Did anyone have nightmares ?

• By kardia
• Posted September 4, 2009 at 11:16 am
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She is still in the hospital I imagine? Have they given anything to her to help her with the anxiety of her experience? I was put onto Atavan (sp) to help. It did seem to.

Being in the hospital, alone, can create diorientation while trying to sleep between the nurse's rounds of taking bp and giving medications. The level of completely deep sleep is difficult to achieve, so memory of the brain's activity is more available.

My experience is that also, when I have just thought about what had been done inside my body, who touched what, what was moved around, and then the wires inside me? not my body! It can make me consciously pretty squeemish. So, I try not to think about it.

I am sorry she is having this experience. Not sure what drugs she is on, but some actually do increase possibilities for sleepin disorders like insomnia and nightmares. I am on Amiodarone right now, and am always discovering more side effects from it, problems sleeping, and confusion.

Not sure this helps. Just know she is probably not alone on this one either.

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• By NewAllie
• Posted September 5, 2009 at 9:58 am
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I started having them before I had the bypass surgery, even before I knew for certain my symptoms were heart related. I'd just barely get to sleep and dream someone was sawing my chest open. It's so traumatic and so barbaric. And during the surgery, even though we are "asleep," it's just a wonder we don't have them forever. I'm so sorry she's is going through this...I know how terrifying it is. Love, Allie

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• By pclipper
• Posted September 5, 2009 at 11:36 am
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Some people have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after surgery, how many depends on who you talk to. I had a lot of visual symptoms: can't remember the term, but would have a lot of hallucinations and "special effects" just as I was waking up usually. The actual time in hospital was "out of this world," but the other symptoms were there for a year. If it's been a while and she's out of hospital, think she needs to seek out some informed support. It's a strange experience, doubt that many go through it without some temporary trauma and brain misfires. My sympathies and perhaps it might be comforting for her to know that a lot of changes can be attributed to the surgery.

hugs, Penny

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• By 1spudcat
• Posted September 5, 2009 at 2:16 pm
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Hi Heartgoddess sorry to hear about your cousin. Here are my nonmedical degree thoughts. I was on the heart lung machine but I was also pumped full of morphine, heparin, had stuff to knock me out during surgery and stuff to quell the pain after words. I told you this was non medical.

I rarely had a complete nights sleep with blood checks, pressure checks, and med runs. I had dreams in sepia, I had dreams about my son building pyramids with sedated hamsters, I had dreams that left me anxious and unsettled....

There is the Trauma of the open heart surgery and the event itself. The hospital room with all its noises and smells. So many things can ad up to impacting one's sub conscious. So many things that pile up on one in this huge life changing almost ending event. What i am trying to say there are so many factors that I would not consider just the heart lung machine. I hope your cousin after going through all she has ,will find the answers she needs and peace in her sleep at night soon. spuds

Spuds

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