PTSD after OHS

[paulwk]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm wondering how many people had PTSD after OHS, heart attacks or other heart procedures. I myself had a severe case last time. And it's something that I fear the most about another surgery. Because it took a lot of time and work to get over it.

I also feel like it's more an after thought by medical staff, rather then treated like a real issue. The doctors just want to get you through the surgery alive, but then your kind of left on your own in the following weeks and months. At least that's my perception.

 

[Bina]

when I was released from hospital post op I was warned about depression, but not about anxiety, or the nearly
complete nervous breakdown. No psycho meds and I am still here living one day at a time. YAY

 

[catwoman]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm wondering how many people had PTSD after OHS, heart attacks or other heart procedures. I myself had a severe case last time. And it's something that I fear the most about another surgery. Because it took a lot of time and work to get over it.

I also feel like it's more an after thought by medical staff, rather then treated like a real issue. The doctors just want to get you through the surgery alive, but then your kind of left on your own in the following weeks and months. At least that's my perception.

How do you describe PTSD in contrast to depression, which is not uncommon post-OHS?

 

[Lynlw]

If you are concerned and have a history or PTSD, have you considered talking to your doctor now before surgery?

 

[paulwk]

Hi everyone,

Depression is pretty common after OHS. But PTSD is usually felt days, weeks or even months after a traumatic event. The event could be combat, a bad car crash, assautl, or major surgery where your life is on the line. It's marked by depression, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, feelings of detachment, lack of interest in normal activities, sense of having no future and bunch of other feelings. Someone could have two or three of these symptoms, or all of them. Usually people with a history of depression or anxiety are more prone to it. But almost anyone can suffer from it. The key is social support and healthy living to overcome it. This cancer surgeon wrote a book after suffering from it after OHS - here's an interview with he and his wife.

 

[paulwk]

If you are concerned and have a history or PTSD, have you considered talking to your doctor now before surgery?

Yep, I'll talk to him but there isn't really any way to avoid it. It's how you cope after the event that dictates how long and severe the PTSD will be. I know more now then I did before even my second OHS. I know things get better, so hopefully next time I can be better prepared and do things differently.

 

[Bryan B]

You know Paul I was going to bring this up as a separate topic (and I might still do that) but the last few days (4 weeks after post-op) I have had some depression. I can deal with that as I have a history of periodic depression. But the last few days have been different. I have had insomnia, bad dreams (not nightmares), mostly reliving both of my surgeries. My first surgery, and the whole stretch that led to my endocarditis that led to my first surgery. This spans over 10 years and I should at least be over everything but the most recent surgery. But the most recent surgery has seemed to spawn something in my brain to start thinking about all of the events leading up to this surgery.

All I can say is if it gets to be too much see someone about it. I think mine is a temporary thing until I can get out of the house more (weather crappy and calling for possible snow in NC today :eek2. I think part of the problem is when I lay down to go to bed I can hear my heart pounding even though I have a tissue valve...but I also have an aortic root and ascending aorta dacron graft. My BP and heart rate is great but when I lay in bed hearing it beat away, instead of drifting off to sleep it starts making me thing about all of the things that got me to this point.

Sorry for going on a rant but your topic hit a nerve. I probably need to start a separate topic and link this one to it.

 

[Mentu]

Paul, my family Doctor talked to me about this 6 weeks before my AVR and suggested a book that could help begin preparation.

Coping With Heart Surgery and Bypassing Depression: A Family's Guide to the Medical, Emotional, and Practical Issues

She also recommended that I begin using an antidepressant prior to surgery in order to be proactive. Her recommendation was that I follow a combination of things. One of those was to begin taking the medication but she also thought that the strategies suggested in "Coping with Heart Surgery" would help. She also advocated finding a support group with which I could share my experiences. Her concerns for me were chiefly based upon our discussion relating to the depression I experienced following my Father's death.

I did start taking medication 6 weeks before surgery so that the drug had time to become effective. Also, I found the book very helpful in several ways since it deals not only with one's mental preparation but with some of the very practical issues surrounding surgery. As for the support group, I gave my doctor a tour of VR and she was most impressed. I can say that it seems to have worked because I did not experience the kind of deep depression I knew from the past that really interfered with my life.

So, Paul, I think I might disagree with you that nothing can be done before surgery. Just by raising the issue here and talking about it, you have already begun.

Larry
Tulsa

 

[CanoeBob]

I don't know whether it was full blown PTSD with me after surgery, but after my first 6 weeks post op, I felt too much precious energy was being spent trying to remain calm, go through the changes that I had to do in recovery, get over what happened and move on with life. Emotional balance was very elusive til I got on anti depressant/anxiety medication. Post op depression, however much I tried to deny it to myself was very real and it has worked out very well after doing something about it. Its another temporary messure for recovery I keep telling myself.

