Anxiety Attacks?

[brendaM]

I had my LTHR done on 9/24 and I am coming along great from that, but now I'm starting to have anxiety attacks. I spent 7 hours in the emergency room the other day, with difficulty breathing and chest pain. Dr. did a CT scan and chest x-ray, EKG, blood work and everything was fine. Why would these attacks be starting when I'm finally turned the corner and able to be up and about more. Has anybody else had problems with anxiety after surgery? They have ordered xanax 1 every 8 hours as needed. I feel so stupid not being able to control these.

 

[Jamie]

Brenda, by all means....never, never feel stupid about needing help when a panic attack comes out of nowhere. Here are some things to think about.

These attacks frequently start up after something stressful happens in a person's life....ummm....like MAJOR SURGERY!! They don't necessarily last the rest of your life....more than likely, you are having a temporary experience with them that will go away.

They are scary. The symptoms mimic a life-threatening situation like heart attacks, which of course adds to the anxiety. But panic attacks themselves are not dangerous to any of your internal organs. That said, totally ignoring them is not good either. I am happy to hear that your doctor is proposing medication to help with them. Many times, meds such as xanax are used along with psychological counseling to make sure you can also address any underlying irrational thoughts or worries you might have that help trigger the attacks.

But many times, there is no explanation other than the body's mechanisms just get a little out of whack. I think about it like some experiences I've had or known of where you go through a harrowing experience - like an automobile accident. You are strong and coherent as you maneuver your car to avoid a serious crash....you come out of the event completely uninjured. But....as you are sitting there afterwards, you go into a kind of shock even though it's all over.

Also....when you are having anxiety problems, be sure you are getting plenty of rest. Many people find aerobic exercise helps - as much as you can do at this point after your surgery. Get outside with fresh air when possible. And watch your intake of caffine (I'd stop it completely for a while) and other things that stimulate your system. Some people benefit from yoga, biofeedback, or other relaxation techniques that can be learned.

So be glad that you took action quickly to get the anxiety attacks under control. Work with the doctors, try some or all of the other things I mentioned, and I suspect you will not be bothered by anxiety attacks too much longer.

Please post again and let us know how you're getting along. Believe me, you're not the only one to experience this.

 

[Texas]

Hey Brenda i do understand what you are talking about i dont think mine go that bad but i did have to do things to not left it get that far.....sit outside talk with neighbors have friends come over.....change of scenery i even had my husband ride me around a lil no it wasn't that comfortable but it was better than the alternative.,i used pillows but i have to gt out just some suggestions.............hang it there it will pass...........take care and here's a big hug.........)

 

[tonerika]

Brenda,
Geez...I feel so bad for you. That must be a HORRIBLE feeling. So glad that you are working with the docs to fix it. Wish I had some good advice for you. Jamie sounded like she had it covered. We will all be thinking about you and hope that these attacks fade away soon!!! Please keep posting and let us know how you are. We might not can fix it, but we can hold your hand while you go through it!!
Erika

 

[Josephine]

I had an anxiety state and panic attacks after my TKR. I went into major melt down in week 4 when I was supposed to go see the physio for an assessment. I had ordered a cab but 10 mins before it came I was shaking, sweating and crying like a baby! I rang to tell the PT but could hardly speak for crying and she was so concerned, bless her! She told me to ring my gp which I was going to anyway. The GP phoned me back and immediately she heard me, came round to my house to assess me. She was wonderful and even just talking to her helped. She put me on a short course of anti-anxiety meds which helped a lot though didn't need them long.

What I did after was to start going for short walks down the road - 2 mins day one, 3 mins day two and so on. Pretty soon I was walking ½ mile and coping really well. Of course, once I could drive I was really away and good!

I think what caused mine was eventually having to cope with outside, testing myself with coping with the operated leg and being on my own. I think one's body and mind can get a bit accustomed to being coddled for the first few days and then the rest is just too much of a challenge. Especially since I had done so amazingly well so quickly. That's how I figured it happened to me, anyway.

Exactly the same thing happened when I had my hysterectomy back in 1980. I recovered too well too fast. On day one I was walking round the ward and on day two went for a walk around the car park on my own! But when I got home, it all went pear-shaped! I was having sweats, my palms would literally drip with perspiration, I'd feel faint and woolly and quite convinced something absolutely dreadful was about to happen like a heart attack or something! The way I mastered that in the end was to sign up for monthly blood donations - true! It gave me a reason to go out of the house for a fairly decent walk but when I got there, I knew there would be nurses and all to look after me if anything nasty did happen! Neat huh?

