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Depression after pacemaker surgery
I had never in my life had a problem with my heart until one day I was at the pediatrician with my 2 children for checkups and felt light headed and just didnt feel right. My husband said that I didnt have a good color and looked very different. I know all the nurses there well, so they told me to go straight to the ER when they couldnt get a good blood pressure on me. I have so many other health problems, I said, I would, but continued to go home. As I started to get out of my car, my husband saw that I could not get out. So, he took me to the ER. My pulse was around 12 beats per minute. The shot something into my veins to make the pulse go up but it immediately went down again. They made me wait 4 whole days to have the pacemaker put in, for fear of it bothering me about my "looks" of my breasts! They told me when it was finally time that I would be put to sleep with some medication before that to help me to relax. I GOT NOTHING! I FELT EVERYTHING! I WAS IN TOTAL SHOCK! I tried to let the nurses know the pain I was in, as I was screaming to the top of my lungs, but their response was that 90 yr old people have this done all the time and never make a sound. Since then, I just feel useless, worthless, like I am good for nothing at all. I hurt all the time. And when I tell them this, they check the pacemaker and say that everything is just fine, they see no problems with the pacemaker at all. Is it normal to have depression after something like this? I am on depression meds but they do not seem to work at all. I've had my pacemaker now for almost 4 years.
I knew months before I needed a pacemaker, but my sister was dying from cancer so that was my first though to help her through. When that was over it still wasn't something I was ready for but after passing out I got threatened by the Dr he would request they take my drivers license away. I went and got it done. Nightmare time. I got some med that made me so sick I thought I was dying. Couldn't eat for days since then food just doesn't interest me at all. I am depressed have been for a few months going down lower all the time. I think my sister dying and my heart problem it was just to much for me to handle at this point I am pretty much house bound, I don't want to go anywhere or do anything. I am really worried since I know this isn't me that I used to be. To know depression can come from having a pacemaker helps me to understand I need to see my Dr and talk about this.
I know this is a really old post, but I'll tell you what the problem PROBABLY is. That medication to "relax" you? I am willing to bet money that it was a brain poison called Versed. It's supposed to cause AMNESIA! Bet they didn't tell you that! With Versed they can leave you screaming and not care on iota about it. The idea is "too damn bad for you if you didn't get amnesia." Versed caused the same syptoms you describe for me and many others. The only drug that helped me even a little bit was Lexapro. Versed is a very bad drug and nearly everybody in the medical field loves it so much that they make any kind of excuse for your problem, anything other than their Versed.
also, you may want to google pacemaker & icd support groups and join one that the members have went through what you've gone through with your PM/ICD (if you have both)
I'm a member of a pm/icd group [icd support group org] that is great - there's people from every age & stage of life. They have so much information and support for what we're dealing with, they have been a real help in the past few months for me.
I'm a member of a pm/icd group [icd support group org] that is great - there's people from every age & stage of life. They have so much information and support for what we're dealing with, they have been a real help in the past few months for me.
I'm not a dr or even know alot about PTSD, so does every person who has it act the same way? Does it make every person not able to cope and not able to able to function at all, or are there different levels of affecting people such as depression does?
I've read some about it and talked to my dr, she's the one who suggested I had a mild case of it, but it seems complex.
The National Institute of Mental Health - says people who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger and it can can cause many symptoms. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating. [which is what happened with me; along with nightmares a few days after surgery]
Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD [this is what I was referring to with PTSD syndrome I think I had]. When the symptoms last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, they might be PTSD.
To be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have all of the following for at least 1 month:
At least one re-experiencing symptom
At least three avoidance symptoms
At least two hyperarousal symptoms
Symptoms that make it hard to go about daily life, go to school or work, be with friends, and take care of important tasks.
I'm not sure, but does 1 mth seem long enough to warrant a dx of PTSD? I wouldn't want that to stay on my long term medical record if after 3 mths it went away and I was able to cope with the situtation then.
