anxiety

June 13, 2000

Hi Amy,

I am a counselor and an ICD recipient. Anxiety is really a normal part of

the process. When it starts affecting how we go about our daily activities,

it is important to see someone who understands both. We experience

post-traumatic stress disorder which presents itself with anxiety,

hypervigilance/arousal, insomnia, irritability, preoccupation with the event.

Some of us get over it sooner than others. It can also affect us down the

road a while after our 'incident.' You may be able to ask your EP about a

local therapist who may help you. Or, a local psychiatrist, who may be able

to prescribe a medication that will help you, is not addictive and won't

effect your current cardiac medications. We are not crazy, we are just

experiencing normal reactions to severe life-threatening illnesses. Anxiety

increases and decreases with our illness. (i.e. If we get zapped, If we

don't get zapped, etc.) Talking with others is very helpful. I had a

therapist for awhile right after my SCD and I knew what was happening. I

will always recommend the zapchats on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are

other chats on the web as well. Feeling 'normal' and not alone goes a long

way toward healing.

Take care of yourself,

Beth

______________

Look for Beth's Listening Hearts Mall at www.calypso.com/listeningheartsmall

June 13, 2000

yes--I find that sitting down,meditation,and engaging in

activities--including work--helps a lot. Also a good psychiatrist

with ana cardiology and internal medicine background helps a great deal.

Anxiety

Hi everyone...

Does anybody else experience anxiety attacks?

Amy

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June 14, 2000

All:

For most of my life I never suffered from anything resembling anxiety, but

in the early 1990's there were a number of family crises at the same time

that the Postal Service (in the form of an evil postmaster) decided to go

after me, knowing full well that I had a major cardiac history. The Postal

Service failed to do me any harm at work, but I wound up with a prescription

for Xanax (1 or 2 a day as needed) which I only occasionally (a couple of

times a month) took. The Postal Service, in spite of its decent salaries

and fine benefit package, is no longer the good employer it once was. It's

good to be retired and out of there.

When I received my AICD I experienced a greater intolerance of stress, and

now probably take my Xanax once a week. It works fine. I do not believe

that my anxiety is at all caused by my implant or even the cardiac

conditions I have. I think that it is the aforementioned intolerance of

stress, and that, in everyday life, is not completely manageable.

Over the past forty-five years or so, I have been using humor, jokes, puns

and the like, to moderate my moods, and it has been successful. I use

sarcasm instead of anger when and where I can. (A side benefit is that

people will listen to a sarcastic rmark more than they will something that's

shouted in anger.) Also having faced my own mortality in 1985 (I wasn't

supposed to see 1986.), it's a lot easier not to get as upset with the

everyday frustrations of life. It's nice to be able to go through life and

smell the bicycle seats. (Just joking. Wanted to see if you were paying

attention.)

Hope this is of some help.

Bill

June 14, 2000

Beth:

Your message helped me. I now know that others have the same anxieties and

we found that working together as a family helps.

Take care.

Phyllis

Anxiety

Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 17:33:28 EDT