Medical Anxiety/Chronic Stress

So most of you know my story of multiple ablations, failed ablattions, medication complications, etc. I finally had a successful ablation in October 30th and have been so excited and have developed some severe headaches/migraines post ablation. I feel like I may be suffering from some medical anxiety/PTSD if you will. Have any of you experienced that? I feel hyper vigilant and hyper focused in medical things and I am recognizing it, but not sure what to do or how long it will take to re-adjust. Any thoughts? Experiences? I am so haply to have a normal rhythm, feel miserable with the headaches, but need to get back to a normal existence.

Is this normal?

It's entirely possible, Megan. Now that you are feeling more secure, it might be time to contract with a psychotherapist or a 'healer' if you prefer, perhaps a psychiatrist, and enlist that person's help in getting you over the hump. It's often money well spent anyway because you may learn something about yourself that you have suppressed, but that is constantly struggling to see the light of day. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR are two techniques that may help you to get over the trauma of all you have endured.

Is it normal? I'd have to assume that it IS normal...for you. It might no be how fear or anxiety, or simple exhaustion, manifests in me, but in you, that's as real as a sunrise.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2024 04:46PM by gloaming.

Lately with my PVCs I feel the tiptoeing on eggshells that I haven’t experienced since the onset of my afib in 2004. I miss not having a bathtub anymore when soaking and biofeedback would snap me back to normalcy.

Yes I think PTSD is the right description. I may gave PTSD from the war—missiles, sirens, sounds of helicopters and fighter jets. Even the screeching from a motorcycle resembles the beginning high pitch sound of a siren. It has done havoc to my heart and has given me the Willie’s.

You have gone through a lot Megan . I hope with your successful ablation your stress will diminish and could become a distant fading memory.

Quote

Any thoughts

I know an anesthesiologist who runs a ketamine clinic to treat patients exactly like you. If you consider such a treatment, you would need to go to someone with the kind of experience that he has – many years as an anesthesiologist and training in counseling, which happens during the infusion. The ketamine can be administered several ways, though he finds that an IV infusion gives the most control allowing him to adjust the flow according to patient response.I’ve heard from several patients that this was really transformative in overcoming medical PTSD.

[www.medicalnewstoday.com]

The drug is a Schedule III non-narcotic that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for use onlyTrusted Source as a general anesthetic. However, doctors sometimes prescribe it for “off-label” uses, such as depression. Off-label means using the drugs to treat conditions the FDA has not approved.

Some people use ketamine for its hallucinogenic properties. Ketamin can sedate, incapacitate, and cause short-term memory loss, and because of this, some people use it as a date-rape drug.

Quote
susan.d
[www.medicalnewstoday.com]

The drug is a Schedule III non-narcotic that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for use onlyTrusted Source as a general anesthetic. However, doctors sometimes prescribe it for “off-label” uses, such as depression. Off-label means using the drugs to treat conditions the FDA has not approved.

Some people use ketamine for its hallucinogenic properties. Ketamin can sedate, incapacitate, and cause short-term memory loss, and because of this, some people use it as a date-rape drug.

This is why it needs to be administered by a very knowledgeable doctor with a great deal of experience in administering it for conditions like PTSD— someone like an anesthesiologist or ER doctor.

Hi Megan,
Glad you are stabilizing rhythm wise. Maybe time to bring the thoughts and emotions down a notch. I think gloaming is right on mark with his suggestions... all very sound.
Jeff

Quote
Jeff W
Hi Megan,
Glad you are stabilizing rhythm wise. Maybe time to bring the thoughts and emotions down a notch. I think gloaming is right on mark with his suggestions... all very sound.
Jeff

It’s not that easy to bring it down a notch. Afib/flutter etc is an assault on one’s body. It’s PTSD for some. Navigating the ERs is stressful too.

Getting mental health will not work immediately. After my first afib, I was walking on eggshells. I made an appointment to see a social worker. He closed his eyes and started snoring. I had to wake him up but he was in a haze the rest of the session and I was ticked off by having to pay him. Second visit I saw someone else and they gave me a Rx. Who wants to be doped up? So then I took a biofeedback class which calmed me down and allowed me to ride out the wave until I was calmer.