Mended Hearts Open Forum

Hello all. I had an NSTEMI 8 days ago and am just now feeling the full effect of the anxiety. Last night every time I drifted to sleep my heart suddenly race and I woke up with a jolt. Happened five times in a row before I gave up trying to sleep. I use a CPAP and am on what I think is called the big 5 cocktail of meds for my heart, and my doctor just put me on Celexa today for anxiety. Just took my first dose about an hour ago and I just feel hot and weary. I usually take Xanax for acute anxiety but I'm trying to give this new drug a chance. I guess basically I'm just posting because I want reassurance that things will get better  

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Noah R
unemployed
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Noah, are you under the care of a cardiologist? How did they treat your NSTEMI heart attack? Was there any cardiac intervention like angioplasty or stent placement? My understanding as a nonphysician is that CPAP treats sleep apnea.

As to anxiety after a heart attack, this is common to many people, and it also passes over time. You might want to seek out counseling as well as your anxiety medication.

As to the fact that you are 8 days post-heart attack, understand that you are just beginning your recovery. At 8 days post emergency open heart bypass surgery (5 blocked arteries including the widowmaker) after my heart attack seven and a half years ago, I was still in a medically induced coma, so it does get better over time. I was an unusual case requiring 3 weeks in intensive care and another 3 weeks in inpatient cardiac rehab, but I recovered swiftly and, once my sternum was fully healed from the surgery, I was back to my normal gym routine and back to work. You'll get there too soon enough.

Please keep us posted on your recovery progress.

Ira

Hello Ira. I saw a cardiologist in the hospital, and I have a follow up appointment with a cardiologist in mid-July. I was given a complete workup, but it wasn't until the angiogram that they could pinpoint the culprit lesion, which was in my Distal LCX (99% blockage). Too small for a stent so I am being treated with medicine. Plavix, Coreg, Aspirin, Crestor, and Lisinopril. What you have shared about your own recovery has given me hope. I'm feeling better each day, though I did have a major dip about three days after discharge. 

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Noah Ribaric
unemployed
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-25-2025 06:35
From: Ira Reid
Subject: Recent NSTEMI

Noah, are you under the care of a cardiologist? How did they treat your NSTEMI heart attack? Was there any cardiac intervention like angioplasty or stent placement? My understanding as a nonphysician is that CPAP treats sleep apnea.

As to anxiety after a heart attack, this is common to many people, and it also passes over time. You might want to seek out counseling as well as your anxiety medication.

As to the fact that you are 8 days post-heart attack, understand that you are just beginning your recovery. At 8 days post emergency open heart bypass surgery (5 blocked arteries including the widowmaker) after my heart attack seven and a half years ago, I was still in a medically induced coma, so it does get better over time. I was an unusual case requiring 3 weeks in intensive care and another 3 weeks in inpatient cardiac rehab, but I recovered swiftly and, once my sternum was fully healed from the surgery, I was back to my normal gym routine and back to work. You'll get there too soon enough.

Please keep us posted on your recovery progress.

Ira

I had a SAVR almost 4 months ago and while not the same, my heart was stuck in overdrive from previously keeping me alive and active with severe and then critical stenosis. Then suddenly blood could flow through properly, but my heart was still in panic mode. Sometimes it went off the rails a bit with racing or palpetations, and medicine helped me, but healing helped more. Keep working with your doctors. The biggest thing that helped me with recovery, spirit, and with sleep was very regular exercise, many times a day and slowly working up. Whatever I was “allowed" to do and safe I stayed right on the edge of. Depression and anxiety are normal for heart conditions and surgery. Its the mind telling the body to go hide or to panic because something is wrong, and in this case something actually was, but the fact that we have amazing medical treatments now is reassuring. The serenity prayer is pertinent. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"

Hi Peter. I am finding that moving around is really helpful, especially when I'm feeling chest discomfort. The day after I was discharged home I felt great and was watering plants and doing laundry. The next day I was wiped out and flooded with anxiety and dread. That is still working its way out of my system, but slowly getting better. This is by far the most frightening experience of my life, and I was so grateful to find this community where I could hear similar stories, especially when I was feeling so hopeless. Thank you for sharing yours with me and for the advice. 