 

[brendaM]

Thanks to all of you who responded. It does make me feel better knowing this is not uncommon. I know it sure is scary when it happens.

 

[shugaplum]

Everybody's body deals with things differently. I had major panic attacks leading into the surgery...I was walking out of work at least once a day to try and get a grip on myself. Post-surgery I have had my share of emotional break downs although the anxiety has subsided. We've all been through something very major...on our emotions as well as our bodies. This is just your body's way of processing what its been going through. So take a deep breath, go talk to your doctor, and know that this too shall pass. We're all looking out for you!!

 

[brendaM]

Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this helps. My husband will be going away on a hunting trip in 10 days, and I have been really nervous thinking about being here alone. I really do feel better reading your encouraging words. Thank you so much.

 

[Angie68]

So far I havent had any and I am quite surprised. I have been prone to them in the past. And with all the pain & difficulty I have had with this hip I really cant believe I havent had any. I had myself convinced something was terribly wrong & I was going back into surgery!

About 14 yrs ago my Mother in law had to have heart bypass. I was extremely close to her. Bless her heart we just lost her this past Jan to breast cancer. Anyway, she had to go in suddenly in an emergency to have this bypass after a heart attack. We werent even prepared for this surgery. We were really scared she wouldnt make it. After surgery she was on a respirator for several hrs. That thing made her chest rise up and down really high. It freaked me out! I got all weak & dizzy & had to leave the room.

Several days later my anxiety attacks started. Only I didnt recognize them as anxiety attacks. I thought for sure that I was having a heart attack and needed bypass myself! I went to my Dr & was very upset. He explained to me what was going on. He put me on a nerve pill for 2 weeks. He said sometimes our body just needs some help dealing with life.

I have had them several times since then throughout the years. It is a horrible feeling and I really feel for ya. Do not be ashamed and please take the meds to help.

 

[Jamie]

Angie, I'm so sorry about the loss of your mother. Loss of parents is always a difficult thing. But good for you that you understand the anxiety attacks and have figured out how to deal with them. That is the key!

Brenda....you won't be alone when hubby is gone. You have your entire BoneSmart family available online day or night....we're here for you!

 

[Josephine]

Interesting you shared that, Angie. It reminded me what actually started my panic attacks around my hysterectomy.

First I was going to the gynae for painful periods for which I expected a simple D&C. But he found a cystic ovary which he said could be malignant so he needed to have a look see. If all was well, he said, he might as well do the job whilst he was in there!

But the looming prospect of cancer was completely wiped out of my head when my father was killed in a road accident. Since he had always been an absentee father even since my earliest days, I had a lot of trouble trying to motivate the rest of my siblings, especially my brother, to get involved with the funeral and looking after his totally disabled wife. I managed it eventually but at some emotional cost. The funeral took place about 5 days before the op. Stupid me fobbed off everyone's advice (at work) to postpone the op thinking I'd be ok, it was 'only' a hysterectomy, but two days after the op, I experienced my first 'attack'.

I was at another hospital and my friends from the theatre (we were all fellow members in the National Association of Theatre Nurses) came up to visit, someone came up with the stupid idea for me to have a look round their theatres! When I was actually in the room where I'd been done, I almost passed out! Wasn't upset or scared or anything, just came over me like someone had emptied a bucket of water over my head and they had to get a wheel chair to take me back to the ward! Was probably the stupidest thing I ever did!

And it just went down hill after that! Was supposed to have 3 months off sick but ended up having 6. Had visits to the psychiatrist (fat lot of help!) but in the end, worked out my own salvation by going to a local GP who taught pregnant women self hypnosis for during labour. One of my staff nurses was his patient and raved about how it had helped her have a natural delivery. He agreed to teach me the self-hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques. This worked a treat and 3 weeks after meeting him I was back at work and almost feeling like nothing had ever happened. However, it always leaves one susceptible and I have had brushes with the anxiety now and again over the years. Reckon I always will, given the right circumstances.