They then go on to say: It is important to remember that not everyone who lives through a dangerous event gets PTSD. In fact, most will not get the disorder.
Many factors play a part in whether a person will get PTSD. Some of these are risk factors that make a person more likely to get PTSD. Other factors, called resilience factors, can help reduce the risk of the disorder. Some of these risk and resilience factors are present before the trauma and others become important during and after a traumatic event.
Resilience factors that may reduce the risk of PTSD include:3
Seeking out support from other people, such as friends and family
Finding a support group after a traumatic event
Feeling good about one’s own actions in the face of danger
Having a coping strategy, or a way of getting through the bad event and learning from it
Being able to act and respond effectively despite feeling fear.
I think that's so true; after I talked to my husband & family about what was going on and a support group and others who had been through this, I felt better and started slowly getting better. Personally I've dealt with so many tragedies in my life, I've had to learn coping skills from a very early age.
I really believe that we can change the way we feel, act and react to different situations all based on our coping skills - our minds are a wonderful powerful tool that can help or hurt us, depending on how we choose to use it.
I've read some about it and talked to my dr, she's the one who suggested I had a mild case of it, but it seems complex.
The National Institute of Mental Health - says people who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger and it can can cause many symptoms. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating. [which is what happened with me; along with nightmares a few days after surgery]
Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD [this is what I was referring to with PTSD syndrome I think I had]. When the symptoms last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, they might be PTSD.
To be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have all of the following for at least 1 month:
At least one re-experiencing symptom
At least three avoidance symptoms
At least two hyperarousal symptoms
Symptoms that make it hard to go about daily life, go to school or work, be with friends, and take care of important tasks.
I'm not sure, but does 1 mth seem long enough to warrant a dx of PTSD? I wouldn't want that to stay on my long term medical record if after 3 mths it went away and I was able to cope with the situtation then.
They then go on to say: It is important to remember that not everyone who lives through a dangerous event gets PTSD. In fact, most will not get the disorder.
Many factors play a part in whether a person will get PTSD. Some of these are risk factors that make a person more likely to get PTSD. Other factors, called resilience factors, can help reduce the risk of the disorder. Some of these risk and resilience factors are present before the trauma and others become important during and after a traumatic event.
Resilience factors that may reduce the risk of PTSD include:3
Seeking out support from other people, such as friends and family
Finding a support group after a traumatic event
Feeling good about one’s own actions in the face of danger
Having a coping strategy, or a way of getting through the bad event and learning from it
Being able to act and respond effectively despite feeling fear.
I think that's so true; after I talked to my husband & family about what was going on and a support group and others who had been through this, I felt better and started slowly getting better. Personally I've dealt with so many tragedies in my life, I've had to learn coping skills from a very early age.
I really believe that we can change the way we feel, act and react to different situations all based on our coping skills - our minds are a wonderful powerful tool that can help or hurt us, depending on how we choose to use it.
So sorry to hear you are having such a hard time -- studies do show that any type of surgery can cause depression, although it often resolves in a few weeks to a few months in most. Patients who undergo heart surgery and/or have cardiac health problems have higher levels of depression than the general population that seem to last longer.
First, any experience like you describe during your pacemaker implantation can have long lasting effects if you don't have an opportunity to process the event and the emotions connected with it, so I believe it is possible that you have had a PTS type reaction. Also, if they did give you any meds or sedation at all, even if those meds did not work for you, they can still affect the way your brain records and remembers the experience. A drug called Versed (a benzodiazepine sedative) which is very commonly used during "non-invasive" cardiac procedures due to it's strong sedative and amnesiac properties is notorious for causing a certain small percentage of patients to have exactly the opposite reaction intended. Instead of being sedated and having no memories of the procedural experience, they report terrible experiences and their fear, pain and aggressive behavior are actually heightened. In addition, they often report experiencing nightmares, flashbacks, anger and depression -- sometimes long after the procedure.