------------------------------
Noah Ribaric
unemployed
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-25-2025 11:08
From: Peter DeWeese
Subject: Recent NSTEMI

I had a SAVR almost 4 months ago and while not the same, my heart was stuck in overdrive from previously keeping me alive and active with severe and then critical stenosis. Then suddenly blood could flow through properly, but my heart was still in panic mode. Sometimes it went off the rails a bit with racing or palpetations, and medicine helped me, but healing helped more. Keep working with your doctors. The biggest thing that helped me with recovery, spirit, and with sleep was very regular exercise, many times a day and slowly working up. Whatever I was "allowed" to do and safe I stayed right on the edge of. Depression and anxiety are normal for heart conditions and surgery. Its the mind telling the body to go hide or to panic because something is wrong, and in this case something actually was, but the fact that we have amazing medical treatments now is reassuring. The serenity prayer is pertinent. "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"

Noah and All,

What happens to our bodies during these types of health events is highly traumatic, but fear itself is subjective and, however common a reaction it might be, is not a necessary emotional reaction. When I had my heart attack and was told that my condition required emergency open heart surgery, I had no time to think. I just took a few moments to reassure my wife and daughter and accepted the inevitable.

Upon my awakening from the coma, I felt no fear. Instead, I was possessed of an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude towards all who saved my life. I felt a sense of oneness with all. When I finally got out if the hospital after six weeks, I took a walk one day and actually hugged a tree. I was like Ebenezer Scrooge after he awoke on Christmas morning. That feeling has never left me.

I know we are all connected as one, learning our life lessons, often suffering as part of our life curriculum, in order to advance as the spiritual beings we truly are as our consciousness expands to a true awakening.

To repeat what others have said, we are not the individual waves. We are the ocean. We are not the passing clouds. We are the sky. The clouds are just our thoughts and fears, passing and impermanent. The sky remains forever.

Ira


Original Message:
Sent: 6/26/2025 11:38:00 AM
From: Noah Ribaric
Subject: RE: Recent NSTEMI

Hi Peter. I am finding that moving around is really helpful, especially when I'm feeling chest discomfort. The day after I was discharged home I felt great and was watering plants and doing laundry. The next day I was wiped out and flooded with anxiety and dread. That is still working its way out of my system, but slowly getting better. This is by far the most frightening experience of my life, and I was so grateful to find this community where I could hear similar stories, especially when I was feeling so hopeless. Thank you for sharing yours with me and for the advice. 

------------------------------
Noah Ribaric
unemployed
------------------------------

I had a similar feeling of gratitude after my surgery. It was a physical trial and there were annoyances and pain, but I kept coming back to joy regardless. I had prayed for courage and peace, and then had to choose to accept it as well! As an example, my profile pic here has me introducing my daughter's beloved stuffed animal that she asked me to take care of to a service dog I happened upon while doing a LOT of laps in the stepdown. I feel so lucky.

------------------------------
Peter DeWeese
Blacksburg VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-27-2025 05:38
From: Ira Reid
Subject: Recent NSTEMI

Noah and All,

What happens to our bodies during these types of health events is highly traumatic, but fear itself is subjective and, however common a reaction it might be, is not a necessary emotional reaction. When I had my heart attack and was told that my condition required emergency open heart surgery, I had no time to think. I just took a few moments to reassure my wife and daughter and accepted the inevitable.

Upon my awakening from the coma, I felt no fear. Instead, I was possessed of an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude towards all who saved my life. I felt a sense of oneness with all. When I finally got out if the hospital after six weeks, I took a walk one day and actually hugged a tree. I was like Ebenezer Scrooge after he awoke on Christmas morning. That feeling has never left me.

I know we are all connected as one, learning our life lessons, often suffering as part of our life curriculum, in order to advance as the spiritual beings we truly are as our consciousness expands to a true awakening.

