PTSD Prior to SCAD?

• By helzbelz63
• Reply 3429782
• October 4, 2012 at 7:46 am
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Hi Karin,
i was going through a very stressful time when i had my SCAD. I had family troubles and the upset was so bad i felt my heart had broke. My cardiologist has said he believes stress plays a big part in causing SCAD and has asked me to try to be calm.
I do try and now do tai chi and meditation to help with stress and to keep me healthy mentally and physically.
Hope this helps.

Love Helen

• By KeepLookingUp
• Reply 3430044
• October 4, 2012 at 9:17 am
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Hi Girls,
Yeah, I would have to say that I was under alot of stress too when I had my SCAD. I stayed home for two weeks from work after my SCAD. When I returned to work the stress only became worse. I had decided not to take any heart meds because I had a healthy heart and no high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Then one morning I had what I thought may be another heart attack that lasted for 3 minutes. I went to the ER but they did not discover anything while running all sorts of tests. Now I am on my heart meds for precaution. Trying to keep my stress down is not always the easiest thing to do.
You sweet ladies take care! Chris

• By SojournHR
• Reply 3431748
• October 4, 2012 at 7:25 pm
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My work stress has been considerable for quite some time. Things had gotten a bit better this past summer, then I had the SCAD on September 1. The day before (a Friday) had been stressful as I was overseeing a major project and we were approaching a very busy time of year. I remember being very shaky on that Friday and a co-worker even commented that I looked like I didn't feel well. I was just completing a full week of work after being on vacation for a week and while the vacation was good, coming back to a load of work is always stressful, so it had been a busy week.

I was looking forward to the 3-day Labor Day weekend but knew there was a lot of work ahead of me in the next two weeks. Well, it wound up that I didn't work ANY those two weeks. I returned to work the next week, but have had to cut my hours back since then. I've put up with the stress for so long, but now I am wondering if I can continue to do so. I asked the cardiologists about stress causing the SCAD and each time I was told that stress didn't cause it. I accepted that at the time, but have wondered since then if they knew for sure, or if they just say that. I am working with a counselor to help me deal with the work stress and to help me with the trauma of the SCAD.

I 'm sorry to hear that so many of us have experienced such intense stress, but I appreciate everyone sharing.

• By frykwoman
• Reply 3433334
• October 5, 2012 at 11:03 am
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Hi Karin,
The arrival of PTSD in my life happened as a result of several traumatic medical events, including my SCAD. My SCAD happened as I was undergoing a heart cath the day after my MI. As I lay there watching the Xray screen, I witnessed my RCA dissecting and bleeding into my chest cavity. The staff in the room grew to twice as many, and everyone was whispering, no one was attending to ME-- no holding of my hand or comforting whatsoever. I was wide awake, and watching myself die. They ended up stenting my entire RCA-- they creepily call it a "full metal jacket". The doc downplayed the event, sort of bragging that it was a good thing that HE was the doc in the room. I recall crying so hard that tears were cascading down my cheeks, hitting the table, then cascading off the table and pooling on the floor beneath me. No one asked me how I was doing. I was hell.
I had to discover via internet and here on Inspire that my emotional flashbacks, and severe night terrors were due to PTSD, and was able to find an excellent therapist who practices EMDR therapy. I am grateful that my emotional life has improved as treatment progresses.
Besides EMDR therapy, I found a book that has been extremely helpful-- The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook, by Glenn R. Schiraldi. Well worth it.

I wish you well.

LOVE,
Melissa

• By catbell7
• Reply 3433552
• October 5, 2012 at 12:07 pm
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my PTSD was the result of being sexually abused by a stepfather (one that even after I came forward and told my mother and all her family ==to protect the children of my cousins--she remarried him after they had divorced and I never spoke to her again -- she did admit to her sister that she knew what he was doing to me but didn't speak up to stop it becuase she needed the money he brought into the house to support her and my 2 brothers -- so basically I was 'sold' for a roof over the head and groceries but at least my mother who never wanted children didn't have to get off her ass and get a job.

• By jodilew
• Reply 3436380
• October 6, 2012 at 12:45 pm
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My friend lost her 5 year old daughter to a brain tumor on Valentines Day in Feb. 208. I cried for weeks and felt, too, that my heart was broken. I had my first SCAD a few weeks later.