Second, many anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs can cause some of the types of symptoms you are describing. Sometimes these are side effects, sometimes it has to do with developing "tolerance" so that the usual doses no longer work or actually cause a type of withdrawal. As noted, there are many, many anti-depressants out there so changing drugs may help you. Also, many of the medications commonly used by heart patients are well known to cause depression, so if you are taking any cardiac meds, check to see if the one you are taking has this listed as a side effect. If so, DON'T stop taking it -- but do check with your doctor about this. They might be able to try a different heart med with fewer side effects.
Thirdly, there is substantial anecdotal evidence that some patients with pacemakers have a very challenging time and often report they "just don't feel like themselves". Getting your pace maker adjusted properly can sometimes help patients feel physically better, which can help with depression. If you think this may be part of the problem, work with your doc as it may actually take a while to get it just "right" for you. Some patients with pacemakers also report feeling somewhat socially isolated, uncertain and a little wary of their bodies having to depend on a the pacemaker, limited in their activities and stereotyped as "invalids" due to their cardiac problems.
Fourthly, as mentioned above, I would also definitely suggest some sort of counseling with a therapist who specializes in people with chronic illness and/or PSTD. CBT (coognitive Behavioral Therapy) along with some emotional release techniques and body work can often make a huge difference for patients willing to do the work and who find a really good counselor -- which is so important in therapy. More and more larger and teaching hospitals (such as U Mass General and Mayo Clinic) are offering "Mind Body" classes for their patients dealing with health, pain and stress issues and the results are quite amazing. You might be able to enroll in a class and/or also get a referral for a reputable, ethical and experienced therapist for doing your own personal work. Also, some of these programs are now available on the internet, but be careful if you go that route that you choose a reputable one connected with one of the major hospitals as unfortunately there are a lot of charlatans out there, too, who will gladly take your money and perhaps not provide what you really need.
Finally, talk to your cardio and/or GP about what a difficult time you are having and if they don't provide support and help, find some who will. It may be that your symptoms are heart related, but there is also always a chance they may be related to something else, so having docs you can work well with can make all the difference. Despite the difficult time you have been having people can and do regain their health and happiness even after many years and even decades of struggling.
Good luck and best wishes!
First, any experience like you describe during your pacemaker implantation can have long lasting effects if you don't have an opportunity to process the event and the emotions connected with it, so I believe it is possible that you have had a PTS type reaction. Also, if they did give you any meds or sedation at all, even if those meds did not work for you, they can still affect the way your brain records and remembers the experience. A drug called Versed (a benzodiazepine sedative) which is very commonly used during "non-invasive" cardiac procedures due to it's strong sedative and amnesiac properties is notorious for causing a certain small percentage of patients to have exactly the opposite reaction intended. Instead of being sedated and having no memories of the procedural experience, they report terrible experiences and their fear, pain and aggressive behavior are actually heightened. In addition, they often report experiencing nightmares, flashbacks, anger and depression -- sometimes long after the procedure.
Second, many anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs can cause some of the types of symptoms you are describing. Sometimes these are side effects, sometimes it has to do with developing "tolerance" so that the usual doses no longer work or actually cause a type of withdrawal. As noted, there are many, many anti-depressants out there so changing drugs may help you. Also, many of the medications commonly used by heart patients are well known to cause depression, so if you are taking any cardiac meds, check to see if the one you are taking has this listed as a side effect. If so, DON'T stop taking it -- but do check with your doctor about this. They might be able to try a different heart med with fewer side effects.
Thirdly, there is substantial anecdotal evidence that some patients with pacemakers have a very challenging time and often report they "just don't feel like themselves". Getting your pace maker adjusted properly can sometimes help patients feel physically better, which can help with depression. If you think this may be part of the problem, work with your doc as it may actually take a while to get it just "right" for you. Some patients with pacemakers also report feeling somewhat socially isolated, uncertain and a little wary of their bodies having to depend on a the pacemaker, limited in their activities and stereotyped as "invalids" due to their cardiac problems.
