High Anxiety

It's been a while since I have been on site.
I am 64 years old in pretty good health considering
My pacemaker history: 20 years 100% paced on my fourth pacer
I have had 6 ablations for afib/flutter
After each ablation I would be OK (in sinus rhythm) for up to one year but each time Afib - Aflutter would come back.
I am done with ablations. I figure there is not much left of my upper chambers as I have been burned as high as 90 times during these procedures.
I am back in flutter right now and with that comes a lot of anxiety. I mean panic attack anxiety. I feel alone and ashamed that I cannot control my emotions. I am not sure what to do. I just went through 2 days of hell.
I do take Xanax .25 mg once a day. This seems to help some.
I am wondering if I am the only one with such high anxiety for so long and what others doing to fight this.
Any information would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

2 Comments

Xanax

by Roys - 2014-03-05 08:03:12

Hi: Xanax is one of the Benzodianzepines, you don't say how long you have been on it? But you should not be longer than 2 weeks, or you will become dependent. The risk of dependence is significant, and the symptoms of withdrawal can last up to one year. As I found out!
Cheers Roy

a-fib

by Theknotguy - 2014-03-05 08:03:41

I can understand your feeling about a-fib and a-flutter. Was in a-flutter for over a month - not fun. Being in a-fib or a-flutter all the time would be depressing.

Question is if you are on any medications for a-fib? You don't say.

They usually can't stop my a-fib with a cardioversion so they have to let me go on my own and hope I can convert by myself. To help, they have me on two medications - Cardizem and Metoprolol. The medications don't stop my a-fib but they do slow it down to where it's tolerable.

With my PM they can increase the medication to where it would almost stop my heart. The pacemaker steps in and keeps my heart going. This really reduces the impact of a-fib. The method they use is called "Rate Control". (Versus rhythm control.) Maybe rate control would be an option for you?

Another question is if your Medtronics has an a-fib setting? Mine has the APP (Atrial Preference Pacing) setting. While my EP said the jury is still out on APP he also said it wouldn't hurt to turn it on. Mine has been turned on for a month and it seems to have helped reduce the number of a-fib sessions. Medtronics has another setting that can be used for a-fib but I'm not familiar with it and don't know it's name. Perhaps that would be another option?

If your Medtronics doesn't have the APP software perhaps it can be downloaded onto your version of PM?
Something to discuss with your EP.

I hope I've given you some options on your a-fib problem.

Theknotguy

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