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach," by Dr. Steven Taylor, which was helpful. There are also techniques like mindfulness meditation which can help, as can just talking to other people about it. Last weekend I had dinner with a friend of mine who just completed radiation therapy for prostate cancer, and it was great to be able to talk about things like fatigue and anxiety with someone who can relate.

As Workmonkey said in the thread that I linked to earlier, some coping aids are "books, online resources, meditation, talk therapy and of course this forum." [h=1][/h]