anxiety attacks/sleep

I have noticed a few people have mentioned in their postings that they have experienced anxiety attacks. Were these present before the PM was implanted? How do you deal with them now? Also, because my heart tends to skip beats while I am sleeping, I wake up severeal times during the night. This lack of sleep does not help my physical and emotional situation. Has anyone found a way to sleep through the PM firings at night?
Thank you all for your help,
Brendaa

4 Comments

waking up

by dgknecht - 2007-10-01 03:10:08

brenda,
i don't have the anxiety problem, but i have a PM for the same reason, i.e. heart stopping during sleep or low activity. i remember when i first got the PM i would be dozing on the couch and jump, i swore it was the PM firing but the cardio said it was just my body getting used to the PM, and it did quit after several weeks.

ANXIETY --- ME TOO

by rancho60 - 2007-10-01 06:10:43

Hi Brenda -- I have only had my PM for 3 weeks and starting to feel well EXCEPT for the anxiety panic attacks...... I had them a couple of years ago prior to finding out about my condition which required a PM. Now all of a sudden those horible panic attacks have surfaced again. Out of the blue --- and it seems to be when I am alone more than any other time. Well, I refuse to have them! I am going for accupuncture this week. I tried it a couple of years ago and it really helped my problems. All that time I was blaming it on something else - actually I think it must have been this underlying condition all the time. I am really try to ride threw this - and place only positive thoughts in my head. It is hard to do! but I think surely there is other ways to control them without this mind bending drugs. Hang in there, I hate to say this, but I'm glad I am not the only one experiencing this panic attacks.

Good luck to you! God bless you, just take it one day at a time.

R. in Georgia

Hi

by randrews - 2007-10-01 11:10:24

I have had my pm for 6 months now. After getting my pm I had the first panic attack I ever had. After that one I had some small ones. I began taking medication and seeing a counselor. The medication got me back to work and the counselor has helped me understand what is going on and that has helped alot. He used the Cognative Behavioral Therapy framework. Now I'm easing myself off the medication. I think a couple things are key. One is to understand and believe that physically we are ok. That we understand what the pm does and doesn't do. I also think it's critical to stay rested and healthy in order to keep our emotions even.
I sure hope you feel better. Talk with those who care and seek out pleasures.
Take care,
Rusty

Anxiety

by Vicki - 2007-10-01 12:10:00

Hi Brendaa,
Yep, I have them from time to time but not as badly as in the past. I now believe that a lot of my anxiety was a direct result of heart related problems. You just made a light bulb go off in my head. I wake up numerous times during the night too. Sometimes my heart feels strange, the beat that is. Never associated the waking up with skipped or rapid beats.

To answer your question, I have had anxiety problems for the past 20 years or so. No fun. I have gone through counseling and biofeedback to try to remedy them. I have bought books and even attended some lectures to help me deal with anxiety. I have noticed that since the PM they seem to be less...maybe it's all in my head..don't know. I do have on hand an anti-anxiety medication to take if I need it. It's my security blanket in my pocket book.

Take care,
Vicki

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