Bob

 

[spartangator]

Wow, Larry, what a forward-looking surgeon you had! That sounds like excellent care and some excellent strategies for dealing with those post-surgery concerns everyone's acknowledging.

 

[paulwk]

Thank you for posting Larry. I'm going to get that book. I'm very happy it worked for you and it gives me hope.

My symptoms started decreasing once I found a good therapist to talk to. I'm actually calling his office later to schedule an appointment with him.

I do have the knowledge that things get better, as you know. As a matter of fact there really isn't a choice. Eventually things get better.

 

[paulwk]

Larry, It's good to talk to some one. An objective listener can be a great help, as they can look at the situation from a non-personal standpoint. My therapist gave me great suggestions, but was really just a good, non-judgmental, listener.

On a side not, I like your profile pic. We are fostering a standard white poodle until a permanent home can be found for her. My wife and I love poodles. But she picks on our small dogs too much.

 

[Bryan B]

Larry, It's good to talk to some one. An objective listener can be a great help, as they can look at the situation from a non-personal standpoint. My therapist gave me great suggestions, but was really just a good, non-judgmental, listener.

On a side not, I like your profile pic. We are fostering a standard white poodle until a permanent home can be found for her. My wife and I love poodles. But she picks on our small dogs too much.

To take the thread further off track lol...I have a 13 and a half year old black standard poodle. I have owned several dogs...loved them all...but Abby has been the best of them all. She is actually a very good therapist and listener herself.

As far as her picking on the small dogs she is probably just trying to establish that she is going to be the alpha dog of the group. Dogs will even try to do that with humans so you have to let them know in no uncertain terms that YOU are the alpha "dog" lol.

BTW that is her in my avatar about 4 weeks after my first surgery.

 

[csutherland]

I was really nervous before Jerry's AVR as he is naturally a nervous, anxious person and did go through a serious period of depression 7 yrs before his surgery. Medication made short work of that episode, then a year later his mom died. Since she was 102 yrs old he realized she had lived a full, productive life and easily let her go. He passed the AVR test with flying colors, too. Maybe he's one of those people who lets the little things get him down but is able to cope with the big things.

 

[paulwk]

Sorry Bryan, I called you Larry instead of Bryan.

The female poodle we are fostering actually attacked our female dog(bichon frise) the other night, causing deep puncture wounds in her back. It was only over a small toy. Our vets said she will probably do it again, next maybe in the neck or leg, and that she needs to either be in a house with large neutered males, or better yet, no dogs at all.

She is very alpha female. I have a strong hand with her and she obeys me, but I can't watch the dogs constantly.

It's just a female/female dog thing. They always seem to have the worse fights.

 

[Bryan B]

I was really nervous before Jerry's AVR as he is naturally a nervous, anxious person and did go through a serious period of depression 7 yrs before his surgery. Medication made short work of that episode, then a year later his mom died. Since she was 102 yrs old he realized she had lived a full, productive life and easily let her go. He passed the AVR test with flying colors, too. Maybe he's one of those people who lets the little things get him down but is able to cope with the big things.

Wow Paul that is shocking to me because my sister has had 4 black standards over the years (she gave me Abby as a surprise Christmas present). Two have passed away and she has two now. All have always gotten along, and while they don't romp around with Abby as much as with each other they have accepted her. Now my niece has two non-poodle dogs and one of them is very mean to the poodles and especially Abby, I guess because he doesn't see her as much as the other two. There is no way we can keep those two in the same room. Sorry to hear that it is more serious. As a foster dog she might have gone through a more traumatic life which has caused this behavior. It sounds like she needs to find a home without other dogs and probably a fenced in yard to run around in or owners willing to walk her and play with her regularly. Standard Poodles are very active dogs and need regular exercise to keep them happy and free from boredom. She may have not gotten that over the years and has some "dog issues" from it.

 

[paulwk]

I didn't think she would actually, seriously, attack our dogs either. And what's weird is that we have a fenced yard she runs in, I play fetch with her and I walk her. So to me it is an alpha issue. Plus she's super attached to me and I'm sure she sees the little dog as competition for attention.

The good news is that a couple in their 50's, no kids in the home, with one big neutered lab wants her. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed they like her.

 

[esvaja]

POODLE TALK

I'm so sad but so glad to hear about standard poodles. We had to euthanize our Bear, a black jumbo standard poodle last February 2010. I had him cremated & he's now on my china cabinet & under the dogwood tree I planted in his honor. I drove around with him for days in my car (he loved to ride in the car) til I could deal with it.

Daiva