Fourthly, as mentioned above, I would also definitely suggest some sort of counseling with a therapist who specializes in people with chronic illness and/or PSTD. CBT (coognitive Behavioral Therapy) along with some emotional release techniques and body work can often make a huge difference for patients willing to do the work and who find a really good counselor -- which is so important in therapy. More and more larger and teaching hospitals (such as U Mass General and Mayo Clinic) are offering "Mind Body" classes for their patients dealing with health, pain and stress issues and the results are quite amazing. You might be able to enroll in a class and/or also get a referral for a reputable, ethical and experienced therapist for doing your own personal work. Also, some of these programs are now available on the internet, but be careful if you go that route that you choose a reputable one connected with one of the major hospitals as unfortunately there are a lot of charlatans out there, too, who will gladly take your money and perhaps not provide what you really need.
Finally, talk to your cardio and/or GP about what a difficult time you are having and if they don't provide support and help, find some who will. It may be that your symptoms are heart related, but there is also always a chance they may be related to something else, so having docs you can work well with can make all the difference. Despite the difficult time you have been having people can and do regain their health and happiness even after many years and even decades of struggling.
Good luck and best wishes!
Something that doesn't quite make sence to me is why all of the depression drugs aren't working? Maybe it's because there is no 'true' depression? In other works the chemicals of the brain are at normal levels. Having a pacemaker should be making you feel good and really should not have any affect on your life other than making you feel better. To go through the surgery/placement like you did may have been very upsetting to you, I can certainly understand that, but after 4 years, you should have gotten over that by now; I don't think PTS Syndrome is an issue here; usually the trauma in that syndrome is SO overwhelming that it affects the person's life to where they cannot function at all! (I've gone through that at one time in my life and it lasted for close to 14 years, I'm just now getting back to the person I USED to be 15 years ago) Why is this causing such a depression in you? You are not dying as a result of having a pacer inserted, you do not have a life threatening or life altering form of heart disease. I don't understand.
opps I forgot to mention counseling - my dr suggested that along with meds, I used Lexapro for a month and went off of it with no problems and no side effects.
I still have some anxiety over my surgeries, but not like I first did afterwards, so I'm staying off Lexapro, but I'm glad I had a caring dr who understood what I was going through.
I still have some anxiety over my surgeries, but not like I first did afterwards, so I'm staying off Lexapro, but I'm glad I had a caring dr who understood what I was going through.
I agree with Lisa, you should try a different anti depressant. There are many meds and it's not uncommon to try more than one until you find the one that works for you.
It's very common for folks that live with heart conditions to become depressed. There have been studies on it but I don't think there are any rock solid conclusions. When one study makes a conclusion it's usually contradicted by subsequent studies.
You will respond to some degree with the right antidepressant. From there, counseling and CBT will get you back to where you want to be.
It's very common for folks that live with heart conditions to become depressed. There have been studies on it but I don't think there are any rock solid conclusions. When one study makes a conclusion it's usually contradicted by subsequent studies.
You will respond to some degree with the right antidepressant. From there, counseling and CBT will get you back to where you want to be.
Is it possible to feel like this? Absolutely, and most people who go through such a devastating life changing event have some depression.
Feeling and remembering what goes on in surgery is NOT supposed to happen - it happened to me also and I remember screaming STOP THE SURGERY! over and over and no one hearing me.
The staff of the hospital you went to would have had a piece of my mind if they treated me like that; when I told my dr and asked if it was PTSD symdrome they got worried and told me probably and suggested trying different meds to see if it helped. If one med isn't working for you, try another or go to a different doctor - there are tons of meds that can help.
Feeling and remembering what goes on in surgery is NOT supposed to happen - it happened to me also and I remember screaming STOP THE SURGERY! over and over and no one hearing me.
The staff of the hospital you went to would have had a piece of my mind if they treated me like that; when I told my dr and asked if it was PTSD symdrome they got worried and told me probably and suggested trying different meds to see if it helped. If one med isn't working for you, try another or go to a different doctor - there are tons of meds that can help.
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