Anxiety and Medication

[roxdrop]

Good afternoon everyone!

Although I don't have a date set yet for my AVR, I am looking at the week of March 20th, hopefully on the 20th. My job is very stressful right now and I notice my symptoms seem to get worse during the week while I am at work. By noon, I feel like the slightest physical challenge would make me pass out. By the time I leave for the day, my angina and shortness of breath are markedly worse. This ONLY happens at work, and I can spend the weekend moving around and staying active, and I generally don't feel this horrible. (Although I am exhausted much of the time, which has been the case for some time)

I am not too outwardly anxious at this point, but I recognize that my sleep has been disturbed for the past few days. I can't tell if this is related to my stress at work, or the stress of the surgery or both. I worry that it is making my heart work even harder than it is already struggling to do, and the lack of sleep that results makes my exhaustion even worse.

For those of you who experienced anxiety/stress before the surgery, did you take any medications to help with this? Any special relaxation techniques? I need to just tough it out at my job so I don't use up any of my medical leave which I will need for the recovery, but I can't allow my health to be compromised by the stressful situations.

Right now I just need to know if I should call my doctor and ask for something to help with this, or if I should just work on other ways of dealing with it (I prefer to take as few medications as possible) I really appreciate your thoughts!

 

[rbl1999]

Hi, it sounds to me like you need some meds to get you thru til your surgery. My doctor put me on xanax and that really helped.. I had times when I would just feel so panicky and could not sort thru it, also had a hard time sleeping and concentrating. The waiting before is very difficult, definately call your doctor.. All the best Rose

 

[Georgia]

Ditto Rose - was also on xanax prior to surgery. They don't want you to have additional stress on your poor heart. Call today!

The next couple of weeks will be the worst for you. Waiting sucks. You need your rest. If your symptoms are getting worse (and it sounds like they are) you may NEED to be off work. If you have disability insurance through work, you might be better off getting the period of disability tolling now, even tho it'd mean a hit financially.

I know how tough this is; as is said often on this site, valve surgery (and the run-up to it) isn't for wimps. Hang in there.

 

[dj/utvolsfan]

anxiety...me too

anxiety...me too

I am so incredibly worn out. I called Cleveland Clinic today and received a call back a few minutes later with the news that my Dr. Stewart was out until Monday. His secretary suggested I try Benadryl to help me get to sleep. So I am off to the drug store. She said she would have Dr. S. phone something in on Monday.
I am so tired when I get home that I don't think I can do anything besides fall into bed. My body is depleted of all energy, but my brain seems to be running fine. Overtime actually! You know all those thoughts a person has while in the waiting room. I am hoping some sleep meds might help me during the night. I seem to keep myself busy and semi-fully operational during the day.....as far as anxiety goes.
Well I am starting my weekend where I have no plans whatsoever but resting and seeing my daughters. Hope we both can get some relief regarding this pesky anxiety.
Debbi

 

[roxdrop]

Sleeping Pills!

Sleeping Pills!

Thanks to your wise advice, I saw my cardio yesterday and he gave me sleeping pill samples (Ambien). I took one last night and actually slept through the night. I didn't feel "knocked out" the way I feel taking Nyquil, and I don't feel groggy this morning. Hopefuly having had a restful nights sleep will help me get through the functions of my day.

Although- I'm not sure if anyone else experiences this, I find I can only really do one "major" thing a day and that is it. Last weekend I had to bathe my cat, which was WAY too much and I slept all afternoon afterwards. But even going to the grocery store or vacuuming can become the one event per day I am allowed! It seems so odd to me, especially because I am so young and can't chalk it up to "getting older."

Also, the cardiologist recommended I either push my surgery up or take medical leave now to avoid straining my heart further, since I am sure that this is my biggest source of stress right now. I am going to take his advice and make my last day at work Monday, and then start medical leave a little over a week earlier than planned. I think it's the best decision I could have made, even if it means pulling out of my own pocket if my recovery takes longer than 10 weeks. My only concern (echoed by some people in other threads) is that not being at work will be more difficult because I don't have the distraction. I guess this means I will just have to distract myself- this time, with calming, healing things and not a horrible amount of job stress!

I would definitely recommend to anyone else to do whatever it takes to make yourself more comfortable and healthy going into the surgery. I feel like this will pay dividends towards a faster, less complicated recovery.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice!

 

[Georgia]

Good for you, Roxdrop! There are lots of things to do prior to surgery - like shopping and shopping, for instance. Treat yourself - I'm sure you need comfy lounge clothes for recovery; and books and magazines; and dvd's and tapes; and a massage; and get your hair cut (because it's not going to grow for several months after surgery and will fall out some - not like chemo, just a little thinning - and will have poor texture); and a manicure & pedicure. Just those things will keep you busy since you'll need time for naps every time you swipe your credit card!

After I was diagnosed they sent me home for a couple of weeks to get me on medication and try to get my heart working better prior to surgery. We went to Lazyboy for a recliner, and trying out all of those recliners totally wiped me out. It was embarrassing - my husband had to do the purchasing and I was lolling on a couch. An hour of shopping was literally all I could do at that point.

Treat yourself kindly this week - you deserve it.

 

[aussigal]

Good on you Rox...
I had an answer all ready for you but when I scrolled down...I saw that you had already decided enuf was enuf...

wise choice...you will be thankful you decided to take a little pre-surgery time off as well I am sure...

all the very best

 

[blessed1416]

Good for you!!

Good for you!!

Roxdrop,
Bless you, I know this decision was a tough one, but waiting is amazingly difficult. Now you can focus on preparing for surgery and getting it all over with. Please keep us posted!

 

[Glenda]

Roxdrop, waiting is the hardest. My doctor gave me Paxil two weeks before my heart surgery because I tend to have situational depression after surgeries so I was prepared, and after my AVR I didn't have any problems at all. I am still on Ambien. I can't seem to sleep without it. I can get to sleep but I dont' stay asleep. Any little thing wakes me up and then I'm up for the rest of the night so I pop that little white pill every night. I mentioned it to the doctor and he said not to worry about it, I needed my sleep worse than I needed to worry about taking the pill.

I'm so glad that you took time off from your job. Work can be so stressfull. Now, relax, read, take long walks, long bubble baths and pray. It will be over before you know it. Please let us know how things go.