To repeat what others have said, we are not the individual waves. We are the ocean. We are not the passing clouds. We are the sky. The clouds are just our thoughts and fears, passing and impermanent. The sky remains forever.

Ira



Original Message:
Sent: 6/26/2025 11:38:00 AM
From: Noah Ribaric
Subject: RE: Recent NSTEMI

Hi Peter. I am finding that moving around is really helpful, especially when I'm feeling chest discomfort. The day after I was discharged home I felt great and was watering plants and doing laundry. The next day I was wiped out and flooded with anxiety and dread. That is still working its way out of my system, but slowly getting better. This is by far the most frightening experience of my life, and I was so grateful to find this community where I could hear similar stories, especially when I was feeling so hopeless. Thank you for sharing yours with me and for the advice. 

------------------------------
Noah Ribaric
unemployed
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 06-25-2025 11:08
From: Peter DeWeese
Subject: Recent NSTEMI

I had a SAVR almost 4 months ago and while not the same, my heart was stuck in overdrive from previously keeping me alive and active with severe and then critical stenosis. Then suddenly blood could flow through properly, but my heart was still in panic mode. Sometimes it went off the rails a bit with racing or palpetations, and medicine helped me, but healing helped more. Keep working with your doctors. The biggest thing that helped me with recovery, spirit, and with sleep was very regular exercise, many times a day and slowly working up. Whatever I was "allowed" to do and safe I stayed right on the edge of. Depression and anxiety are normal for heart conditions and surgery. Its the mind telling the body to go hide or to panic because something is wrong, and in this case something actually was, but the fact that we have amazing medical treatments now is reassuring. The serenity prayer is pertinent. "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"

Original Message:
Sent: 6/27/2025 8:55:00 AM
From: Peter DeWeese
Subject: RE: Recent NSTEMI

I had a similar feeling of gratitude after my surgery. It was a physical trial and there were annoyances and pain, but I kept coming back to joy regardless. I had prayed for courage and peace, and then had to choose to accept it as well! As an example, my profile pic here has me introducing my daughter's beloved stuffed animal that she asked me to take care of to a service dog I happened upon while doing a LOT of laps in the stepdown. I feel so lucky.

------------------------------
Peter DeWeese
Blacksburg VA
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 06-27-2025 05:38
From: Ira Reid
Subject: Recent NSTEMI

Noah and All,

What happens to our bodies during these types of health events is highly traumatic, but fear itself is subjective and, however common a reaction it might be, is not a necessary emotional reaction. When I had my heart attack and was told that my condition required emergency open heart surgery, I had no time to think. I just took a few moments to reassure my wife and daughter and accepted the inevitable.

Upon my awakening from the coma, I felt no fear. Instead, I was possessed of an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude towards all who saved my life. I felt a sense of oneness with all. When I finally got out if the hospital after six weeks, I took a walk one day and actually hugged a tree. I was like Ebenezer Scrooge after he awoke on Christmas morning. That feeling has never left me.

I know we are all connected as one, learning our life lessons, often suffering as part of our life curriculum, in order to advance as the spiritual beings we truly are as our consciousness expands to a true awakening.

To repeat what others have said, we are not the individual waves. We are the ocean. We are not the passing clouds. We are the sky. The clouds are just our thoughts and fears, passing and impermanent. The sky remains forever.

Ira



Original Message:
Sent: 6/26/2025 11:38:00 AM
From: Noah Ribaric
Subject: RE: Recent NSTEMI

Hi Peter. I am finding that moving around is really helpful, especially when I'm feeling chest discomfort. The day after I was discharged home I felt great and was watering plants and doing laundry. The next day I was wiped out and flooded with anxiety and dread. That is still working its way out of my system, but slowly getting better. This is by far the most frightening experience of my life, and I was so grateful to find this community where I could hear similar stories, especially when I was feeling so hopeless. Thank you for sharing yours with me and for the advice. 

------------------------------
Noah Ribaric
unemployed
------------------------------