 

[JudyS]

I've been such a nervous wreck lately, I've been afraid to read this thread. It did make me realize one time when I had an anxiety attack.
brenda I am so glad you are getting the help you need.
judy

 

[prairienut]

Hi Brenda, I had a THR 6 months ago. In the 2 week period following the surgery I had several episodes of anxiety symptoms. The worst symptom was uncontrollable shaking of my legs -- very uncomfortable when you've just had major surgery on your hip! The other symptom was labored breathing but this happened only in the first few days after surgery. I normally do not have anxiety attacks so I was at a loss to explain why this was happening. The doctors didn't seem to have an explanation either, but did prescribe Valium which I used a few times. As inexpicably as the symptoms appeared, they disappeared after a few weeks and have never returned. I have a full bottle of unused Valium sitting on the shelf. It seemed that once I was off the narcotic medication, I no longer had the problem with anxiety. Don't know if there was a connection there. The odd thing about the attacks is that I did not feel emotionally anxious at all -- it seemed to be just a physical thing. However, I did notice when I received a phone call from a well wisher, the symptoms got worse. I guess the social stimulation of the phone call brought on the anxiety.

Very odd, very unpleasant, I'm glad it's over. This was the worst part of my THR recovery. The PT and other aspects of recovery went great. Now I am back in full swing. Next time I have surgery, I'll make sure I have a Valium prescription on the books just in case.

Good luck to you. I would like to hear how you make out with this problem and what you learn from the doctors about it.

Gail

 

[Josephine]

Gail, it's very likely the onset of this occurring when you got the phone call was a coincidence as there are many medications that cause symptoms such as you describe. I believe Percocet is one ...

 

[Pat29627]

I had an anxiety attack at 5 1/2 weeks after surgery. It happened when I put my glaucoma eye drops into my eyes (which I'd used for 2 years with no problem) and they stung very badly (I later learned that the pain drugs made my eyes very dry).

The anxiety attack wasn't so much physical, it was like I felt I can't deal with the eye drops and if I had to either use those every night or be blind, I didn't know if I could live. It lasted a few hours, but then for a few days I knew one was close to coming on if I didn't distract myself. One day the depression was like a heavy fog and I felt I could hardly make myself respond to the world.

The only thing that really helped me was a technique of tapping on points of the body called EFT. https://www.emofree.com/ I'd heard about it before, but never had read the whole free online manual or practiced it since I thought it was nothing real. The more I practiced it, the more it helped me. I used EFT for about 3 months when I felt anxious or couldn't sleep. A couple of times I fell asleep in the middle of going through the tapping sequence just in my mind.

I stopped the oxycodone and went to hydrocodone, but continued to have anxiety and depression, so I got off that at around 7 weeks. I suffered a lot (but got rid of the anxiety and depression) until I saw the doc and got an Rx for Tramadol (Ultram).

 

[Josephine]

Hydrocodone does have anxiety listed as one of its side effects.

 

[Texas]

Hey Brenda just checking to see how you were doing.......cant wait to hear from you........)

 

[brendaM]

Hello everyone:

I am still having anxiety attacks, they have me on xanax and have now added paxil in the morning. It is controlling them much better, but I still become short of breath in the afternoon at times, and they have told me to take another xanax when this happens. I went to a chiropractor for a treatment on my back and had an attack in his office, where I couldn't catch my breath. He ran all kinds of test on my body, and said my magnetic fields were all off and it had something to do with my scar. He also said the neurotransmitters, such as serotonin are out of balance in my brain. Wants me to take RNA (ribonucleic Acid) 18 pills a day. I called my Med. Dr. and she said to do what she tells me and that was when she added the paxil. My scar has healed really well, and I'm even able to lie on that side for a few minutes to get off my back. I go to my Med Dr. Wed. and I'll see what she has to say. Do we eventually get over these anxiety attacks so we don't have to take medication for them? How long does something like this go on? I have started using a cane to walk with, and at times, my hip feels well enough, that I forget and take off across the room without my cane. The hip is coming along great. I go back to my OS on 11/6.

 

[JudyS]

Brenda i am sorry you are still having problems. but if you just added the paxil it takes a while for some drugs to fully get in your system.
Sounds like your new hip is doing great. It will all get better, hang in there
judy

 

[Jamie]

Brenda, you were very wise to contact your primary doctor before adding additional medications or supplements prescribed by someone else. Very smart.

Frankly, I'm not getting a very good feeling about all that stuff your chiropracter did and his suggestion that your seratonin levels and magnetic fields are off. The fact that you were not able to clearly describe what he said was wrong is a red flag to me that he didn't do a good job describing what he perceived to be the problem.

I think you will eventually stop having the panic attacks. Give it some time....so sorry you are having to go through this.