• By Lee_56
• Reply 3436502
• October 6, 2012 at 1:34 pm
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Although many issues contribute to heart disease, I have read that stress hormones like cortisol boost blood pressure and blood sugar. So, in turn, it figures that stress and PTSD do play a role in the disease.

• By ShantiHeart
• Reply 3439882
• October 7, 2012 at 11:14 pm
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About two months before my SCADs, I discovered something very shocking and upsetting, that I felt broken-hearted about. I sobbed and sobbed like I'd never sobbed before at any time in my life. I also felt helpless to do anything to change the situation I had discovered. The day before my first SCAD MI, I had revisited this shocking event in an email exchange with a friend, and it brought me to tears again. I felt this kind of trembling in my heart, which I attributed to the emotion I was feeling around this. I settled down and got past it, but 12 hours later, 3:30 am, I woke up with the nausea, chest pains, arm pain, etc., that led me to call 911, and the rest is history... So I think intense emotional stress/heartbreak as well as PTSD are contributing factors for some of us.

• By KarinC
• Reply 3439947
• October 7, 2012 at 11:52 pm
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Thank you all for sharing your stories. I am just beginning to link my emotional health with my physical health and it helps to hear from other women.

• By TamiTutor
• Reply 3440358
• October 8, 2012 at 8:21 am
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I was in a horrifying car accident in 2005 which left me with a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and severe PTSD. Up until 2010 when I became pregnant with our 3rd I was still in physical therapy for multiple surgeries related to the accident. My PTSD symptoms had decreased quite significantly until I gave birth in April of 2011. The birth of our 3rd involved severe pain as I wanted to have her naturally. Unbeknownst, to any of us--including our obgyn--our baby girl was 10 and a half pounds. She got stuck at her shoulders with a 1/3 of her little body hanging out of the birth canal for several minutes. I was completely unaware of all this as I was passing out from the pain between contractions/pushing. Suddenly (at least in my pain-filled perception of events) my doctor started yelling at me repeatedly: "Push her out! Push her out! Push her out!". His voice growing in volume and harshness each time he yelled. I had no idea why he was yelling at me like that but it offended me--and as a result I pushed my struggling baby out just to get him to stop yelling. (Smart doctor on that one.). Unfortunately my precious little one suffered from a broken collar bone but gratefully the damage was short term. However, in the ensuing weeks, I started exhibiting symptoms of PTSD again--blowing my top with my kids, night sweats, anger, agitation and aggression. At 8 weeks post-partum I suffered my SCAD. I didn't realize what had happened with my first heart attack nor with my second. But with my third it became abundantly clear something wasn't right when I passed out on the kitchen floor.

• By KeepLookingUp
• Reply 3440747 · In reply to 3440358 by TamiTutor
• October 8, 2012 at 10:34 am
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OMG you sweet sweet thing. I will be praying for you and that another heart attack never passes by your sweet self. I will be praying for your family and that through these trials you will gain great strength through His amazing grace. Take Care, Chris

• By TamiTutor
• Reply 3441068
• October 8, 2012 at 12:04 pm
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Hi Chris,

Thank you for your prayers. I cried when I read your sentiments. I'm just starting to process the trauma that I experienced from her birth. Writing what I did above is only the second time I've directly addressed the experience.

With much gratitude,
Tami

• By ca0371
• Reply 3445834
• October 9, 2012 at 11:35 pm
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I was under more stress than usual for the month before my first SCAD/MI. When my second occured I had just gone through the memorial service for my Grandma (who was more like a mom to me). Unfortunately, I was privy to a "conversation" that was extremely traumatic to witness. Three days later I had my second SCAD/MI & emergency CABGx2. That was when PTSD was first diagnosed. However, I believe due to my history of childhood emotional abuse, PTSD was present long before my SCAD. My Cardiologist is a firm believer that stress played a major role in my SCAD.

I coping relatively well by seeing a Therapist, drug therapy & having my dog (prescribed by my Cardiologist!). I also really try to avoid stressful situations. It's not always easy but the word NO has gotten alot more usuage than it used to!

Best of luck & know we are an effective way of managing your stress level too! <3