What are emotional effects after a heart attack?

Question

I am a 62 year old woman and had a heart attack two weeks ago which ended with a femoral angioplasty. I came home from the hospital this weekend and I'm finding it difficult to sleep because I am afraid I may not wake up or I will wake up with another heart attack. I am weepy and emotional for not apparent reason. Can someone who has experienced a heart attack and/or heart surgery tell me if this is common? Should I see a doctor about it or will it go away shortly?

Answer 1

Hi felixetal....

You have been through a very traumatic situation. Your life has changed dramatically, literally. I know, I went through it as well. Don't be so hard on yourself. I don't know how anyone could go through what you have and not have it weigh on their mind. I had to learn to look at what happened to me in another light. I was 45 when I had my heart attack and it ended up with me having bypass surgery. Two weeks after the surgery two of the four bypasses they performed collapsed. I have all the same symptoms today that I did prior to the surgery, just not as severe. So I live with the constant reminder of what I have experienced. Key word being live. I live everyday. I refuse to stop living. I know for certain that the day will come that I stop living. In fact, there have been times where when I have gone to bed at night that I didn't know whether or not I would see the next morning. It is scary so I know how you feel. I *choose* to look at each and every day as a gift. Every day is a day that I would not have had without receiving the treatment I did. I only tell you all of this so that you can see you are not alone.

You went through alot. Your body has gone through alot. Your mind is along for the ride my dear. Based on what you have said and how you have said it, I have to ask, have all of your symptoms that you had prior to the angioplasty disappeared? If so that is wonderful. If not then that has got to be weighing on your mind. If they haven't you need to speak with your Cardiologist. Please don't be afraid to do so. You are a strong woman, you've been through the hardest part. Facing the heart attack and facing your own immortality. Anything they throw at you now is workable. Are you on meds, what are they if I may ask? Is it possible that the meds are affecting your emotions? Did the Dr prescribe nitro pills? Are you taking aspirin? I assume you are on Plavix or Clopidogrel or something similar. By the way, if you are taking aspirin just realize that after a period of time it may play havoc with your digestive system. I used Nexium for several months after my surgery to fend off the effects of using aspirin on a regular basis. Now I keep a bottle of Maalox tablets on hand and I also use Pepcid when necessary.

You know what I have in my medicine cabinet that I use as a "security blanket"? Nitroglycerin Transdermal System patches. I only use them when I start having chest pressure that just hangs on and won't go away. Normally within 15 minutes after applying the patch the symptom subsides. Talk to your Cardiologist about them. If for no other reason, just to get you through this time until you can come to terms with what you have experienced. Put one on at night before going to bed. You can wear them for 12 hour periods.

The most important advice my Dr gave me was not to live my life as if I had a heart condition. So I don't. I know I have the problem and I deal with it but I don't dwell on it.

I pray that what I have said here makes sense to you. I don't know of any other way to help you through this. Just know this, you are NOT alone.

Here if I can be of anymore help...
Tammy.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

You're first step is forgiving yourself and her. It doesn't matter who did what or why they did it. For you're own well being you have to forgive it. You can't just snap your fingers and instantly feel how you did in the beginning. Love changes. I think you should talk to her about how you feel. It may scare her, so be sure to tell her you don't want to leave or end it. You just want to try and get those feelings back. And then don't rush it or push it. Just enjoy what happy moments you have now. You can't undo the past and there's no need to dwell over it.

Answer 4

A slight depression you would experience it..my friend is a chef who got a cardiac arrest last year, he won't go out to see his friends and having insecurities now that half of his body is immobile..we were just trying to help him until he accepted his fate and he just put up his own bakery shop to avoid his painstaking ordeal of depression. Try to have a relaxing session with a yoga specialist or go to a beach instead of a psychometrist or psychologist.

Answer 5

Heart disease has many other mind-body connections that you should consider. Prolonged stress due to the pressures at home, on the job, or from other sources can contribute to abnormally high blood pressure and circulation problems. As with many other diseases, the effects vary from person to person. Some people use stress as a motivator while others may “snap” at the slightest issue.

How you handle stress also influences how your cardiovascular system responds. Studies have shown that if stress makes you angry or irritable, you’re more likely to have heart disease or a heart attack. In fact, the way you respond to stress may be a greater risk factor for heart problems than smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Although heart disease is a serious condition that requires constant monitoring, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk for cardiovascular problems and live a full, active life, even if you should suffer a heart attack.

- Talk to your doctor. No two people are alike, and some treatment or risk reduction strategies may be inappropriate or even harmful if you attempt to do too much too quickly.
- Avoid trying to fix every problem at once, if possible. Focus instead on changing one existing habit (e.g., eating habits, inactive lifestyle). Set a reasonable initial goal and work toward meeting it.
- Don't ignore the symptoms of depression. Feelings of sadness or emptiness, loss of interest in ordinary or pleasurable activities, reduced energy, and eating and sleep disorders are just a few of depression’s many warning signs. If they persist for more than two weeks, discuss these issues with your heart doctor. It may be that a psychologist working in collaboration with your physician would be beneficial.
- Identify the sources of stress in your life and look for ways to reduce and manage them. Seeing a professional like a psychologist to learn to manage stress is helpful not only for preventing heart disease, but also for speeding recovery from heart attacks when used along with structured exercise programs and other intensive lifestyle changes.
- Enlist the support of friends, family, and work associates. Talk with them about your condition and what they can do to help. Social support is particularly critical for overcoming feelings of depression and isolation during recovery from a heart attack.
- If you feel overwhelmed by the challenge of managing the behaviors associated with heart disease, consult a qualified psychologist. He or she can help develop personal strategies for setting and achieving reasonable health improvement goals, as well as building on these successes to accomplish other more ambitious objectives. A psychologist can also help clarify the diagnosis of depression and work with the physician to devise a suitable treatment program.

Answer 6

Please see the doctor right away. He can help you. I think it is normal to do as you are doing. If your doctor is good enough, he will be able to help. God be with you.